Taishan team is now suffering from the severe challenge of a double-front war, which is very different from the past days. The back-to-back defeats in the Chinese Super League have put the Taishan team under immense pressure. If Bangkok United, a strong team in the Thai Premier League, suffers another setback in the AFC Champions League qualifying rounds, it is feared that the Taishan club will not be able to escape the blame of the fans.
Faced with this predicament, Coach Choi Kang-hee has no way out. Taishan must beat Bangkok United at home and win a decisive victory. Only then can Choi Kang-hee free himself from the crisis of confidence. Otherwise, even if the old Choi is not dismissed, the club is afraid that it will not be able to explain to the fans.
Once Choi Kang-hee is dismissed, his Korean coaching team will also leave. The Taishan club needs to find a replacement in advance. According to the domestic sports media, Taishan may bring back team legend Han Peng to lead the team through the rest of the season. At the end of the season, a foreign coach will be hired to take charge of Shandong Taishan.
41-year-old Han Peng, Jinan New Century Soccer School, joined the Taishan team in 1999, under the tutelage of Zhang Haitao. 2002, Han Peng was formally promoted to the first team of Taishan, and quickly made his mark in the professional league. In the Taishan team played 14 years, Han Peng scored 71 goals and contributed 13 assists for the team, becoming the most powerful local center forward in that session of the Chinese Super League.
After his retirement, Han Peng transitioned to coaching and was in charge of the Taishan ladder team. Currently, he is the head coach of Taishan B team, leading the team to play in China B League. Han Peng is undoubtedly the best choice of fire-fighting coach for Taishan. As a decorated member of the team, Han Peng can effectively manage the locker room and rekindle the team's fighting spirit. However, whether or not Han Peng is willing to accept the call of Taishan will depend on whether or not Choi Kang-hee can be successfully dismissed next week....
