A 0-7 defeat has made Japan a target, while Ivanovic has been bombarded by the media, with some even mocking him for coaching the Chinese team as if he were a contractor soliciting a job, taking on any challenge as long as there is gold. The old coach, even if his tactical philosophy is out of step with the current needs of the national soccer team, can be seen in the first two performances.
However, regardless of the situation, having a ticket means having hope. When the FA's patience runs out, Ivankovic is still expected to walk away from the tournament with his money, or at least not empty-handed. For Chinese soccer, this is a profound blow, and we may miss out on the World Cup because we may be saying goodbye before the tournament ends in October.
I'm afraid that the next selection by the CFA will need to have the various assessment criteria laid out clearly. For example, three points must be won in the first two rounds of the 18-team tournament, and no heavy losses like this one must be suffered during the tournament. In this way, the strategy behind Ivankovic remaining in the coach's chair despite two consecutive losses seems to be working.
