Ghazi Fahad (Arabic: غازي فهد; born 1978) is former international Iraqi football player,[1] He is the current manager of Iraqi Stars League side Al-Karma. As a player, Fahad was a midfielder who earned five caps for the Iraqi national team.

Ghazi Fahad
Personal information
Full name Ghazi Fahad Khazaal Al Shammari
Date of birth (1978-11-06) 6 November 1978 (age 46)
Place of birth Basra, Iraq
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Al-Karma
Youth career
0000–1995 Al-Rafidain
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1996 Al-Zubair
1996–2001 Al-Minaa
2001–2002 Duhok
2002–2003 Al-Zawraa
2004–2005 Al-Minaa
2006–2007 Duhok
International career
2002 Iraq 5 (0)
Managerial career
2007–2022 Al Ain (U21 team Head Coach)
2013 Al-Minaa (caretaker)
2017 Al-Minaa (caretaker)
2019–2020 Al Ain (caretaker)
2022–2023 Erbil
2023–2024 Ittihad Kalba (U-21 Head Coach)
2024 Ittihad Kalba
2024- Al-Karma
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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Ghazi started his playing career at Basra club Al-Zubayr, where he was scouted by Al Minaa manager Hadi Ahmed who signed him for the first team.[2] Ghazi made his debut against Al Quwa Al Jawiya and remained an important player for the club in all four seasons he spent there. Ghazi then moved to Duhok SC for one season playing under Natiq Hashim. The player showed his quality in many matches including one against his former team Al Minaa where he scored.[3] Following his season with Duhok, Ghazi wanted a move to a Baghdad club in order to improve his chance of making the national team, his first choice was Al Quwa Al Jawiya, but he failed to agree to a contract and signed for rivals Al-Zawraa instead.[2] In the Baghdadi club, Ghazi Fahad continued his impressive performances and finally received a call-up to the Iraqi national football team in 2002, where he won the 2002 West Asian Football Federation Championship.[4]

Fahad Ghazi returned to Al Minaa and helped the team achieve 2nd place in the 2004–05 Iraqi Premier League.[3] Ghazi returned once again to Duhok SC and spent a season with the Kurdish club. Following their elimination in the second round of the 2006–07 Iraqi Premier League,[5] Ghazi Fahad retired and joined the coaching staff at Al Ain.[2]

Managerial career

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Early managerial career and caretaker roles

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Following his retirement, Ghazi joined Al Ain's youth setup as a coach, and was eventually promoted to the head of academy in 2009.[6] As a coach, Ghazi is credited to having scouted and neutered Emirati superstar Omar Abdulrahman.[7][8] In 2013 Al Ain agreed to loan Ghazi Fahad to his boyhood club Al Minaa for six months.[9] Ghazi managed the team for 11 matches, winning five and losing five, while achieving a draw in the remaining one. He cut his time short after only four months due to receiving death threats.[10]

Ghazi returned to coach Al Minaa once again in 2017, replacing Romanian Ion Marin.[11] The Manager led Al Mina'a to a sixth-place finish, winning four of the nine matches he was in charge for. Following his performances as a manager, Al Mina'a signed him on a full-time contract to manage the club for the 2017–18 season.[12] However he resigned before the start of the season due to a dispute with club president Jalil Hanoon.[13] Fahad returned to manage the under 21 side at Al-Ain following his stint with Al Mina'a. In late 2019 Fahad was appointed caretaker manager of Al-Ain following the sacking of Ivan Leko.[14] He led the team in three matches, winning two.

First team roles at Erbil, Kalba, and Al-Karma

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In 2022, Fahad resigned from his post as coach of the Under 21 side at Al-Ain[15] in order to become the head coach of Erbil SC.[16] Fahad resigned in February following a 4–0 defeat against Al-Sinaa SC, which extended his winless run at the club to 7 matches.[17]

Following his failed stint with Erbil, Fahad returned to the United Arab Emirates, this time with Ittihad Kalba, where he was appointed as their U-21 coach ahead of the 2023–24 season.[18] On March 2nd 2024, Fahad was promoted to manage the first team after the sacking of Iranian head coach Farhad Majidi, who had the team in 12th position and in danger of relegation.[19] Fahad was able to guide the team to safety after winning 15 points in the remaining 11 matches.[20]

Ahead of the 2024–25 season, Fahad returned to Iraq, this time with newly promoted Al-Karma SC.[21]

Managerial statistics

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As of 8 November 2024
Team Nat From To Record
G W D L Win %
Al-Minaa   22 February 2013 13 May 2013 7 4 0 3 057.14
Al-Minaa   24 April 2017 4 September 2017 12 5 5 2 041.67
Al Ain (Caretaker)   21 December 2019 5 January 2020 3 2 0 1 066.67
Erbil SC   22 October 2022 6 February 2023 11 3 4 4 027.27
Ittihad Kalba   2 March 2024 7 June 2024 11 4 3 4 036.36
Al-Karma SC   01 September 2024 present 7 4 1 2 057.14
Total 51 22 13 16 043.14

Honours

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Player

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Club

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International

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References

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  1. ^ "Iraq - Record International Players". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 6 October 2023. and current manager
  2. ^ a b c "نجوم في الذاكرة: غازي فهد.. مهندس السَّفانة والنوارس.. ومكتشف "عموري"". www.almadapaper.net.
  3. ^ a b "منتديات كووورة". forum.kooora.com.
  4. ^ "West Asian Championship (Syria) 2002 - Details". RSSSF.
  5. ^ "goalzz.com: Live sports scores, news and more". www.goalzz.com. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  6. ^ "غازي فهــد: تدريب الميناء يستحق المجازفة فـي منافسة ملتهبة". almadapaper.net.
  7. ^ "منتديات كووورة". forum.kooora.com.
  8. ^ "Myhd Iptv".
  9. ^ "العين يوافق على إعارة غازي فهد للميناء العراقي". 21 February 2013.
  10. ^ "الإخبارية - تهديدات بالقتل تبعد غازي فهد من تدريب الميناء البصري وتحزم حقائبه للامارات". www.ikhnews.com.
  11. ^ "رسميا.. غازي فهد مديرا فنيا للميناء". 9 July 2019.
  12. ^ "غازي فهد مدربا للميناء".
  13. ^ "Ghazi Fahad Resigns".
  14. ^ "العراقي غازي فهد مدرباً مؤقتاً للعين الاماراتي". Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  15. ^ "المدرب الإسباني زاراغوسا يخلف العراقي فهد في رديف العين". Emirates Today. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  16. ^ "الدوري العراقي الممتاز.. زاخو يلعب بدون جمهوره وأربيل يريد تسجيل أول فوز له". Rudaw. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  17. ^ "غازي فهد يستقيل من تدريب أربيل". Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  18. ^ "اتحاد كلباء يطمح للحفاظ على مكانته في عالم المحترفين". Kooora. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  19. ^ "اتحاد كلباء يقيل مجيدي.. ويتعاقد مع الشمري". Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  20. ^ "غازي فهد: «الأخطاء ممنوعة» في «الجولتين الأخيرتين»". Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  21. ^ "غازي فهد مدربا لفريق الكرمة في دوري نجوم العراق". Retrieved 8 November 2024.
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