Jens Wissing is under fire. Al-Ittihad's German coach has seen questions mount over his future after a run of poor results, with fans and media turning on him following the 3-2 Clasico defeat to Al-Hilal in the Roshn League, then the 2-1 loss to the UAE's Shabab Al-Ahli in the AFC Champions League Elite. The club's board, though, see things rather differently to the angry masses.
Media reports citing an official source inside Al-Ittihad claim the board have no intention of sacking Wissing in the current period, despite the criticism aimed at him after those two stumbles. They view him as a coach with a long-term project and plan to give him the support he needs to deliver the club's objectives.
Defensive errors against Al-Hilal cost Al-Ittihad the points. Those same problems resurfaced against Shabab Al-Ahli, where the side shipped two goals from mistakes the German described as easy, losing a game he had hoped would make up for his domestic setback.
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Wissing admitted after the Asian fixture that his team had not produced the required level, stressing the need to analyse the mistakes and work on correcting them.
Pressure or not, the Al-Ittihad board are in no rush to part with the coach they signed last July on a contract running until 2028. Their approach reflects a desire to give the technical staff a chance to build a more stable system rather than reaching for another change so soon after he took charge.
What the board want in return is clear. Wissing must use their confidence to address the defensive gaps and sharpen the quality of decision-making on the pitch, particularly as Al-Ittihad's positive start raised expectations and left supporters waiting for results to match the club's ambitions.
The coming matches will test whether the German can restore balance and justify the decision to keep him.