Adnan Al Sharqi

{{Short description|Lebanese footballer and manager (1941–2021)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Adnan Al Sharqi

| image = Adnan Al Sharqi Lebanon, 1966 (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Al Sharqi with Lebanon at the 1966 Arab Cup

| fullname = Adnan Hussein Mekdache

| birth_date = {{birth date|1941|11|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Beirut, Lebanese Republic

| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|06|01|1941|11|15|df=y}}

| death_place = Beirut, Lebanon

| height =

| currentclub =

| position = Winger

| youthyears1 = 1954–1957

| youthclubs1 = Ansar

| years1 = 1957–1965

| clubs1 = Ansar

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1965

| clubs2 = Nejmeh

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| years3 = 1966–1967

| clubs3 = Salam Achrafieh

| caps3 =

| goals3 =

| years4 = 1967

| clubs4 = Olympic Club

| caps4 =

| goals4 =

| years5 = 1967–1975

| clubs5 = Ansar

| caps5 =

| goals5 =

| nationalyears1 = 1966–1971

| nationalteam1 = Lebanon

| nationalcaps1 = 10+

| nationalgoals1 = 9+

| manageryears1 = 1967–2000

| managerclubs1 = Ansar

| manageryears2 = 1974–1976

| managerclubs2 = Lebanon

| manageryears3 = 1987–1993

| managerclubs3 = Lebanon

| manageryears4 = 2004–2005

| managerclubs4 = Ansar

| manageryears5 = 2006–2008

| managerclubs5 = Lebanon

}}

Adnan Hussein Mekdache ({{langx|ar|عدنان حسين مكداش}}; 15 November 1941 – 1 June 2021), commonly known as Adnan Al Sharqi ({{langx|ar|عدنان الشرقي|lit=Adnan the Oriental|link=no}}), was a Lebanese football player and manager.

After leading Ansar to the Lebanese Premier League for the first time as a player-coach, Al Sharqi coached the club between 1967 and 2000, and during the 2004–05 season. He won 11 league titles in a row, becoming the football manager to have won the most league titles in the world. Al Sharqi also coached the Lebanon national team in various periods spanning between 1974 and 2008.

Early life

Born on 15 November 1941 in Beirut, Lebanon,{{Cite web|url=https://al-akhbar.com/Archive_People/106678|title=عدنان الشرقي: ديكتاتور على الملعب... "فنّان" في الحياة|website=الأخبار|language=ar|access-date=2020-03-28}} Al Sharqi grew up in the Tariq El Jdideh district.{{Cite web|last=Harb|first=Abdel Nasser|date=1 June 2021|title=|script-title=ar:بعد رحيله... 'النهار' تستعيد مع 'الشرقي' الزمن الذهبي|trans-title=After his departure... "Al-Nahar" relives with "Al Sharqi" the golden time|url=https://www.annahar.com/arabic/section/3-رياضة/01062021073952032|access-date=1 June 2021|website=An-Nahar|language=ar}} He used to play football with his friends in the hills and fields in the area.

Club career

Al Sharqi joined Ansar aged 10; they obtained their official license in 1954, and he played for their youth team. A winger, in 1957 he played his first senior match for Ansar aged 15 against Massis in the Lebanese Second Division, and became a first-team player the following year.

In 1965, Al Sharqi was due to join Safa, but joined Nejmeh instead due to bureaucratic issues. He played only four games, two friendlies and two official matches. In 1965, Al Sharqi moved to Cairo, Egypt to study physical education at the Helwan University;{{Cite web|title=تشييع عدنان الشرقي من الملعب البلديّ وداعاً لباني أمجاد الأنصار والمنتخب الوطنيّ|url=https://www.al-binaa.com/archives/299888|access-date=2021-06-02|website=جريدة البناء {{!}} Al-binaa Newspaper|language=ar}} he was forced to return to Beirut one year later following the death of his father.

In the first half of the 1966–67 season, Al Sharqi played for Salam Achrafieh.{{Cite news|date=31 December 1966|title=38 sélectionnés (choisis par la FLFA) seront confiés à l'entraîneur hongrois Albert Joseph|language=fr|work=L'Orient}} He left the club in January 1967,{{Cite news|date=22 January 1967|title=Premiére sortie (cette saison) de la sélection du Liban face aux amateurs ouest-allemands|language=fr|work=L'Orient}}{{Cite news|date=23 March 1967|title=Double match de sélection en football|language=fr|work=L'Orient}} moving to Olympic Club in Alexandria, Egypt for a short stint. Al Sharqi returned to Ansar in the Second Division as a player-coach prior to the end of the season,{{Cite news|date=27 May 1967|title=Dix séances d'entraînment, en juin, pour la sélection nationale|language=fr|page=10|work=L'Orient}} leading them to promotion to the Lebanese Premier League for the first time. He remained at Ansar as a player-coach in their first Premier League years, retiring as a player in 1975.

International career

Al Sharqi first played for the Lebanon national team at the 1963 Mediterranean Games in Italy; he was the first footballer playing in the Lebanese Second Division to be called up to the national team. Al Sharqi also represented Lebanon at the 1966 Arab Cup, scoring two goals in a 2–1 win over Kuwait on 5 April 1966.{{Cite web|title=LEBANESE NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM|url=https://www.abdogedeon.com/volleyball/NOUJOUM/lebanese_national_football_team.html|access-date=2020-08-18|website=www.abdogedeon.com}}

Managerial career

Al Sharqi coached Ansar between 1967 and 2000, and during the 2004–05 season.{{Cite web|date=14 July 2010|title=Asian Coaches Year: Lebanon|url=http://www.afcasiancup.com//ko/asian-coaches-year/29710-lebanon|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722183916/http://www.afcasiancup.com//ko/asian-coaches-year/29710-lebanon|archive-date=22 July 2012|access-date=28 March 2020|website=afcasiancup.com}} He won 11 league titles in a row, becoming the coach to have won the most league titles in the world. He also won eight cup titles, as well as various other domestic cups.{{Cite web|title=Lebanon - List of Cup Winners|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesl/lebcuphist.html|access-date=2021-06-02|website=RSSSF}} Al Sharqi was named AFC Coach of the Month for July 1995.{{Cite web|date=2020-06-03|title=تكريم الشرقي وغازاريان|url=https://www.nidaalwatan.com/article/22460-%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%A7-3%D8%AA%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%82%D9%8A-%D9%88%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%86|access-date=2020-08-30|website=نداء الوطن|language=en}}

Al Sharqi also coached the Lebanon national team in various periods spanning between 1974 and 2008, coaching for 11 years.{{cite web|author=Olenev, Maxim|title=Lebanon National Team Coaches (since 1993)|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/leb-coach-triv.html|date=1999-07-15|accessdate=2009-07-17| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090624004148/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/leb-coach-triv.html| archivedate= 24 June 2009 |website=RSSSF| url-status= live}} He was Lebanon's coach in their first World Cup qualification campaign, in 1993. After two wins, two losses and four draws, Lebanon finished third in their group and were eliminated.{{Cite web|title=World Cup 1994 qualifications|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/94qual.html|website=RSSSF|access-date=2020-05-04}}

Personal life

Al Sharqi's brother Mounir helped Ansar obtain their official license in 1954, working as an administrator for the club.{{Cite web|title=عدنان الشرقي.. "شيخ المدربين" وأيقونة كرة القدم اللبنانية|url=http://lebanonfg.com/single/2705|access-date=2021-06-01|website=lebanonfg.com|language=en}} His brother Khalil was responsible for the equipment at Nahda. His nickname "Al Sharqi" ({{langx|ar|الشرقي|lit=the Oriental}}) came after his brother Mounir, who had the same nickname as a player.

Al Sharqi was married, and has two children: a son and a daughter.

Death

On 1 June 2021, after spending 45 days in the Military Hospital in Beirut, Al Sharqi died after struggling with cancer.{{Cite web|date=2021-06-02|title=Legendary Lebanese football coach, Adnan Al-Sharqi, who won 11 league titles in a row, dies aged 80|url=https://arab.news/bmh97|access-date=2021-06-02|website=Arab News|language=en}} His funeral was held on 2 June at the Beirut Municipal Stadium, Ansar's home stadium, and was attended by a large crowd of Ansar fans.{{Cite web|date=2021-06-02|title=بالصور.. تشييع جثمان الشرقي وسط حشد كبير|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1036791|access-date=2021-06-02|website=كووورة}}

Career statistics

= International =

:Scores and results list Lebanon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Al Sharqi goal.

class="wikitable sortable" \|+List of international goals scored by Adnan Al Sharqi
scope=col \| No. !scope=col \| Date !scope=col \| Venue !scope=col \| Opponent !scope=col \| Score !scope=col \| Result !scope=col \| Competition !scope=col class="unsortable" \| {{Abbr\|Ref.\|References}}
align="center" \|1 \|3 April 1966 \|Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad, Iraq \|{{fb\|BHR}} \| align="center" \|– \| align="center" \|6–1 \|1966 Arab Cup \|
align="center" \|2 \|5 April 1966 \|Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad, Iraq \|{{fb\|JOR}} \| align="center" \|– \| align="center" \|2–1 \|1966 Arab Cup \|
align="center" \|3 \| rowspan="2" \|6 April 1966 \| rowspan="2" \|Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad, Iraq \| rowspan="2" \|{{fb\|KUW}} \| align="center" \|1–0 \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center" \|2–1 \| rowspan="2" \|1966 Arab Cup \| rowspan="2" \|
align="center" \|4 \| align="center" \|–
align="center" \|5 \|10 April 1966 \|Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad, Iraq \|{{fb\|LBY}} \| align="center" \|– \| align="center" \|1–6 \|1966 Arab Cup \|
align="center" \|6 \| rowspan="2" \|5 June 1966 \| rowspan="2" \|Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal \| rowspan="2" \|{{fb\|SEN}} \| align="center" \|– \| rowspan="2" align="center" \|3–2 \| rowspan="2" \|Friendly \| rowspan="2" \|
align="center" \|7 \| align="center" \|–
align="center" \|8 \|6 October 1967 \|Tokyo National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan \|{{fb\|PHI}} \| align="center" \|– \| align="center" \|11–1 \|1968 Summer Olympics qualification \|
align="center" \|9 \|9 October 1967 \|Tokyo National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan \|{{fb\|TAI}} \| align="center" \|– \| align="center" \|5–2 \|1968 Summer Olympics qualification \|

class="wikitable sortable"

|+List of international goals scored by Adnan Al Sharqi

scope=col | No.

!scope=col | Date

!scope=col | Venue

!scope=col | Opponent

!scope=col | Score

!scope=col | Result

!scope=col | Competition

!scope=col class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref.|References}}

align="center" |1

|3 April 1966

|Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad, Iraq

|{{fb|BHR}}

| align="center" |–

| align="center" |6–1

|1966 Arab Cup

align="center" |2

|5 April 1966

|Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad, Iraq

|{{fb|JOR}}

| align="center" |–

| align="center" |2–1

|1966 Arab Cup

align="center" |3

| rowspan="2" |6 April 1966

| rowspan="2" |Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad, Iraq

| rowspan="2" |{{fb|KUW}}

| align="center" |1–0

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center" |2–1

| rowspan="2" |1966 Arab Cup

| rowspan="2" |

align="center" |4

| align="center" |–

align="center" |5

|10 April 1966

|Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad, Iraq

|{{fb|LBY}}

| align="center" |–

| align="center" |1–6

|1966 Arab Cup

align="center" |6

| rowspan="2" |5 June 1966

| rowspan="2" |Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal

| rowspan="2" |{{fb|SEN}}

| align="center" |–

| rowspan="2" align="center" |3–2

| rowspan="2" |Friendly

| rowspan="2" |

align="center" |7

| align="center" |–

align="center" |8

|6 October 1967

|Tokyo National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan

|{{fb|PHI}}

| align="center" |–

| align="center" |11–1

|1968 Summer Olympics qualification

align="center" |9

|9 October 1967

|Tokyo National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan

|{{fb|TAI}}

| align="center" |–

| align="center" |5–2

|1968 Summer Olympics qualification

Honours

= Player =

Ansar

Lebanese Second Division play-offs: 1966–67

= Manager =

Ansar

Lebanese Premier League: 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99
Lebanese Second Division: 1966–67
Lebanese FA Cup: 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1998–99
Lebanese Elite Cup: 1997
Lebanese Federation Cup: 1999
Lebanese Super Cup: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999

Individual

Football manager with most league titles: 11
AFC Coach of the Month: July 1995{{Cite web|url=https://www.abdogedeon.com/volleyball/NOUJOUM/adnan%20al%20charki.html|title=ADNAN AL CHARKI|website=www.abdogedeon.com|access-date=2020-03-28}}
Lebanese Premier League Best Coach: 1996–97,{{Cite news|date=31 March 1997|title=مهرجان كرة المنار|edition=166|pages=3|work=Shoot}} 1997–98,{{Cite news|date=8 June 1998|title=مهرجان كرة المنار|edition=232|pages=4|work=Shoot}} 1998–99,{{Cite news|date=5 July 1999|title=مهرجان كرة المنار|edition=288|pages=8|work=Shoot}} 2004–05{{Cite news|date=20 June 2005|title=مهرجان كرة المنار|edition=599|pages=13|work=Shoot}}