Shandong Taishan Season Review and Outlook
Season 2023: Shandong Taishan's Double Crown Wonderland
As the 2023 season came to an end, Shandong Taishan wrote a brilliant chapter of their own with the double honor of being the runner-up in the league and the runner-up in the FA Cup. The music department and the laughter of the fans are the best interpretation of this achievement, while the outside world is even more unexpected to marvel at this.
Looking back at the beginning of the season, the arrests of Jin Jingdao and Hao Wei sent Taishan into a panic. Coupled with assistant coach Fabio's limited coaching ability, Taishan's ranking in the league once fell to the bottom two. Despite their strength, it is widely believed that relegation is the goal of Taishan.
However, the addition of Choi Kang-hee was like timely rain, not only stabilizing the team, but also bringing Taishan into the top three of the league. Now, with the AFC Champions League group stage on the horizon, Choi's coaching career at Taishan has reached a new climax.
With the Chinese Super League break coming up, there is no better time for teams to improve. Some teams have seen the success of Choi Kang-hee in Taishan team and have also sought to join the Korean coach. According to reporter Li Pingkang, a veteran Chinese Super League team has basically finalized the addition of a Korean coach.
Although Lee Pyeong-kang did not disclose which team, he responded to fans by revealing that the Korean coach is not a well-known figure such as Lee Jang-ju or Zhang Wai-long, but Choi Yong-ju. So, which Chinese Super League veteran team will Cui Longzhu be in charge of? Currently, Shanghai Port is in dire need of a new coach due to Javier's dismissal.
According to several media reports, Javier left the club due to poor results and has been involved with Australian coach Muscat. However, Japanese media reported that the former Yokohama Mariners coach's next stop is Sunderland in England. As a result, Shanghai Port may take a back seat and hire Choi Yong-ju to replace Javier.
Choi Yong-ju knows Asian soccer like the back of his hand, having led Seoul FC to the K-League title and the AFC Champions League final. Although they ultimately failed to win the title, the loss was justified against the heyday of Guangzhou Evergrande. Next season, Shanghai Port will face the challenge of fighting on three fronts, and Choi Yong-ju's joining the team is undoubtedly a wise choice.
In addition, Henan could be the new owner of Choi Yong-ju. Sarko's addition to the team has sparked controversy and Henan's results have been poor. If Henan team carries out a successful share reform, the possibility of hiring Cui Longzhu as the head coach cannot be ignored. As for Shanghai Shenhua, Beijing Guoan, Changchun Yatai, and even Tianjin Jinmen Tigers, the possibility of changing coaches is almost zero.
