Jens Wissing Takes Reins at Al Ittihad, Vows to Bring Title to Jeddah
Al Ittihad, one of Saudi Arabia's biggest football clubs, has appointed German manager Jens Wissing to lead the team to a Roshn Saudi League title, following a disappointing title defence last season.
Wissing, 38, has taken charge of the Jeddah giants after a successful debut senior managerial stint with Japan's Gamba Osaka. He arrives at Al Ittihad with a winning mentality, having already captured a continental title in the AFC Champions League Two, where his team defeated Al Nassr in the final.
The new manager's appointment represents a new direction for Al Ittihad, who are seeking to chart a new path and direction after losing veteran players such as Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, and Abderrazak Hamdallah. CEO Domingos Soares de Oliveira said that Wissing was the right man to succeed Sergio Conceicao, citing his youth, talent, and ambition.
Wissing's brief is to transition between eras, something he did successfully at Gamba Osaka. He spoke about how he handled this balance between experience and youth, saying: "We have great players with a lot of experience in our squad, and they bring a lot of knowledge and quality to our squad, and they are very important for the young players." He also emphasized the importance of young players, saying: "Our experienced players are very open to guide [the younger players], to lead them, but they're also very open to support them and to give them space to develop and play for our team."
Wissing's playing style emphasizes intensity, with a focus on attacking and defending together. He said: "The overarching principle is to attack and defend together. This means that everything on the pitch must happen at the right moment with great tactical cohesion and the necessary intensity." He also emphasized the importance of dynamic positioning, verticality, counter-pressing, and compact, ball-oriented defending.
The German manager has already won over the hearts of Al Ittihad's fans with his passionate speeches and emphasis on the team's identity. He said: "What is our identity? It's long history, it's tradition, it's a lot of titles, it's winning mentality." He also emphasized the importance of the team's shirt, saying: "We have to take these characteristics… and put it on the pitch. Because we are all wearing the shirt, and we have to be proud of it – always."
Wissing's appointment marks a new era for Al Ittihad, and the team will be looking to bounce back from last season's disappointing title defence. With his winning mentality and emphasis on youth, Wissing is set to bring a new level of intensity to the team. As he said, "We carry a tiger" – and now it's time to see if he can bring the title to Jeddah.
Source: Yahoo Sports