National soccer team prepares for Asian Cup
Shanghai, a vibrant city, is witnessing a tense atmosphere as the national soccer team prepares for the Asian Cup.In mid-January, Qatar will be their battleground, and the preparations for this are kicking off from this very moment on the training ground in Shanghai.The Asian Cup roster is about to be unveiled on December 12, and then the team will be flown to the UAE for their final preparations before arriving in Qatar on the eve of the tournament. In the UAE, two warm-up matches are ready to be played against India and Oman, the former epitomizing the Asian Cup group rival Qatar, with similar styles and strengths.
Although Qatar had a poor showing in the last World Cup, as the hosts, they are undoubtedly the strongest opponents in the group. However, the national soccer team has never been afraid of this West Asian powerhouse and has already defeated their opponents several times in the past World Qualifiers and other tournaments. Now, an unexpected change has opened up new opportunities for the team - Qatar changed their coach a month before the start of the Asian Cup. Less than a day after Portugal's marquee manager Queiroz was sacked, Spanish coach Max Lopez quickly took over as the new head coach.
The 61-year-old Max Lopez, nicknamed "Tintin", is old but relatively inexperienced in coaching. He briefly coached Spaniards, but his results were mediocre. Prior to becoming Qatar's coach, he coached Wakrah in the Qatar League, where his understanding of Qatari soccer was a major advantage despite being in a lower league and team. Max's coaching career has focused on the ladder and youth teams, with several stints as a fire-fighting coach meaning he has a wealth of experience in taking over teams.
Although Marks knows Qatari soccer and youth training inside out, he lacks the experience to lead the national team. The national team and club coaching models are very different, with some coaches specializing in national team coaching while others focus on clubs. For a coach like Marques, who has never led a national team before, to become its head coach on the eve of a tournament seems like Qatar is taking a big risk. In fact, this approach runs counter to their focus on soccer and their philosophy of seeking quick results.
However, we need not be overly concerned about Qatar. Even though they have changed coaches, the arrival of a new coach has opened up new opportunities for the national soccer team. We can use this time to study his style and give him an early taste of the brutality of the national team game. As the hosts, Qatar is naturally in a favorable position, but the national soccer team is not under pressure against Qatar, at least psychologically.
