The first to bear the brunt was 36-year-old striker Tan Long. In the recently concluded Asian Cup, Tan Long's performance was frustrating. As the main striker of the national team in place of Ackerson, he failed to show his tactical value and became the so-called pillar of the front field. Observing the game, it's easy to see that Tan Long's form has shown a clear downward trend as he grows older. Now, Tan Long has entered the age of 36. Given the strength of the national team and Tan Long's mediocre performance, coach Ivankovic is likely to leave him out of the new squad.
Close behind is 35-year-old former national soccer captain Wu Xi. Without realizing it, Wu Xi has entered the late stage of his career. Undeniably, Wu Xi has been the centerpiece of the national team's midfield for the past decade. He has a good combination of offense and defense, and his comprehensive ability is very comprehensive. On the stage of the national team, he not only has to act as a midfielder who intercepts and steals, but also shoulders an important role from defense to offense. However, with the growth of age, Wu Xi's form has obviously declined. In the closing stages of the Asian Cup, his performance was not as good as before. He can no longer be the "commander" of the offense and defense of the national football team. Therefore, just like Tan Long, Wu Xi should also be excluded from the national team list by the new coach Ivankovic.
The third veteran who could be cut is Beijing Guoan's Li Lei, who at 31 years old is a bit younger than Wu Xi and Tan Long, but his age is also causing his form to decline. In addition, Li Lei's role as a left back seems to have become less crucial with the rise of younger internationals such as Li Shuai and Liu Yang. Therefore, Li Lei is also likely to fade out of the national team's lineup.
Despite the fact that all three of these players have been mainstays of the national team, new coach Ivanovic is bound to stick to his judgment and not be soft when it comes to cuts. Expect him to build a new national team with more fighting spirit.
