With the Chinese Super League coming to a close, there are only three rounds of matches left. If Harbor can beat Beijing Guoan in the next round, they are expected to lock up the title ahead of schedule. Shandong Taishan has basically locked up a spot in the AFC Champions League. Shanghai Shenhua, Zhejiang and Beijing Guoan will fight for the last AFC Champions League spot. In terms of relegation, Shenzhen seems to have locked up the relegation spot in advance, while newly promoted teams such as Qingdao Hainiu, Dalian Ren, and Nantong Zhiyun are fighting hard for relegation. A win for Qingdao Manatees would complete the relegation task ahead of schedule.
Against this backdrop, it is likely that the last relegation spot will be created between Dalian Ren and Nantong Zhiyun. Despite Dalian Ren's clear goal difference, Nantong Zhiyun is still in the lead for relegation. Coach Xie Hui successfully led Dalian Ren to complete relegation last season, and this season, even if the team's strength has decreased, he is still expected to lead the team to complete the relegation task, which is an acceptable result.
In my opinion, whether or not the Dalian Ren can finish relegation this season, head coach Xie Hui and the team's future may no longer be closely linked. Wanda Group has stopped its financial support to Dalian Ren, and the team is short of funds, making it difficult to retain core players. A coach like Xie Hui, even if he is very capable, will not be able to compete with the traditional Chinese Super League giants who have a lot of money. Therefore, leaving Dalian and seeking new development may be the best choice for Xie Hui. According to the current situation, if Xie Hui leaves Dalian, he is likely to return to the Shanghai Bund and join Shanghai Shenhua or Shanghai Harbor, which may be his preferred destination. The Dalian People are also actively looking for a new coach to replace Xie Hui.
While browsing through the media today, I found a report stating that if Xie Hui is no longer the coach of Dalian, the team may invite former national soccer midfielder Zhao Xu Ri to replace him. Zhao Xuri, known as "Zhao Yifu", was famous for his amazing long-distance shot at the World Youth Championship. It is worth mentioning that Zhao Xuri started his career in Dalian Shide's youth training camp and joined Chinese Super League A teams such as Guangzhou Evergrande, Tianjin Quanjian and Dalian People in the era of gold-dollar soccer. A seasoned veteran, Zhao Xuri has won the title with Evergrande four times.
Zhao Xuri will be 38 years old in two months. He is currently playing for Pingguo in Guangxi, and after the season, he will probably choose to retire and end his career. As a good midfielder, Zhao Xuri has the potential to become the team's head coach. During his time as a player, he accumulated a wealth of playing experience with many of the Chinese Super League's landed teams, and after his retirement, he is likely to return to Dalian to continue his soccer career and transition into coaching.
Although Zhao Xuri does not have substantial coaching experience at the moment, inviting the famous Dalian footballer to return as the team's new coach is undoubtedly the best option at the moment.
