Al-Merrikh Sack Darko Novic and his technical staff

Sudanese giants Al-Merrikh have parted ways with Serbian coach Darko Novic and his technical team amid a major overhaul of the club’s football operations.

The decision was announced following the club’s fifth regular board meeting, held on Sunday afternoon at the office of club president, where members reviewed technical and administrative reports and assessed the overall performance of the first-team squad.

As part of the changes, club captain Gundi Numairi has been appointed to temporarily take charge of the senior team while the club prepares to reorganise its technical department.

The board also resolved to dismiss the administrative staff within the sports department and appoint a sporting director, who will be responsible for recommending the technical and administrative personnel for the first team.

In addition, a football committee has been established under the chairmanship of the club president.

Its membership includes the Deputy President in charge of Sports Affairs as vice-chairperson, the General Manager as secretary, the Sporting Director, Mervat Hussein Al-Sadiq and former player Faisal Agab.

Novic’s dismissal comes despite statistics showing that he delivered improved overall results during his spell in charge.

According to figures published by Sudanese sports outlet Kora Sudan, the Serbian managed 45 matches, recording 26 victories, 13 draws and six defeats.

His team scored 64 goals and conceded 23, collecting 91 points from a possible 135.

Those figures represented an improvement compared with Al-Merrikh’s 2024–2025 campaign before his arrival, when the club registered 16 wins, 13 draws and 12 defeats in 41 matches.

Under Novic, Al-Merrikh finished third in the Rwandan league and runners-up in the Elite League, demonstrating considerable consistency in domestic competitions.

However, his tenure was also marked by disappointment in the CAF Champions League.

Al-Merrikh failed to reach the group stage after being eliminated by Guinea’s Horoya AC in the second preliminary round.

The Sudanese side won the return leg 1-0 but eventually lost the tie on penalties after the teams finished level on aggregate.

The club had reportedly made qualification for the group stage a major objective, and the failure to achieve that target became a significant factor in the decision to part ways with the Serbian.

Despite his positive overall statistics, Novic faced criticism over the team's attacking output and inconsistent results in the Rwandan league.

Al-Merrikh drew 1-1 against Mukura VS and Sunrise FC after their continental elimination, while recording a 1-0 victory over Police FC.

The club also faced concerns about its attacking effectiveness and the team's overall playing identity.

Novic, who holds a UEFA Pro coaching licence, previously worked with clubs including Tunisia’s US Monastir and ES Sétif of Algeria, as well as Rwanda’s APR FC.

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