Al Mutairi exit a temporary pause as FSL eyes extended tenure for National Coach
“I would like to share that my contract with Football Sri Lanka has come to an end by mutual agreement between all parties. I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone I had the honour of working with during this journey,” Al Mutairi posted on his Facebook account.
However, Umar explained that the development should be viewed as a transitional phase, with Football Sri Lanka currently engaged in negotiations with the Kuwaiti coach over a possible extension of his tenure that could run beyond two years.
“It is true that the agreement ended by mutual consent, as stated in the original contract. But that is not the end of the road. Sri Lanka has a lot to gain and a long journey ahead with Abdullah Al Mutairi as Head Coach,” Umar told the Sunday Times.
Sri Lanka made notable progress under Al Mutairi, climbing from 204 to 194 in the FIFA world rankings and emerging as a competitive force in the South Asian region following a series of structural reforms. The policy of opening pathways for professionals from higher leagues with Sri Lankan roots, initiated before 2020 under former Head Coach Amir Alagic, who served between 2020 and 2022, continued under Scotsman Andy Morrison. However, the tangible dividends came during Al Mutairi’s tenure, after he assumed duties as Head Coach on August 20, 2024. Under his leadership, Sri Lanka recorded six wins, three draws and six defeats against strong opposition in 15 international outings, an impressive return since the nation entered the FIFA arena in 1954.
“Thank you to the fans for your incredible support, to the players for your dedication and commitment, to the entire staff and team for your hard work and cooperation, and to the federation for their continuous support throughout my time. Special thanks to FSL for trusting me and my work, and for the support which led to the success of our national team during my era,” Al Mutairi added in his post.
“The national team has a couple of months before the next assignment, and during that period we at FSL should be able to finalise a possible extension for Abdullah Al Mutairi as Head Coach,” Umar said.
According to Umar, FSL is keen to secure an extended contract that goes beyond the usual two-year term.
“We are hoping for a longer tenure with Mr Al Mutairi this time. He has built strong chemistry with the players, the support staff and, of course, the Sri Lankan public, who would undoubtedly love to see him back in the dugout,” Umar added.
Since 2015, Al Mutairi has coached Saudi Arabian club Radhwa before moving on to Qaryat Al-Ulya and the Kyrgyzstan Under-17 team. Prior to his appointment in Sri Lanka, he served as Head Coach of Nepal and Afghanistan, tenures that ended in disputes. In contrast, his time in Sri Lanka has been marked by widespread appreciation for his commitment, work ethic and the patriotic tone he adopted while leading the national team.