Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – A state of widespread tension and discontent has erupted within the corridors of Al-Ittihad Saudi Club. This stems from fundamental disagreements between German coach Jens Wissing, the first team’s manager, and the club’s executive management. These crises arise from setbacks in several crucial matters related to the ongoing preparations for the new season. Furthermore, the club’s approach to strengthening its squad during the current summer transfer window has also contributed to the situation.
The German coach was furious over the administrative files.
According to prominent sports journalist Mohammed Al-Bakiri, who revealed this on his official social media account, German coach Jens Wissing is experiencing intense anger and resentment. This stems from what he described as a lack of professionalism and slow handling of certain sensitive administrative and technical matters within the club.
The midfield reinforcement crisis and the “Dion Lobby” deal
Al-Bakiri explained that the Al-Ittihad club management was unable to meet and implement several of the coach’s advanced technical demands. Chief among these was the need to strengthen specific positions that the coaching staff identified as weaknesses requiring immediate solutions before the start of official competitions. In this context, Vissing had explicitly requested the signing of two foreign players in the central midfield position to bolster the defense and secure the depth of the midfield. However, the management has so far only completed one signing, that of Dion Lope. It is worth noting that the coaching staff has clear reservations about this acquisition.
Dissatisfaction with the preparatory camp and the injury crisis
The German coach’s objections weren’t limited to the summer transfer window; they extended to his complete dissatisfaction with the arrangements for the team’s pre-season training camp. This included the limited number of players available to him during the preparation period. These problems coincided with delays in finalizing the remaining deals. Furthermore, the injury crisis plaguing the squad worsened. Consequently, these developments restricted the coaching staff’s options and forced them to proceed with pre-season training with an incomplete squad. All of this presented the club’s management with significant challenges before the start of the season.
