Recently, rumors have been swirling about a coaching change at Shanghai Shenhua. Even though Wu Jingui won the FA Cup for Shenhua, he was not spared the fate of being replaced. However, Shanghai fans are more concerned about the future direction of the team.
According to the latest reports, Shenhua has confirmed that former Russian national team boss Slutsky will be in charge of the team. The decision came as a surprise to many Shenhua fans, as Wu Jingui's performance was no less impressive. Slutsky's coaching philosophy is very different from Wu Jingui's, and his arrival will inject Shenhua with new tactical ideas and coaching style.
It is reported that Slutsky will officially step into the Shenhua camp at the end of the month. After his appointment, he will fully adjust the coaching team, Wu Jingui's team will be replaced. In addition, Slutsky will also introduce two Russian assistant coaches, and invited Shenhua veteran Xie Hui as an assistant coach, in order to maintain the harmony of the locker room.
Xie Hui returned to Shanghai, not only as an assistant coach, but also as the team's spiritual pillar. He played for Shenhua for many years and created great achievements for the team, and helped Shenhua win the A-League Championship in 1995. Meanwhile, it is said that Xie Hui was recommended by Slutsky to come to Shenhua, which will strengthen his position in the team.
As an assistant coach, Xie Hui will assist Slutsky in planning tactics and training, while using his experience and strength to help the team grow. He will also mention his close friend from his Dalian days, Lin Liangming, to his new owner, Jiuzhi Group.
Lin Liangming is in the limelight in the winter transfer market and is favored by many giants. Given Xie Hui's trust in him, Lin Liangming is expected to follow his mentor Xie Hui to join Shanghai Shenhua.
Shenhua club also plans to bring in more reinforcements to optimize the team lineup. Firstly, they need to supplement the replacement strength of the wing backs and center backs; secondly, the midfield organizer Gao Tianyi has agreed to join the team and is expected to take up the heavy responsibility; lastly, Dai Weijun's position may give way to the veteran Wu Xi.
Although Slutsky's arrival will bring changes to Shenhua, some soccer insiders have questioned that Slutsky is nothing more than a replacement hired by the Jiuzhi Group, and that Xie Hui may replace him if he does not perform well.
In the past two years, Xie Hui has shown excellent coaching ability in Dalian. Compared to Wu Jingui and other foreign coaches, he is more passionate, has a better understanding of the Chinese Super League environment, and is good at communicating with young players. Shenhua is in the process of rebuilding and is in dire need of a mid-generation coach like Xie Hui to lead the team. I firmly believe that with the concerted efforts of all parties at the club, Shenhua will achieve good results next season and make another push for the Chinese Super League title in the coming years!
