Ivankovic's debut turned into an embarrassing humiliation that even he did not expect. In the post-match furore, it was jokingly claimed that the biggest winner in the battle between the intermediary captains of the Chinese and Singaporean teams was not Jankovic, but that was not the case. Choi Kang-hee, the hero behind the Singapore national team, was the real winner. Taishan team's three foreign aid at the core, but Choi Kang-hee's coaching can not be credited.
When the Asian Cup came to an end and a new manager was selected, the original plan was to pick from the Super League foreign coaches, and Choi Kang-hee was the favorite. However, the old Cui is not interested in the national team teaching position, now it seems that this is a wise move. Otherwise, last night's hot search of the former Taishan coach may be Ivankovic.
Shanghai Harbour and Shandong Taishan, the clubs with the most national team players coming from. But last night's battle with Singapore, Harbor's international players performed far worse than Taishan. Wu Lei capitalized on two good chances but missed many. Yan Junling's shot was like an impenetrable wall. Zhang Linpeng, who had two assists for Singapore, even volunteered to quit the national team. On the other hand, the overall performance of the three foreign aiders of the Taishan team is outstanding, and individual players are even more brilliant.
Fernando has become the explosive centerpiece of the national team. In the first half, he was virtually omnipotent on the right side of the attack, tearing through opposing defenses with his skill and speed. However, last year at this time, Fernando's performance was comparable to that of Iverson. Choi Kang-hee skillfully adjusted Moto to his best form, only to build up momentum for the national team. In the first match, Li Yuanyi had a strong performance in the midfield and up front, assisting the defense as well as creating threats. His departure leaves a slight void in the national team's midfield.
The battle with Singapore exposed a grim reality: even against a fourth-rate Asian team, the national team's footwork did not dominate. Ivankovic should perhaps draw inspiration from the tactics of the Taishan team in the Asian Championship. The technical disadvantage is obvious, why not introduce more physical players, at least in Southeast Asia against the local advantage. It would be wise for the national team for the former Taishan coach to take lessons from the current coach.
