The road to rejuvenation of the national football team is long and winding, not a one-day effort. In intense matches, the young members of the national team often showed signs of inexperience, poor judgment and inflexible tactical use. Taking the mistakes and fouls exposed by rising stars such as Hu Huotao and Wang Haijian in the matches against Australia and Indonesia as examples, these moments certainly revealed the challenges they face in dealing with high-pressure, fast-paced matches. It also maps out the shortcomings of the Chinese Super League in nurturing new talent. The Chinese Super League's past reliance on foreign aid and senior players has left young players with few opportunities to exercise and grow in the league, and often seem out of their depth once they step onto the national team stage.
The understanding and support of the community is especially crucial in the growth trajectory of young players. Their growth requires time to sharpen, games to baptize, and lessons to be learned from failure. We can't negate their efforts and sacrifices just because of their mistakes. Instead, we should embrace their growth with a more tolerant mindset, motivate them to draw strength from their setbacks, and continue to challenge and surpass themselves. Only in this way can Chinese soccer produce more outstanding young players.
Despite the many controversies surrounding Ivankovic's coaching, his efforts and effectiveness in developing young players cannot be ignored. We should both see his shortcomings and recognize his achievements. Expect him to deliver even more stunning performances in future matches.
