Since 2024, the Chinese Super League clubs have significantly accelerated the pace of their preparations. On the one hand, with the opening of the winter transfer window, a series of transfer negotiations have been finalized, and the completion of players' registration procedures marks their official membership of the club. Although the flame of the Asian Cup has not yet been extinguished, the transfer of national team players can only take place after the end of the tournament. On the other hand, during the intense winter preparation period, the team's music team has resumed training, and the selection of coaches and assistant coaches is yet to be finalized, so that the players can be integrated into the team earlier and be ready for the new season.
However, not all clubs have been able to accelerate at the same pace, and Henan is one such example.In the 2023 season, Henan ranked 10th in the league with 9 wins, 9 draws, and 4 losses, and 36 points, a slight decline from the previous season. The team's overall strength declined, and the 49-year-old coach Sarko was rumored to be leaving the team. It wasn't until the end of 2023 that Henan revealed the answer. The answer was revealed when there was speculation that Sarko might stay on.
Salko's departure was unexpected but reasonable. Henan highly praised his outstanding performance and rigorous professionalism during his tenure and expressed their blessing for his departure. Salko also became the first departing coach of CSL 2024. Apparently, Henan has identified a better candidate for the position.
In March 2023, Henan activated Sarko to replace the departing Javier, who showed strong coaching confidence. The team was impressive for a while, but lacked stamina and eventually finished 10th in the league. Despite being relegated early, this was the minimum target and far from the club's ideal result. Sarko left the club after only 10 months in charge, and the impact on the team's performance was obvious. Sarko's next step in the Chinese league is unclear, but his experience in the Chinese Super League gives him a chance to step up to the plate again. For now, it seems that no matter who the new coach is, Henan will still need to play defense in the new season, and the goal of relegation is more realistic.
In addition, the liberalization of the title right is a great benefit to the clubs, which not only increases the income, but also improves the level of reinforcement. Changing the head coach is often accompanied by lineup adjustments, and the introduction of new foreign aid has become an inevitable trend. Therefore, Henan team needs to prepare well in advance to ensure that the tactical arrangements of the new coach can be implemented smoothly.
