DAMMAM, Saudi Arabia — Scotland’s defender Jack Hendry is gearing up for his first Dammam derby as Al-Ettifaq prepares to face rival Al-Qadsiah this Saturday. Hendry, who has a history of playing in passionate rivalries, understands the stakes of this local clash.
Al-Ettifaq has long held the title of Dammam’s top team, but this season, Al-Qadsiah has taken that crown, currently sitting third in the Saudi Pro League and making it to the King’s Cup final.
“Hats off to Qadsiah, they’ve had a very good season,” Hendry told Arab News in an exclusive interview. “They’ve had good recruitment, bringing in players that have worked well for them.”
Al-Ettifaq’s defense, led by Hendry, is looking to regain its position as the city’s leading team. “It’s been a disappointing season but we are extremely motivated to be the No. 1 team in the city for our fans,” he added. “I think we’re very much capable of doing that.”
Hendry’s ambition to achieve greatness is the reason he moved to Al-Ettifaq in the summer of 2023, drawn by the prospect of working with coach Steven Gerrard. “I had lots of opportunities to go to different places across Europe, but Steven really sold the project to me,” he said. “The winning mentality is something he obviously had as a player and he definitely brought that to his coaching too.”
After Gerrard left the team in January, Hendry experienced a challenging first half of the season, battling through injuries that sidelined him. “I want the club to be as successful as possible and feel that when I am on the pitch we have a better chance of keeping the goals out,” he said. “Now I’m back in the team and hopefully those circumstances won’t happen again.”
Al-Ettifaq’s attacker lineup is facing a significant challenge, missing key player Moussa Dembele due to an Achilles injury. “He is a very talented footballer, a very powerful striker,” Hendry commented on Dembele’s absence. “But we need to react to that in a positive way and do our best.”
Going into Saturday’s match, Hendry acknowledges the strength of Al-Qadsiah’s defense, which has given away only 21 goals this season. Yet, he remains excited about participating in his first Dammam derby.
“The passion in Scotland and in Belgium were amazing,” Hendry said. “There is the potential with what’s going on right now in Saudi Arabia that it can reach that level.”
With the support of loyal Al-Ettifaq fans hoping for a win, Hendry expressed determination to make them proud. “We need to go out there and make them proud of the football club,” he stated.
