The Chinese national team drew 1-1 with Malaysia in a thrilling match, setting a record for the first ever draw. In the past, if they won, it was a landslide victory, as easy as cutting vegetables. However, this time, the fans' emotions hit rock bottom after the draw. After the match, boos were heard.
Despite the fact that the national soccer players were applauded and thanked by the crowd after the game, and the DJ promptly cheered the team on with his loudspeaker, the fans' enthusiasm was not ignited.
The DJ announced loudly, "And now, we give you a round of applause..." There was a deliberate pause for a moment, expecting the players of the national team to hear applause and cheers from the crowd. However, what they heard were boos. And earlier, the crowd had applauded enthusiastically when the Malaysian team entered the field. It was clear that the Chengdu fans were still looking forward to the match.
Fans were upset, not because of the result of the game, but with the lazy attitude of individual international players on the field. They were not really committed to the game, as evidenced by the frequent substitutions. This was a warm-up game, and although there was no need to win, it was important to observe the players' form and give each player a chance to play. This is exactly what Jankovic wanted to do.
Some have accused international players of not putting up enough of a fight, but Li Shuai put up a good fight, even being taken away in an ambulance, which is certainly a sign of hard work. However, not all international players are so committed, and players such as Xu Xin should be criticized.
After the match, Li Xuan, director of the domestic department at Soccer Daily, published a series of articles pointing out the lack of spirit in the national soccer team and arguing that if certain international players lose interest in the national team, Jankovic should perhaps consider dropping them. She said bluntly, "It's a shame to say it, alas, I don't want to play to dissolve."
The criticism from media persons is meant to remind the national soccer coaching staff that with the World Qualifiers around the corner, player selection and morale boosting is of paramount importance. First and foremost, international players with a strong drive should be selected. For players who lack spirit, the head coach should try to improve their morale.
In fact, Jankovic had doubts about his choice of players - why did he recruit so many U30 players? The form of some players has declined significantly, while other internationals are no longer passionate about playing for the national team and perform negatively.
Of course, Jankovic also faces difficulties. There is a scarcity of rising stars and a limited number of domestic players to choose from. This is the real dilemma of the national soccer team at the moment!
In contrast to the Malaysian team, they have as many as seven naturalized players, and their strength has significantly improved, and they are no longer a traditional Southeast Asian team. At this point, if you still use traditional perception (such as height) to measure, obviously no longer applicable.
The match provided us with a great opportunity to work out the strength of our opponents and prepare for the next World Qualifier. Judging from the course of the match, the national soccer team is still stronger than the Malaysian team. Therefore, we should not devalue ourselves. The key lies in how the coach selects and utilizes the players. The recruitment of international players who are no longer willing to play for their country should be decisively abandoned.
