In recent years, Shanghai Shenhua, the Chinese Super League's oldest powerhouse, has suffered many internal problems under the influence of a variety of factors, including the bursting of the gold-dollar soccer bubble and epidemics.
Shenhua FC was once the most popular team in the Chinese Super League after being banned from signing by FIFA last season due to unpaid wages to foreign aiders and foreign coaches. Fortunately, meritorious coach Wu Jingui took over the team in the midst of the danger. Under Wu Jingui's leadership, the troop-starved Shenhua finished relegation very early last season.
This season, the Jiuzhi Group joined Shenhua FC, solving the debt problems accumulated over the years, lifting the transfer ban on the team, and performing better and better in the league. Currently, Shenhua is ranked among the top three in the Chinese Super League table, rising to a higher level than last year.
Shenhua was able to complete a smooth transition and achieve quite good league results, head coach Wu Jingui made a huge contribution. However, Wu Jingui's lack of ability has also limited Shenhua's further development. Without a clear tactical system, the league is mainly about defensive counter-attacks and too much reliance on veterans, which has left many of Shenhua's young players without enough training and with increasingly mediocre performances in the league.
Judging from the current situation, Wu Jingui has basically completed his mission at Shenhua. If the club wants to make a breakthrough in performance next season, it must consider changing coaches. At present, Wu Jingui's two successors have entered the scope of consideration of the Jiuzhi Group.
First up is local Major Xie Hui, who is a Shenhua man with the right roots. As a player, he played for Shenhua for 6 seasons and won the AA title with the team in the 1995 season. In 2000, Xie Hui stayed in Germany and joined Bundesliga Aachen. Since then he has joined Shenhua several times. In early 2009, Xie Hui announced his retirement and Shenhua held a grand retirement ceremony for him.
After his retirement, Xie Hui stayed with the team as an assistant coach until 2016, when he left Shenhua. Since then, he has also served as an assistant coach for Shanghai Ports and head coach of Nantong Zhiyun. Xie Hui briefly left China in 2021 after he offended then-Football Association president Chen Xuyuan by speaking the truth under the influence of alcohol. After returning to China last year, he went through a competition to become head coach of Chinese Super League side Dalian Ren.
Xie Hui is a very passionate coach. The tactical approach of "just playing" was very popular in the Chinese Super League last year, and this is the element that Shenhua lacks most at the moment. In addition, Xie Hui is also very good at developing new players. In the past two years, a number of young international players such as Wang Zhenao, Huang Jiahui and He Yupeng have been groomed to join the Dalian team. Now Shenhua, which is in the process of full renewal, also has a group of young players with great potential, which need to be nurtured by a good coach like Xie Hui.
Pontes is the second Wu Jingui who could be Shenhua's successor. In August this year, Shenhua club officially signed with the Portuguese, he will serve as the team's technical director. On the one hand, Shenhua introduced Pontes to help the team establish a mature tactical system, and on the other hand, they also see his ability to cultivate young players.
It's safe to say that both Xie Hui and Pontes are good candidates for Wu Jingui. Xie Hui has the DNA of the old Shenhua, so his return to coaching the team is expected. After half a season of bonding, Pontes has gradually familiarized himself with Shenhua and will not be under much pressure to officially take over the team next season. Let's wait and see who Jiuzhi Group will eventually choose to take over from Wu Jingui...
