In the 2023 season, Chinese Super League (CSL) supremo Wuhan Sanzhen experienced an up and down season with fluctuating results. The team seemed overly reliant on Malcolm, the Golden Boot scorer from the previous season. With Malcolm's departure, the team's tactical system is facing a collapse, and coach Pedro Morilla is struggling to create a new tactical framework to maintain the championship's intimidating power. The new addition of Aziz, despite his excellent scoring ability, has not been able to help the team get back on the winning track.
In the first 12 rounds of the Chinese Super League, Wuhan Three Town only achieved 3 wins, 7 draws and 2 losses, dropping significantly in the rankings. After the 12th round, Pedro Morilla stepped down. He encountered coaching difficulties in Wuhan Sanzhen and had to choose to leave. Japanese coach Gao Fei took over, focusing more on overall lineup adjustments, and led Wuhan Sanzhen to rebound in the Chinese Super League and FA Cup, defeating Jiangxi Lushan 5-1 in the FA Cup to advance to the Chinese Super League with 6 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss, and jumping to seventh place in the standings, close to the season's goal.
From the 5-1 win over Jiangxi Lushan in the FA Cup to the 2-1 win over Meizhou Hakka in the 18th round of the Chinese Super League, Gao Fei barely managed to lead his team to 4 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss in 7 matches. He has ensured the competitiveness of the CSL and FA Cup with the existing lineup system, but the team still needs to face the tougher challenge of the AFC Champions League. In an effort to push for AFC Champions League success, the team has brought in significant reinforcements this summer, signing two coaches and two foreigners, as well as a young international player. 25-year-old Duan Liuyu, who has been selected for the national team on several occasions, joined Wuhan Sanzhen on loan and made his debut in a match with an outstanding performance, while foreigners Park Chi-Ju and Malcolm have also integrated into the team quickly. Malcolm took a group photo on social media, saying bluntly, "We're back."
Duan Liuyu and Malcolm joined the club on loan, while Park Zhizhu joined Wuhan Sanzhen on a permanent transfer for a fee of 700,000 euros. After a series of operations, Wuhan Sanzhen has strengthened its front and back three lines, perfectly coping with the AFC Champions League's "5+1" foreign aid rule, but the choice of personnel has become crucial. According to the status and position, Davidson and Wallace may be replaced by Malcolm and Park Ji Joo. Sports Weekly analyzes that all seven foreign aiders may be retained, but the selection strategy for each game needs to be adjusted flexibly. The Chinese Super League registered six foreign aid, each game "4 +1"; AFC Champions League registration is not limited, the appearance of "5 +1".
The media also revealed the strengthening of the coaching staff at Wuhan Three Town, confirming the signing of William Costa and goalkeeping coach Adauto. Goofy has assembled a new team of assistant coaches, bringing in a fitness coach and goalkeeping coach. William Costa is a well-known physical fitness coach in the Barclays Premier League, who has helped Flamengo win the Copa Libertadores and Copa do Brasil; Adauto has been working in the J-League for more than 10 years, and has cultivated many outstanding players. Wuhan Sanzhen is fully strengthened and is expected to play steadily in all competitions and get back the feeling of winning the title last season.
