Concerned about injuries: looking forward to a speedy recovery for veterans
It was revealed that Jankovic had planned to call up three veterans - Wu Xi, Zhang Yuning and Zhang Linpeng - for the upcoming East Asian Cup, however, unfortunately, the three players suffered injuries in the league and were unable to make the roster.
It's a shame that the injuries happened in the final stretch of the league, but that's part of soccer, injuries are inevitable," said Jankovic. I sincerely hope they can compete, the data during the training in Haikou shows that the quality of training has improved by 30% after these three veterans joined the training. Although they are unable to compete this time, once the roster is finalized, I will focus on the current players and concentrate on the training and the game itself."
Yankovic, who currently has two players over the age of 23 in his squad in Jiang Guangtai and Tan Long, emphasized, "I chose the veterans not only for their match experience, but also in the hope that they can impart the right values to the younger players and become their role models."
Preparing for the rivalry: Doing well for yourself first
The tournament will see Japan and South Korea each fielding an adult national team of mainly local league players to select players for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.
Facing these two Asian powerhouses, Jankovic emphasized that his team should first do well for themselves. "To be honest, I don't care too much about how motivated the opponents are, my players need to understand what they are defending. Our opponents are experienced and I respect that. But I strongly believe that no team can be more motivated than us." Jankovic said.
He further said, "No matter who the opponent is, 95% of our preparation is about us and only 5% is about the opponent. I have a lot of respect for what Japan and Korea have achieved, but that's it. We have to play our own game and make things difficult for our opponents. If we play too soft and slow, no tactics will help us."
Jankovic also emphasized the importance of maintaining the best attitude first and foremost, which has nothing to do with the opponent. On top of that, then focus on the details of the game, improve the intensity and aggression, and try to win more confrontations. He has been working on building a team that can play full 90-minute or even longer high-intensity matches.
Regarding the last opponent, Hong Kong, China, Jankovic said he will prepare for the match with the same attitude. "We won't change because of our opponents and will play the way we always play to win."
Looking ahead to the East Asian Cup: running to the end of your tether
Speaking of his expectations for the East Asian Cup, Jankovic said, "I hope Chinese fans will witness a Chinese team that works hard, fights to the end and keeps running."
As a coach, he prepares for the game and the players focus on their tasks on the field. Whatever they do on the field, they must give it their all and run with maximum intensity and aggression until they are exhausted. When exhausted, the player is replaced and another continues to run. Regardless of age, the demands are the same, and that is their philosophy of the game.
Yankovic said he will not think too much about the postponement of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, but focus on the first match of the East Asian Cup against South Korea. He emphasized the need to take one step at a time and put out the best attitude to win and not to regret it after the match.
He also revealed that a post-match locker room video would be released as it was during the Dubai Cup. "We have no need to hide. The effort is not just talk, we want our fans to see how we prepare every day - how we play, how we celebrate victories and how we face defeats. These videos will show the qualities of the team - we are deeply honored to represent China."
