Trouble is brewing inside Al-Ittihad. German coach Jens Wissing is furious with the way the club's management handled his needs during the summer transfer window, along with the circumstances surrounding preparations for the new season.
According to media figureMohammed Al-Bukairy, Al-Ittihad's executive management "let down" the German coach by failing to meet his technical demands, especially in positions he believed needed urgent reinforcement before the start of official competitions.
Wissing's most prominent demands centred on signing foreign players in defensive midfield, aiming to add defensive depth and hand the team more options in the middle of the park. Instead, the management settled for Senegalese midfielder Dion Lopy, a deal the coach had reservations about.
Read also: Two sides of the same coin: the story of a dark irony that brought together Benzema and En-Nesyri!
Those reservations did not stop at the signings file. Sources say the German was also unhappy with the team's preparation camp, particularly the delayed arrival of several signings and the incomplete squad he had wanted to work with during pre-season.
Mounting injuries only made the job harder. Wissing found himself facing a string of absences that hit his options at exactly the moment he needed stability and the chance to test his starting line-up before kick-off.
All of this leaves Al-Ittihad's management facing a difficult test. The team enters the season with big ambitions, yet the technical staff fear that the late signings, the rising injury count and the unmet demands could dent their readiness.