On March 13, the Chinese men's soccer team was in full swing at the soccer stadium in Shenzhen to prepare for the training. Star Wu Lei talked about the new coach Ivankovic in an interview, saying that he is strict with people but full of humor in life.
"Ishmael's control of the details of training is simply extreme, especially the tactical drills on the field. The offensive and defensive transitions we practiced yesterday were particularly demanding. However, he is quite a fun guy to be around on a daily basis."
Wu Lei revealed that the national team has held meetings at noon for the past two days to explain techniques and tactics in detail. Coach Ivan focused on improving the offense and rebuilding players' confidence. "He has been emphasizing these two points every day, and we are gradually familiarizing ourselves with his attacking mindset, from basic technical and tactical to practical drills. After all, we also conducted an opponent analysis during the game against Oman, so we are not unfamiliar with his offensive philosophy."
Wu Lei emphasized that adjusting the mindset is the key. "Don't worry about the body, the league has started and my body has been in the best condition. The important thing is to adjust the psychology, because the attention of this game is totally different from the club matches."
Facing the loss in the Asian Cup, Wu Lei said, "The only thing we can do is to train hard, do well and then participate in the competition. A winning result will give us confidence."
Talking about the upcoming face of the Singapore team, Wu Lei believes that the strength of the opponent should not be underestimated. "They are an opponent we must pay attention to. Although we have not officially played for a long time, but we know something about them, especially their naturalized players. A number of Asian teams had naturalization programs last year and we will pay close attention. However, on a practical and psychological level, we still need to be on our toes."
