The importance of Wu Lei, the former star of our country's soccer and the hope of the whole village, to the national team cannot be overstated. However, with the national football team is about to travel to Qatar World Preliminary 12 final two battles, Wu Lei may no longer be called up once the news, all parties are talking about, but this controversy is essentially no substance, just become the focus of another outside debate.
1. Temporary non-recruitment of non-abandonment
The coaching team initially released the 39 people training list in the absence of the name of Wu Lei, which seems to have been a hint or signal. But this does not mean that the national team or the coaching staff has "abandoned" Wu Lei, but after comprehensive consideration made a choice. To some extent, it is more to protect Wu Lei.
Wu Lei's role, especially in the current 12 strong match for the national team, need not be repeated. 40 strong match and 12 strong match goals have been enough to illustrate the problem, and so far, our team's only victory in the 12 strong match is precisely to rely on Wu Lei's two goals at the critical moment. So far, Wu Lei is still ranked first on the list of top scorers in the 12-team tournament, scoring four goals against Iran's Taremi and Japan's Jun Ito. Under normal circumstances, no coach would choose to abandon Wu Lei at this time.
However, any player's form has its ups and downs, and it is impossible to always stay on a relatively high level. The same is true for the situation Wu Lei is currently facing. In the first half of the season, Wu Lei still had many chances to play for Espanyol, which allowed him to return to the national team with a relatively good form, and therefore to keep scoring goals in the first half of the Top 12 matches. However, in recent times, Wu Lei's appearances and hours with the Spaniards have been gradually reduced to just taking part in regular training, which is clearly not enough.
In the two matches away to Japan and Vietnam on January 27 and February 1, Wu Lei's play on the field was not satisfactory, so much so that he had to be replaced in the second half of the match, which has to be said to have a lot to do with the fewer matches in the club team.
Returning to Espanyol after the match with Vietnam, Wu Lei's recent situation still hasn't changed. In the last few rounds of La Liga, Wu Lei only played in the last garbage time, or maybe he sat on the bench for the whole 90 minutes. This may further affect Wu Lei's status. In this case, if you still call up Wu Lei, both Wu Lei himself and the national team coaching team, I'm afraid they will be in a variety of pressure. On the contrary, not to call up for the time being can let all parties can be in and out freely.
2. Focusing on the long term is still not enough
In a way, there is nothing principled about the national team not considering calling up Wu Lei for the time being. First of all, under normal circumstances, the La Liga has one more round of matches on March 20, and the Spaniards will face Mallorca at home. Although Wu Lei has temporarily lost his starting position in the Spaniards, the manager of the Spaniards has not indicated that he has now given up, so I'm afraid that this competition is still not possible to release people in advance.
So, after the game, Wu Lei if immediately rushed to Dubai to meet with the national team, again will be a night flight, to the next morning to arrive, in March 21 to 23 have three days to practice with the team, and then in the 24th out to play the Saudi Arabia team.
Assuming that Wu Lei's condition has not improved significantly, I'm afraid that all sides will again focus on Wu Lei after the game. Because of the current public opinion environment in our country football is "only look at the results do not look at the process", and, even if Wu Lei continues to get goals for the national team, the outside world of Wu Lei all kinds of gossip and cold words have never stopped.
So, no matter how, Wu Lei or the coaching team will be under more pressure. With Wu Lei's character, once he has the opportunity to play, he will definitely go all out in the game. And the more you want to prove yourself, the more unexpected actions will appear. Like in the game against Japan on January 27, Wu Lei "ate" a yellow card.
Should he receive another accidental yellow card against Saudi Arabia on March 24, he will be automatically suspended for one match, undoubtedly against Oman. This also makes Wu Lei will end the 12 strong tournament journey early. Returning to the national soccer team from Europe, only to hit the road after four or five days, will probably affect his situation with the Spaniards even further.
Assuming that there is no problem with playing Saudi Arabia, but continuing to fight after arriving in Oman, Wu Lei might receive another yellow card. In this way, as the 12-team tournament has ended, Wu Lei's suspension will affect the future 2023 Asian Cup tournament, due to the relevant regulations, this 12-team tournament automatic suspension will fall to the 2023 Asian Cup tournament, as Zheng Zhi in the final game of the 12-team tournament of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers in Russia, as Zheng Zhi in the final game of the 12-team tournament of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers in Russia, received a red card, Zheng Zhi will have to be in the first game of the group stage of the 2019 Asian Cup match is suspended.
Obviously, this is even more unfavorable for our men's football team to play the 2023 Asian Cup at home.
After weighing back and forth, the national team coaching staff temporarily did not call up Wu Lei, I am afraid that is still more focused on the future.
After all, the next task of the national team is the 2023 Asian Cup, whether it is the renewal of the national team or other, have been centered on this undisclosed goal. Including the four naturalized players to accept the physical test, after politely rejected directly no longer call them into the team, this is in fact also in preparation for the Asian Cup and the national team to "set up the book". In contrast, the same is playing in Europe, Li Lei in January this year to go, but recently has begun to play constantly, so the national football team will be recalled.
This positive and negative example is actually very illustrative now.
3. No need to over-interpret the non-conscription
From another point of view, although Wu Lei is already 32 years old, but as the only Chinese player now playing in the top five leagues, at least continue to 2023 at home in the Asian Cup will not be too big a problem. This time do not call up Wu Lei, is also hoping that he can find the opportunity to rise again in the club, but also to ease its pressure, the intention is still hope that the next he continues to better fight for his country.
Moreover, the status of overseas players is, to some extent, a kind of pressure, but also a kind of motivation. Previously, when our players played in the European league, they also encountered the situation of Wu Lei, that is, temporarily unable to play in the club team, the national team continued to call up.
Now the national football team is not called for the time being, and the coaching team is pushed into the limelight. No matter what, the outside world always has various sayings, but the team must have the team's consideration.
And it's nothing new for overseas players to fall through the cracks. For example, like now in the Porto team playing Taremi can be said to be a hot scorer in the Portuguese Premier League, but in the two rounds of World Cup qualifiers in November last year was not called into the Iranian national team, and that period of time, Taremi in the Porto team's goal-scoring efficiency has dropped dramatically, and once had been reduced to the bench.
Of course, Taremi's anger towards Iran national team head coach Skosic in an interview was also more or less related to being temporarily dropped. This has also led to an outcry from Iranian fans and the media after Taremi was temporarily dropped from the Iranian team. But temporary non-drafting is not the same as abandonment. In the two rounds of the 12-team tournament in late January and February 1 this year, Taremi was recalled to the national team, and scored in two games against Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, helping the Iranian team to win 1-0, get six points, and determine the World Cup qualification.
Therefore, from a professional point of view, I'm afraid that we still need to respect the coaching staff from a professional point of view to make choices, there is no need to over-interpretation. What's more, soccer is not a "game of words"!
