Talal Al Bloushi suffers a shock in Zakho what is the story

Talal Al-Bloushi, the Qatari coach of Zakho, has revealed that he has experienced an unprecedented shock in his coaching career due to what his team is going through in the Iraq Stars League for the current season 2026-2027.

Zakho suffered another defeat against Al Naft, losing two goals to nil on Saturday in the match held at Captain Sharar Haidar Stadium during the tenth round of the Iraq Stars League. The player Kayaki Santos was responsible for scoring both goals for Al Naft in the match.

Talal Al-Balushi has returned to lead Zakho this season after being appointed as the coach of the team in August, succeeding French coach Lorran Panid due to the team's poor results in the Iraq Stars League.

Talal Al-Balushi stated in media remarks following the match against Al Naft: "Unfortunately, Zakho did not show the required level in the match against Al Naft. I expected the team's performance to be higher and better, especially since we spoke with the players before the match and what I saw during training was positive. However, unfortunately, some players did not deliver the required level in the match, and I am honestly surprised by these performances."

The Qatari coach added: "Zakho need to reassess their performance in the upcoming matches. The team must be confident in their abilities, and the players need to feel the value of the badge they wear because the fans expect greater and better levels from them. What happened against Al Naft is completely unacceptable, and we must return to the right path as soon as possible. This requires effort and hard work, and it cannot be achieved merely through statements or words."

Al Naft's coach, Lorran, completed his statement by saying: "For the first time, I am experiencing three consecutive losses as a coach, and this is a shock for me. I want to see the team performing at a high level that qualifies them to be among the top teams. I hope Zakho returns to compete for the Iraq Stars League title. We are currently in a difficult phase, and the results are not what we want. We have the opportunity to correct our course, and everyone needs to review their performances because the club and the fans deserve better."

This marks Talal Al Balushi's second experience as manager of Zakho, having previously managed the team from August 22, 2023, to April 27, 2025. During his first tenure, he led the team for 614 days, overseeing 34 matches, winning 17, drawing 10, and losing 7.