The World Cup is just around the corner, but the Chinese men's soccer camp has suffered an untoward incident, as core defender Jiang Guangtai was officially declared ineligible to play against Thailand due to a knee injury. In order to fill the vacancy, the national team quickly called up Shenzhen defender Xu Haofeng. The move was met with skepticism. It is reported that Xu Haofeng and Jankovic have worked together many times in the past, but there is also a scandal involving gambling. One can't help but wonder what Yankovic's considerations were in selecting this controversial player.
Xu Haofeng played 24 matches as one of Shenzhen's main defenders in the Chinese Super League this season. However, his performances have not lived up to expectations, as there are better players at both center back and right back. Nevertheless, Xu Haofeng has a close relationship with Jankovic, which is an advantage that no other player can match. It is worth mentioning that before coaching the Chinese national soccer team, Jankovic was in charge of the Chinese national youth soccer team and the Olympic soccer team, and at that time it was Jankovic who recognized Xu Haofeng's potential and included him in the national Olympic soccer team roster, which made him an "international footballer".
Last year, when Yankovic was the interim head coach of the national soccer team, Xu Haofeng was also able to participate in the East Asian Cup. Although not a core player, Xu Haofeng is clearly an option in Jankovic's mind. Jiang Guangtai accidentally injured, Yankovic chose the former disciple, which makes sense, after all, many coaches uphold the principle of "use familiar not to use raw".
However, Xu Haofeng is not only of average strength, he has also traveled a bumpy road. Last year, he was exposed for suspected online gambling. Reports indicated that he was addicted to gambling, night and day. This is undoubtedly a red flag for a professional player.
The choice of Xu Haofeng, a player of questionable skill and character, to fill Jiang Guangtai's shoes in preparation for such a crucial world qualifier has undoubtedly sparked widespread controversy. We'll just have to wait and see if Yankovic trusts his choice or simply hired a relative.
