On May 14, the AFC officially announced that the 2023 Asian Cup tournament, which was originally scheduled to be held in China, will be held in a different location. This sudden change will undoubtedly have a profound impact on our team's future training program. Although our team exited the final stage of the World Cup in Qatar and there are no major tournaments in the current year, the results of the Asian Cup are closely linked to the qualification for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, so the task of the national team's preparations is still severe.
The current manager Li Xiaopeng's question of retention needs to be clarified, so that the team can quickly determine the direction of the new cycle of preparation. It is reported that since the end of March this year, the national football team to end the 12 strong journey, the team management did not on the current national football coaching team to stay in the problem of public statement, which also makes Li Xiaopeng personal into a kind of embarrassing situation.
Host status of the national football team no longer exists
After the 2023 Asian Cup was confirmed to be held in a different location, our team, although as one of the 12 teams that advanced to the second stage of the Qatar World Preliminary 12 and the Asian Cup Qualifying Tournament, entered the final stage of the Asian Cup in all but name, but due to the fact that the identity of the host no longer exists, by the international rankings to fall to the 10th place in Asia, can only be in the second or even the third tranche of the team identity to participate in the regular rounds of next year's Asian Cup.
According to the opening program (final draft) reported by CFA to the higher sports management department on May 16, the new season of the Chinese Super League will open on June 3rd. And FIFA, AFC calendar shows that the latest section of the international match day cycle will be arranged from May 30 to June 14, which means that the national football team will not be organized in this cycle of training, games.
According to the competition program, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) and the Preparatory Group of the Chinese Football Association (CFA) are expected to organize five rounds of AFC Cup competitions or working league matches in September, so the national football team is also likely to be affected by the impact of not organizing training and matches during the international match day cycle of that month. Because the Qatar World Cup before the start of the year, only the remaining two international match day cycle, and in the case of the U23 national football team confirmed to go to Japan to participate in the East Asian Cup, the national men's football team is likely to have no tournament tasks this year.
National football team "no leader" is not appropriate
But for a national team, it is not really normal to go more than half a year without training or competition. Up to now, the AFC has not changed the program of the tournament schedule, except for confirming the 2023 Asian Cup to be held in a different location. And after the end of the Qatar World Qualification campaign, the Chinese team objectively needs to go through a renewal. Even if the team is affected by the epidemic and other objective factors in the short term can not perform international warm-up matches, but still need the necessary preparation program, "group dragon without a head" is obviously not appropriate. In this case, Li Xiaopeng team is to stay or quit, need to come up with a clear statement as soon as possible.
On May 16, a media report said that "the probability is that the national football team will pick a new head coach". However, there is no such confirmed information from the CFA. It should be noted that the appointment of Li Xiaopeng's team is in the sports management department led by the national football "leading operation group" under the leadership of the implementation, then even if the confirmation of the change of command, also need to be by the team management through strict procedures to implement. From this perspective, the decision-making power around this matter is not in the CFA, or the CFA is also waiting.
No clear answer yet on whether to stay or leave
It is understood that when the team management selection of Li Xiaopeng had a clear point, that is, under normal circumstances, the national football team will not change in the short term, its situation and the national women's football team selection of water Qingxia as the commander-in-chief of the situation is consistent.
However, up to now, the team management did not give a clear statement on the issue of Li Xiaopeng's retention. Li Xiaopeng has not even received the notice of "report on the last 4 rounds of the final 12 rounds of the team's work". In other words, Li Xiaopeng himself has no clear answer as to whether he will stay or leave his post. Strictly speaking, Li Xiaopeng is still the head coach of the national football team, so should he continue to prepare for the next stage of the team to start the preparatory work?
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Lok Kwok Fu gets his first start in his return to the Barclays Premier League
In the 6th round of the Brazilian Primera A soccer tournament that ended in the early hours of May 16th, Minero Americas visited the Couto Pereira Stadium and lost to Coritiba 0-1, a game that was played in the first round of the Brazilian soccer tournament. Chinese naturalized player Luo Guofu, who plays for the visiting team, made his debut and was substituted in the 62nd minute. This was the first time that Luo Guofu made his debut for his new club after returning to Brazilian professional soccer.
In the 5th round of the Barclays Premier League on May 8th, Minero Americas had defeated Atletico Mineiro 2-1 on the road. And respectively played in the two teams of Luo Guofu, Hulk two Chinese super old man in this competition to realize the special reunion. Unfortunately, both failed to score. In the game, Luo Guofu did not make his debut for Atlético Mineiro until the 57th minute.
After recent hard training, Luo Guofu's physical and mental condition has reached the standard of debut. In the 6th round of the Barclays Premier League (BPL), which kicks off at 4:30 a.m. Beijing time on the 16th, Luo Guofu will start as a debutant for the Minero Americano team.
With Nascimento's goal at the end of the half, Coritiba won the match 1-0. Lok Kok Fu was replaced by Nascimento in the 62nd minute. In the previous round, it was the same man who was replaced by Lok Kok Fu.
Although he didn't score a goal, Luo Guofu was more active and created a few chances in his hour or so of playing time. To be able to make his debut in his second game back in the Barclays Premier League, Lok Kwok Foo's form has indeed improved significantly, and he himself is looking forward to his "first goal" to come sooner rather than later.
