Although Al-Students Club finished its last football season with results described as 'acceptable' under the leadership of Iraqi coach Basim Qasim, the management has started to move towards a new phase, which involves hiring a foreign coach with higher experience and ambition that matches the club's goals for the upcoming season, amid the fans' and management's pursuit of stronger competition for titles.

The name of coach Zeljko Petrovic, the well-known Montenegrin coach who previously led the Iraqi national team in 2022, was one of the prominent names proposed to the management. The club has shown serious interest in hiring him, especially after his relatively successful recent experience with Al-Qadisiya Club in Kuwait.

However, Petrovic clearly rejected the offer, citing his current contractual obligation with Al-Dhafra Club in the UAE, affirming his respect for the existing contract and his unwillingness to enter into any side negotiations.

In contrast, Al-Students has entered direct negotiations with Egyptian coach Ayman El-Ramadi, who recently led Zamalek Club during critical periods of the last season. El-Ramadi has shown initial interest in the idea of coaching a popular team in Iraq, but negotiations are still ongoing, amid high financial demands from the coach, alongside receiving official offers from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The third option mentioned is the experienced Omani coach Rashid Jaber, coach of the Oman national team, who has a respectable technical record at the level of Gulf national teams. However, his current commitment to the Omani national team, which is preparing to participate in the Asian playoff qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, poses a significant obstacle to completing the deal, especially since the Omani Football Association is keen to retain him in the coming period.

Sources have also revealed that Al-Students Club may reopen negotiations with coach Nebojsa Jovovic, who is also from Montenegro and previously coached Al-Police Club in Iraq during the 2018-2019 season, leading them to win the Iraqi league title at that time, in one of his most notable coaching experiences. The coach has been without a club for a while and may be available if the desire and financial capabilities are present.

Although the management has not officially announced Basim Qasim's departure, these movements clearly indicate their desire for change. The file is expected to be finalized in the coming days, with indications suggesting that the name of the next coach will be determined before mid-August, to ensure ideal preparation for the new season.

These steps come as part of an expanded project through which the management of Al-Students aims to build a team capable of real competition, after years of fluctuation, especially in light of the large fan attendance that the club enjoys and the increasing support received by the current management.