Local Coach Criticizes Ali Jassim After Move to Zakho

Iraqi national team star Ali Jasem is set to begin his new journey with Zakho after transferring from Italian club Como on a two-year contract. This move aims to provide stability for the player, who has experienced a series of short loan spells that did not allow him the opportunity for continuity and consistent appearances.

After two rounds of the Iraqi Premier League, the 22-year-old Jasem has yet to make his debut for his new team. Zakho won their opening match against Gaz Al-Shamal 1-0, but then lost 2-1 to Al-Minaa in the second round, raising questions about the team's performance and coach Laurent Banide's tactics.

Coach Thaer Adnan commented on the transfer, saying: "Ali Jasem is the hope of Iraqi football; he is young, talented, and possesses real skill. Two seasons ago, everyone believed he could continue in Europe and would not consider returning to Arab or local leagues, but unfortunately, his performance declined due to a lack of playing time and sitting on the bench."

He added: "Moving to the local league at this time is a step backward. He should have considered continuing his career abroad instead of returning. We hoped he would follow in the footsteps of Arab stars like Mohamed Salah and Riyad Mahrez, but we respect the decision in the end and hope he regains his known form."

Adnan continued: "The problem with Ali Jasem lies in the player's mentality. He does not possess the complete professional mindset and chose the easier path instead of continuing on the difficult one."

He also criticized Zakho's management policy: "I don't understand spending billions on transfers without considering improving the pitch and maintaining it to reflect the quality of the Iraqi Premier League."

Thaer Adnan expressed pessimism about Jasem's long-term future with the team: "I am not optimistic about his continuation. The lack of clear planning could cause problems later. There is reliance on certain individuals to finance Ali Jasem's transfer, and if this funding stops, the club may face difficulties in meeting salaries and retaining the player."

Zakho has made several strong signings during the current summer transfer window, clearly aiming to compete for the Iraqi Premier League title this time, rather than just settling for a spot in the top four as in the past two seasons. The management seeks to change the equation and present a different version of the team, with Ali Jasem's transfer being one of the highlights of this direction.