Amman — What is being described as the biggest administrative turmoil in the history of Al-Wehdat Club is casting a shadow over the stability of the club’s administrative structure, the continued support of its benefactor, and the future of Egyptian head coach Emad Al-Nahhas and his coaching staff, despite a late-night board meeting held two days ago ending with confirmation that the club would complete the signing of Al-Nahhas and his technical staff during the current period.
اضافة اعلان
The dispute reportedly witnessed during Saturday’s board meeting between the club’s honorary president and benefactor, businessman Emad Al-Dmeisi, and board members Ziad Shalabieh and Bassam Shalabieh, followed an earlier dispute between team manager Tareq Khattab and the Shalabieh brothers. The confrontation escalated into a physical altercation, forcing the meeting to adjourn. It was not the first obstacle in Al-Dmeisi’s relationship with the club’s administration, but it accelerated the emergence of further problems when Al-Dmeisi openly criticized the board and announced that he would no longer deal with the administration, while remaining committed to paying what he had pledged toward the club’s five foreign players.
Behind the scenes, there were several issues that could have triggered disagreements between Al-Dmeisi and the administration. After taking charge of the club’s debt file, Al-Dmeisi took the initiative to meet with creditors and rights holders in a bold move not undertaken by previous Al-Wehdat administrations, whether with companies, individuals, coaches, or players. He approached the matter from a businessman’s perspective and reached satisfactory settlements.
Some creditors waived their entire claims, while others waived two-thirds of their debts, bringing the total settlement amount to around JD700,000 out of a total debt of JD1 million.
After reaching these settlements and significantly reducing part of the club’s debt, Al-Dmeisi faced a new problem when some creditors contacted the club and were told to coordinate with Al-Dmeisi to receive payment. Al-Dmeisi reportedly argued that these debts resulted from accumulated administrative mistakes under successive club administrations and therefore should be paid from the club’s treasury, which had received substantial funds. After the club administration exhausted its ability to persuade the honorary president to make further payments, it began paying some of those settlements, creating the first hidden test of the relationship between the club and its honorary president.
The second obstacle emerged after the team’s performances fell short of expectations from the beginning of the 2026-2027 football season under former head coach Wasim Al-Bazour. The situation reached a peak after the team suffered a heavy defeat against Al-Ramtha, prompting honorary president Al-Dmeisi to call an emergency meeting to vote on Al-Bazour’s dismissal. He also announced that he would personally attend all board meetings, a move that reportedly upset some board members, who viewed Al-Dmeisi as merely a financial supporter who should not interfere in administrative affairs, even if he held the title of honorary president.
Al-Dmeisi, however, considers himself both a supporter and honorary president and believes he has the right to know how the club is being managed and how decisions are being made. He argues that he will not finance the club while remaining a mere spectator, emphasizing his passion for Al-Wehdat and its supporters and his desire to protect the club’s interests.
The dispute came to the fore during Al-Dmeisi’s livestream two days ago, when he publicly criticized a number of administrative issues and openly named individuals and matters. The fact that Al-Dmeisi subsequently switched off his phone and did not respond to calls further underscored the uncertainty surrounding his relationship with Al-Wehdat.
Another obstacle concerns Al-Dmeisi’s support for keeping team manager Tareq Khattab in his position. He reportedly faces opposition from board members Ziad and Bassam Shalabieh, who want former assistant coach Mohammad Jamal to return to the role of team manager. This highlights the extent of the disagreements and the strained relationship between the benefactor and some members of the board.
During his livestream, Al-Dmeisi also criticized several administrative figures, questioning overlapping responsibilities within the club and the team. In particular, he criticized board member and financial director Bassam Shalabieh for also serving as the team’s media coordinator.
The situation is now tied to two developments: Bassam Shalabieh’s resignation from the board and Tareq Khattab remaining in his position.
These visible obstacles, along with others that may remain behind the scenes, could threaten the relationship between benefactor Al-Dmeisi and the board on one hand, as well as the stability of the football team on the other. The club needs unified efforts and an end to its internal disputes if it is to return strongly to the competition for domestic titles, in line with the ambitions of its loyal supporters, whose hopes have grown with the arrival of benefactor Al-Dmeisi and who have strongly backed him in the effort to restore Al-Wehdat’s standing in Jordanian football.
Resource: Al-Ghad. Reporting: Mustafa Ballo
