Al-Merreikh head coach Darko Novic has reshaped his squad during the club’s pre-season training camp in Rwanda by restoring a number of local players to his preferred starting line-up, in a move designed to benefit both the club and the Sudan national team.
The Sudanese champions are currently based in Kigali, where they are playing a series of friendly matches as preparations continue for the upcoming campaign. Novic’s latest selection policy represents a significant shift from last season, when local players featured less prominently during the club’s participation in the Rwandan league.
The coach now believes placing greater trust in domestic talent could produce long-term rewards, particularly with the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers scheduled to begin in September.
Novic’s decision comes after Al-Merreikh had to rely more heavily on local players during the elite league because competition rules restricted clubs to only five foreign players in the starting line-up. That experience appears to have influenced his thinking as he prepares for another demanding season on both domestic and continental fronts.
The coach hopes his renewed confidence in Sudanese players will help them regain prominence and attract the attention of national team coach Kwesi Appiah ahead of the upcoming qualifying campaign.
Should several Al-Merreikh players earn international call-ups, the club stands to benefit in more ways than one. Participation in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches would expose the players to high-level competitive football, helping them maintain match sharpness while gaining valuable experience against strong opposition.
That additional competitive action would also aid Novic’s preparations for Al-Merreikh’s CAF Champions League campaign and provide a further boost ahead of the decisive stages of the elite league season.
The strategy reflects an attempt to maximise the development of experienced domestic players while ensuring they remain ready for the club’s biggest challenges throughout the campaign.
In recent years, Al-Merreikh’s representation in the Sudan national team has fallen significantly. The club has seen only three of its players regularly involved with the national side, a decline that has coincided with a drop in the team’s performances in African competitions after previous years of stronger continental displays.
As part of his squad overhaul, Novic has restored several familiar names to his plans. Among those returning to prominence are Mohamed Al-Nour Abuja, Musab Makin, Ahmed Abdel Moneim, Moataz Hashim and Mohamed Asad.
There is also growing anticipation that Ramadan Agab and Mohamed Al-Rashid could return to the fold as Novic continues to reshape his squad.
The timing of the coach’s approach may prove significant. Following the Africa Cup of Nations tournament, the Sudan national team underwent major changes, with several established players moving on. Those changes could create opportunities for Al-Merreikh players who were previously overlooked to secure places in Kwesi Appiah’s squad for the forthcoming qualifiers.
For Novic, that prospect represents an opportunity to strengthen both the national team and his own squad simultaneously, with international football providing his players valuable experience before they return to club duties.
Al-Merreikh will continue their preparations in Kigali by playing additional friendly matches against clubs from the Rwandan league before the new season begins.
The campaign ahead is expected to present significant domestic and continental challenges, with the club’s management setting an initial target of reaching the group stage of the CAF Champions League. Novic will hope his renewed emphasis on local talent provides the platform for Al-Merreikh to meet those ambitions while also increasing the club’s influence within the Sudan national team setup.
