A fierce battle is about to unfold as 64-year-old South Korean manager Choi Kang-hee will face the challenge of 45-year-old Australian soccer legend Cowell. In the upcoming AFC Champions League quarterfinals, the Yokohama Mariners will clash head-on with a strong Shandong Taishan side.
Known for his exceptional ball skills as a player, Cowell played for top teams such as Liverpool and Leeds United, and his brilliant achievements include the Premier League title in the 2004-05 season, the UEFA Super Cup in 2005-06, the FA Cup in England, and subsequent stellar performances in the AFC Champions League and the World Cup.
After his retirement, Cowell didn't stop there. He took charge of English lower league teams such as Watford U23 and in June 2022 became an assistant manager at Celtic. It wasn't until December 31, 2023, that he officially took over as head coach of the Yokohama Mariners. His team drew 2-2 with Bangkok United in the AFC Champions League 1/8 final.
Choi Kang-hee, an outstanding coach in Asian soccer, led Jeonbuk Hyundai to win the 2006 AFC Champions League title during his tenure at the club and was honored as the AFC Coach of the Year in the same year. Since then, he has led Jeonbuk to the K-League title for two consecutive years and was named AFC Coach of the Year in 2016. His coaching career also covers teams such as Suwon Samsung, the Korean national team, Tianjin, Dalian and Shanghai Shenhua.
On May 16, 2023, Cui Kangxi became the new head coach of Shandong Taishan. At that time, Taishan was ranked ninth in the Chinese Super League, with only one win, four draws and two losses in the first seven rounds.
After Choi Kang-hee's appointment, Taishan's form has been refreshed with 14 wins, 6 draws and 2 defeats, accumulating 48 points and eventually ranking second in the league by a narrow margin. In the F.A.C.A. Cup, Taishan defeated Shanghai Shenhua 0-1 in the final to win the championship. In the AFC Champions League, Taishan won 4 and lost 2 in the group stage and beat Kawasaki Frontale 6-5 in the 1/8 final to reach the quarter-finals.
The first round of the upcoming AFC Champions League quarterfinals for Shandong Taishan will be played on March 6th, while the second round is scheduled to be staged on March 13th.
