The Saudi women's national football team opened its first training camp on Thursday under the supervision of German head coach "Monika Staab."
The coaching staff includes assistant coach Dana Rajab, Sandra Kalin (Switzerland), Martin Batschulik (Slovakia), goalkeeper coach Kathrin Leingärtner (Germany), and video analyst Dana Newbury (Australia). The administrative team consists of team supervisor Alia Al-Rashid, team manager Bireen Sadqa, and administrators Dalia Al-Abikan and Intissar Al-Qahtani, with coordinators Suleiman Sharhili and Fahd Al-Turki.
The first phase of training will take place in Jeddah, where the King Abdullah Sports City will host the sessions until January 21. The second phase will occur in Riyadh from January 27 to February 16, in preparation for the green team’s first two international matches in the Maldives against the Seychelles and Maldives teams on February 20 and 24, respectively.
The players have undergone several training sessions focused on fitness and strength exercises to enhance their conditioning, while tactical training has been intensified. Players were divided into two groups for half-field scrimmages. Goalkeepers received specialized training with coach Kathrin Leingärtner. Daily training sessions include physical and tactical exercises, along with some analytical theory lessons, to achieve optimal readiness before heading to the Maldives.
It is noteworthy that the coaching staff has been conducting player tryouts in various regions since October. The German coach and her staff assessed player levels during the regional league competitions held in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam between November and December, involving 16 teams and a total of 433 players, with 72 matches played. Additionally, the Kingdom Championship held in early January featured the top eight teams in the country.
Lamia bin Bahyan, a member of the Saudi Football Federation Board and Director of Women’s Football, emphasized the significance of the camp, stating: "The importance of this camp lies in being the first gathering of the national team players after several formation stages. The coaching staff conducted player trials in several cities in October 2021, assessing over 700 players."
She added, "We will play our first two international matches next month, setting the stage for our entry into the FIFA monthly ranking. We aim for official inclusion in the international ranking this year and participation in Asian and international competitions in the near future."
In turn, national team coach Monika Staab confirmed that the selection process was done with great care. She stated, "Since last September, we have been searching for players to initiate the team’s journey and compete in official and international matches. Through this camp, we aim to create the cohesion we are looking for before playing against Seychelles and the Maldives next month."
Monika continued, "The establishment of the first official Saudi league through regional competitions and the Kingdom Championship played a significant role in the selection process and greatly aided us as a coaching staff, allowing players to engage in competitive matches, which facilitates our role during this camp. We aspire for the team to be fully prepared when participating in the first official championship."
