On April 22, 2024, Meizhou Hakka welcomed a new face to the club. 37-year-old Spanish coach Pablo, the successor of former Serbian coach Milan, was sworn in at the beginning of the year. But after six rounds of play, the team has only accumulated six points, three draws and three losses, making people worry whether it will fall into the relegation abyss. Facing questions from the Southern Daily, Pablo was full of confidence and vowed to lead the team to break through the status quo.
Pablo's schedule is packed. Early in the morning, he buries himself in team video research; late in the afternoon, he attends a press conference; and in the evening, he is busy with pre-game preparation meetings ...... Day after day, he has little time to rest. "In Wuhua, life is not boring, soccer occupies my whole." He said that even though western restaurants are scarce here, he cooks for himself or enjoys a night of barbecue and beer.
It seems unfair to blame the coach for the team's poor performance at the beginning of the season. Club insiders revealed that injuries to several core forwards were a key factor. "Despite the offense being hampered, on the defensive end we have achieved zero shutouts against our opponents." Looking ahead, Pablo expects the return of injured players and a strongest lineup to strike for victory.
It is not the first time for Pablo to set foot on Chinese soccer. 2020, he served as technical director of Qingdao China Energy, witnessing the end of the "golden dollar soccer" era. In his eyes, Chinese professional soccer is moving towards rationalization, with an increase in the number of professional soccer stadiums, a warm atmosphere for fans, more rational investment and a more standardized foreign aid policy.
The progress of the Chinese Super League is obvious. Pablo said that compared to the past, teams are playing more diversified styles, and strong teams such as Shenhua are showing different styles, which makes the whole league more interesting to watch.
