In the fierce competition of the Asian Cup, China's national soccer team has been crushed in the group stage, with 2 draws, 1 loss and no income, writing the bleakest page in the team's history. In the post-game hubbub, rumors swirled about the imminent departure of manager Jankovic, and even though the Football Association has yet to make an official announcement, the anxiety of the fans has been hard to quell. Recently, some media reports claimed that the selection of the national soccer team's coach has entered the substantive negotiation stage, however, the outside world still has no idea about the identity of the real candidates. With two key preseason matches looming next month, all parties involved need to act decisively.
In the face of the current situation of the national football team, hiring a foreign coach with experience in teaching Asian soccer is undoubtedly the best choice, however, there are few candidates who meet this condition. At the same time, the South Korean team is also actively looking for a new coach, its attraction far more than the national football team, which makes the selection of the national football team even more difficult. The FA has no choice but to make a quick decision or settle for second best.
Currently, apart from the competition between a few candidates and the rest of the team, the team's budget is an issue that cannot be ignored. While Ivankovic, Queiroz and Olaroyo are considered top candidates, their high salaries, especially Olaroyo's, which is rumored to earn more than $3 million a year in the Chinese Super League, are a heavy burden for the current FA.
A few days ago, Ivankovic was seen as the favorite, but now it's Petkovic. He has coached in Switzerland and has a glittering resume, but has his own set of difficulties. Firstly, there is the exorbitant salary, which is not an exact figure, but certainly not exorbitant. Secondly, his lack of experience in coaching Asian soccer, which is what the national soccer team is looking for. Although some coaches have outstanding individual abilities, their understanding of Asian soccer is limited, which is a deep concern for the FA.
In comparison, Ivankovic and Queiroz seem more suitable. Their offers are relatively reasonable and they have been coaching in Asia for many years, and Ivankovic has also coached Shandong Luneng. His understanding of Chinese soccer is unmatched by many foreign coaches. Now, the relevant departments must act quickly to implement a new coaching candidate.
In addition, a noteworthy news is that the Football Association has changed its attitude towards naturalized players. Jiang Guangtai was selected as the only naturalized player in this year's Asian Cup, which featured a total of 624 players, 110 of whom were naturalized. The national football team's fiasco in the Asian Cup reflects the lack of naturalized players to a certain extent. Among the naturalized players, Jiang Guangtai, Li Ke, Ekerson and Fernando played in the Chinese Super League last season, and Alan will soon return to the Chinese Super League to join Qingdao West Coast. Jiang Guangtai and Li Ke are still active on the pitch and they are expected to be selected for the national team training camp in the future. As for Alan and Ickerson.
With the World Qualifiers approaching, the soccer team is in dire need of the Football Association to resolve the issue of coaches and naturalized players as soon as possible, with a view to showing a new face in the upcoming tournament.
