Al-Ittihad have appointed German coach Jens Wissing as their new head coach, with the club’s chief executive hailing him as a “young, very talented and ambitious” manager capable of taking the Saudi Pro League side to “a new level”.
The 33-year-old replaces fellow Portuguese Sergio Conceicao, who was dismissed at the end of last season after failing to deliver any silverware for the Jeddah giants.
Domingos Soares, Al-Ittihad’s Portuguese chief executive, explained the club’s decision in a video published on Al-Ittihad’s official X account, describing Wissing’s arrival as a central part of the club’s rebuild for the coming campaign.
‘A key part of our preparation’
“اختيار مدربنا السيد ينز فيسينج كان مهما جدا، وجزءا اساسيا من التحضير للموسم الجديد,” Soares said, stressing that the choice of Wissing was strategic rather than opportunistic.
He revealed that the club hierarchy had been tracking the German for some time and that the pair had already worked together earlier in their careers.
واضاف: “نعرف السيد فيسينج منذ فترة، وعملت معه في الماضي، نعلم انه مدرب شاب وموهوب جدا وطموح، ولديه رغبة قوية في النجاح مع نادي الاتحاد”.
Soares framed the appointment as an investment in potential and long-term growth, pointing to Wissing’s character and drive as key reasons the club moved for him.
International backroom team with Saudi core
Beyond the head coach himself, Al-Ittihad see the make-up of Wissing’s staff as crucial to the project.
واردف: “اما بالنسبة للجهاز الفني الذي معه، فهو مزيج من المدربين المساعدين الدوليين من مناطق مختلفة، وايضا مع المدربين السعوديين”.
The club believes that combining experienced foreign assistants with local Saudi coaches will allow Wissing to adapt quickly to the Saudi game while also contributing to the development of domestic coaching talent within the club.
واتم: “ان تكامل هذه المهارات ياخذنا الى مستوى جديد، واعتقد انه المستوى الصحيح لتحقيق النتايج الصحيحة في الاسابيع والاشهر القادمة”.
Soares said the blend of expertise would be central to improving performances over the short and medium term as Al-Ittihad look to reassert themselves domestically and in Asia.
Asian success behind bold appointment
Wissing’s most eye-catching achievement to date came in the second half of last season, when he guided Japan’s Gamba Osaka to the AFC Champions League 2 title – the club’s first triumph in that competition.
يذكر ان التجربة الانجح في مسيرة فيسينج كانت في النصف الثاني من الموسم الماضي، حين قاد فريق جامبا اوساكا الياباني لتحقيق لقب دوري ابطال اسيا 2 للمرة الاولى في تاريخه، عقب الفوز على النصر في المباراة النهايية.
That win, secured against Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr in the final, appears to have significantly enhanced his reputation within Saudi football circles and demonstrated his ability to navigate high-pressure, continental knockout matches.
Pressure to deliver after trophyless season
Al-Ittihad, one of Saudi Arabia’s most decorated clubs and champions as recently as 2022-23, endured a disappointing previous campaign, finishing without a major trophy despite significant investment in star players.
Conceicao’s failure to turn that spending into silverware led to his dismissal, opening the door for a strategic reset under Wissing.
The German now faces the dual challenge of restoring Al-Ittihad’s status in the Saudi Pro League and mounting a serious push in Asian competition, with club leadership publicly backing him as the figure to drive a new era in Jeddah.
