Under multiple pressures such as the receding wave of golden dollar soccer and the impact of the epidemic, Shanghai Shenhua, the old lion of the Chinese Super League, has suffered a lot of internal conflicts.
Shenhua was banned by FIFA from attracting reinforcements last season due to the long-term non-payment of foreign aid and coaching team salaries, yet still won the hearts of many fans. Fortunately, the experienced Wu Jingui was appointed to lead the scrappy team to an early relegation success last season.
This season, with the addition of Jiuzhi Group, Shenhua's debt problem was solved, the transfer ban was lifted, and the team performed better and better in the league. Today, Shenhua is firmly in the top three of the Chinese Super League table, a leap forward from last year.
Shenhua's successful transformation cannot be separated from Wu Jingui's hard work. However, Wu Jingui's ability limitations have also restricted the team's further development. The lack of a clear tactical system and the team's over-reliance on veterans have made it difficult for many young players to get training and their performances in the league have been mediocre.
At present, Wu Jingui's mission at Shenhua seems to be close to completion. If the club hopes to achieve a breakthrough in the next season, a change of manager may be inevitable. Two coaches have already entered the vision of the Jiuzhi Group.
First up is local youngster Xie Hui, who was a member of Shenhua and won the title with the team in the 1995 season. After retiring from the Bundesliga, Xie played for Aachen in Germany and returned to China where he held a number of coaching positions, including Shanghai Port and Nantong Zhiyun, before returning to China in 2021 to become head coach of the Dalian People after a short break from the country. Xie Hui's passion for tactics and ability to develop new talent is exactly what Shenhua needs.
The other is Portuguese Pontes, who was appointed Shenhua's technical director in August this year. His arrival aims to help the team build a mature tactical system and develop young players.
Xie Hui and Pontes are both ideal successors to Wu Jingui. Xie Hui has a deep connection with Shenhua, while Pontes is gradually integrating into the team and will be under little pressure to take over next season. Let's wait and see what the Jiuzhi Group chooses and how they will write the next chapter of the Shenhua saga...
