Who would have guessed that that once seemingly unattainable dream would become a possibility after South Korea was eliminated by Jordan in the Asian Cup quarterfinals. The Korean Football Association (KFA) quickly terminated Klinsmann's contract, a move that greatly improves Klinsmann's chances of taking the helm of the Chinese men's soccer team.
Although Klinsmann's age of 60 is a full 10 years less than Ivankovic's 70, his experience and achievements in coaching the German national team as well as Bundesliga teams such as Bayern and Hertha Berlin are undoubtedly superior. Klinsmann's deep understanding of modern soccer and tactical use has reached the world's top level. What's more crucial is that his annual salary is only 2.1 million euros, which to a certain extent is in line with the CFA's budget.
Despite Ivankovic's modest salary demands, Klinsmann is clearly superior in terms of value for money, impact on the team, and change in technical style. Klinsmann's departure also gives the FA greater autonomy in coach selection and negotiations. Even if the FA does not ultimately choose Klinsmann, he can still be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Ivankovic.
Obviously, the choice of the FA coach is not only about the future of the team, but also maps out the direction and determination of the development of Chinese soccer. Whether it is Ivankovic or Klinsmann, they are both world-class coaches with rich experience and unique tactical concepts. No matter who will be in charge of the national team, they will be more reliable than Jankovic.
For the FA, they should make decisions based on the actual needs of the national team and long-term planning for development, rather than just focusing on short-term results. At the same time, the selection of national team coaches is only a part of improving the strength of the team, and it is more important to establish a scientific training system, perfect talent training mechanism and strengthen the exchange and cooperation with international soccer. Only in this way can the Chinese men's football team show a better state in the international arena and realize a substantial breakthrough in performance.
