As the 2023 season came to an end, Shandong Taishan shone in the soccer world with the second best record in the league, not only the music department and the fans were satisfied, even the outside world was surprised. Looking back at the beginning of the season, core players such as Jin Jingdao, Hao Wei, Guo Tianyu, and Sun Junhao suffered one after another, and the Taishan team was once in panic. Coupled with assistant coach Fabio's limited ability to lead the team, Taishan once fell to the bottom two in the league. Despite the team's strength, it was widely recognized that relegation was a blessing.
But the addition of Choi Kang-hee has been a breath of fresh air, not only stabilizing the team's foundation, but also pushing Taishan into the top three of the league. With the AFC Champions League group stage on the horizon, Choi Kang-hee's success with Taishan has proved his coaching prowess in the Chinese Super League.
As the Chinese Super League (CSL) enters its break and teams strengthen, some teams are beginning to follow Taishan's example and seek to hire Korean coaches. According to reporter Li Pingkang, a veteran Chinese Super League team has basically finalized a Korean coach, but did not specify which one. Responding to fans, Li Pingkang hinted that the Korean coach is Cui Longzhu of Jiangsu Suning, not Li Zhangzhu or Zhang Wailong.
Choi Yong-ju's future destination is a mystery, with some speculating that he could coach Shanghai Port. Javier was sacked due to poor results and Choi's familiarity with Asian soccer and his illustrious career at Seoul FC seem to make him the best candidate. However, there are also reports suggesting that Choi's next step could be Sunderland in the Premier League.
Shanghai Port would certainly be wise to hire Cui Longzhu. Henan has also emerged as a potential destination for Cui Longzhu, and given Sarko's controversial hiring and mediocre results, hiring Cui might bring about a turnaround. As for Shanghai Shenhua, Beijing Guoan, Changchun Yatai, and even Tianjin Jinmen Tigers, a coaching change seems unlikely.
