In the match against Japan, Ivan's confidence seemed to blind him as he frequently resorted to dim-witted moves and overestimated his players' strengths, only to be overwhelmed by his opponents and left struggling on the field.
After the match, the media revealed the discontent within the national football team, with some openly spouting off in groups about Ivan's outdated tactics, believing him to be nothing more than a charlatan in the jungle.
With generals at odds and a poor war record, Ivan's removal from office seemed a foregone conclusion. And the main reason why no decisive action has yet been taken is that time is running out.
In the near future, the national soccer team will face Saudi Arabia on their home turf, however, plans for a coaching change were forced to be shelved due to Japan's first loss. Change of coach? Unless a suitable replacement can be found in a short period of time, which is an almost impossible task.
Nonetheless, the coaching change process may have started quietly and Ivan's departure seems to be just a matter of time, perhaps to be revealed within a week. Unless they can beat Saudi Arabia or draw with them at home, a miracle is highly unlikely, and they may even suffer another crushing defeat at the hands of Japan.
As Ivan's departure approaches, the choice of successor is in the spotlight. So who will be the new manager of the national soccer team? Answer: perhaps it will be Gao Hongbo.
There are two main reasons why Gao Hongbo is the most suitable candidate:
First of all, as a domestic coach, he has a deep understanding of the domestic players and can quickly pick the strongest starting lineup. In contrast, if a foreign coach is hired, I'm afraid it will be difficult to integrate quickly due to time constraints and the opponent's unfamiliarity with the environment.
Secondly, the national football team is most in need of Gao Hongbo's pure love for soccer. As we all know, the recent soccer counterfeiting storm almost destroyed the senior management of the Football Association, and Gao Hongbo as the former deputy leader of the Football Association, in the senior management of the successive fall after still sticking to their posts, which reflects his "loyalty" to the Chinese soccer.
However, the challenge in front of the FA is how to persuade the former coach to "forget about the past" and come back. After all, Gao Hongbo was also deeply misunderstood and hurt.
