Hernan Crespo parts ways with Al Duhail

Hernan Crespo had taken charge at Al Duhail in May 2022.

Al Duhail SC have announced the departure of head coach Hernan Crespo by mutual agreement on Wednesday.

The announcement comes following Al Duhail’s poor start to the 2023/24 Qatar Stars League, currently in fourth and three points behind leaders Al Sadd SC and their AFC Champions League 2023/24 campaign where they are still in search of their first win following two matchdays.

Former Argentine striker Crespo led Duhail to a treble of domestic titles – the league, Qatar Cup and Ooredoo Cup - and the AFC Champions League semi-finals last season but have not found their footing on the domestic and continental fronts where they are grouped with heavyweights Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia and Islamic Republic of Iran’s Persepolis FC in Group E.

“Al Duhail Sports Club Management reached an agreement with the head coach Hernan Crespo to end his contract on mutual grounds, following the deterioration in the team results recently and reducing the team’s chances to qualify for the next round of the AFC Champions League after losing to the Iranian side Persepolis at home,” read Al Duhail’s statement on Wednesday.

Crespo joined Al Duhail in May last year, replacing Luis Castro who left the club to coach Brazilian outfit Botafogo. After hanging up his boots, Crespo coached the youth team of his former Italian club Parma before taking over the reins at Italian Serie B outfit Modena. 

He moved to Argentina in 2018 where he coached Banfiled and then Defensa y Justicia who he helped win the 2020 Copa Sudamericana before leading Brazilian giants Sao Paulo to the 2021 Paulista.