In the eyes of the fans, the predicament of Chinese soccer seems to be inextricably linked with the former national soccer team coach Lippi. Many people believe that the high price of Lippi's hiring by the CFA has not only aggravated the misconception that Chinese soccer is "money-spinning", but has also made it seem that foreign coaches have become the CFA's priority in choosing a new coach, and with that comes a higher offer.
It is rumored that during Lippi's time coaching the national team, his annual salary was once as high as 20 million euros, ranking among the top coaches in the world. But in fact, most of his salary was borne by Guangzhou Evergrande FC, with only a small portion borne by the CFA. This is unbelievable to other foreign coaches, as there has never been a precedent of a club paying for a national team coach in their decades of coaching. In this case, I am afraid it will be difficult to gain their trust if the FA claims financial constraints.
For now, the birth of a new coach for the national soccer team seems to be a long way off. In the short term, Li Xiaopeng will still temporarily act as coach, responsible for the team's training and preparation. Once the new foreign coach is in place, he will officially step down and retire. This failed national team coaching experience will also be brought to a close.
