As December draws near, the drums of the national soccer team's preparations for the Asian Cup are beating, and the rallying cry is about to be blown. Yankovic coaching team is closely planning a new round of assembly activities. On the one hand, despite the fact that November's World Qualifier 36 results are still acceptable, but whether or not the smooth advancement is still in doubt, we must not have any relaxation, we must go all out. On the other hand, Jankovic is facing the crucial task of replacing the old with the new in the team, and there is an urgent need to tap the potential of more young players to lay a solid foundation for the team's third-string personnel reserve. Looking ahead to 2026, the average age of players will increase by 3 years, even if the veterans are on the verge of retirement, it is difficult to play a huge role, which prompted the coaching staff to have to layout in advance.
Since Jankovic took the helm of the national team, the team has always insisted on the concept of integrating new and old players, constantly absorbing fresh blood and promoting the team's renewal. This time in December, the team will start overseas training, physical training requirements are more demanding. The rise of young players has become a major attraction. According to internal sources, Yankovic intends to include in the team the new defender of Chengdu Rongcheng, the fourth-ranked player in the 2023 Chinese Super League (CSL), who is only 22 years old and made only 11 appearances in his debut in the CSL in 2023, all of which were as a substitute. The selection to the national team is undoubtedly surprising and has become a surprise pick for Jankovic.
As far as the goalkeeper position is concerned, the national football team already has three powerful players, Yan Junling, Liu Dianzuo and Wang Dalei. Yan Junling is about to turn 33, while Liu Dengzuo and Wang Dalei are 34 and 35 years old respectively. Although goalkeepers have relatively long careers, the best age group is usually between 28 and 33, and those in good form can even extend to 35. Therefore, in terms of age structure, it is necessary for the national soccer team to stockpile young goalkeepers. Despite the need to carry four goalkeepers, this adjustment is imperative, especially for the growth of young players.
However, due to the fierce competition for the goalkeeper position, it is still uncertain whether Witao will get a chance to play. According to the plan, Wikovic's coaching staff arranged four warm-up matches, aiming to give more players a chance to appear and feel the atmosphere of the game. In addition, in order to attract more outstanding players, Jankovic has long listed a list of about 50 people, including many U-tier players. Guangzhou's captain Eiffel's name is surely among them, and he will surely become a regular in the national soccer team in the future.
The December training roster is expected to be officially announced next week. Jiang Guangtai, Wang Qiuming and Li Shuai, who missed the last edition, will return to the lineup. The central core of the midfield, Zhang Yuning and Dai Weijun, will also be selected. The lineup of the national soccer team is getting better day by day. Next, we will put all our efforts into training to get ready for the upcoming Asian Cup.
