Al Khor survive again in the QSL

With the QSL season coming to an end QSL online has decided to asses each team’s performance in the league. Today, we focus on Al Khor, who just beat the drop with a 11^th place finish in the QSL standings.

 Al Khor seemingly repeated their usual season of struggling in the QSL, before eventually pulling away from trouble in the final months of the season. This season was no different, with Jean Fernandez’s side confirming safety with a game to spare. 

The Knights made an unspectacular start to the QSL season, picking up two wins and two draws in their opening six games of the league. That was then followed by a dismal run of five straight defeats in the league, which saw Jean Fernandez’s side well and truly pulled into the relegation picture.

Heading into the turn of the year, Khor did manage to stop the rot and picked up moral boosting victories against the likes of Al Rayyan (2-1) and fellow strugglers Al Sailiya (3-1). However a lack of investment in the winter transfer window certainly curtailed the ambitions of the Knights to push on up further in the table. 

Towards the end of the season, Al Khor looked set to be relegated however an inspired run of five points from the final four games, including a 2-0 win over relegation rivals Al Wakrah saved the side. Over the course of the campaign Khor constantly relied on their veteran coach Jean Fernandez. 

The French coach got the the very best from his players in the relegation dog-fight. More worrying now for Al Khor is that Fernandez has left the side, electing to sign on with Al Gharafa for the new 2017/2018 QSL campaign. Khor moved quickly to sign up former Umm Salal boss Laurent Banide as new coach, Knights management will be hoping that the French coach can avoid a relegation battle again during the new season.