As the 2023 season came to a close, Shandong Taishan shone as runners-up in the league and also won second place in the FA Cup, an achievement that delighted the music department and the fans, and which even outsiders hadn't expected.
The memory is still fresh, at the beginning of the season, Jin Jingdao, Hao Wei, Guo Tianyu, Sun Junhao and other core players encountered a succession of legal turmoil, Taishan team once in a panic. And Taishan assistant coach Fabio's coaching ability is also questioned, the team even once fell to the bottom of the league. Despite the strength of Taishan, it is widely believed that relegation is a good ending for Taishan this season.
However, the arrival of Choi Kang-hee was like a timely rain, he not only stabilized the foundation of the team, but also brought Taishan into the top three of the league. Now, the Taishan team is about to face the critical moment of promotion in the group stage of the AFC Champions League. It can be said that Choi Kang-hee's coaching career in the Taishan team once again proved his strength in the Chinese Super League coaching.
As the Chinese Super League break approaches, teams are taking the opportunity to seek reinforcement, and some Chinese Super League teams have begun to follow Taishan's example and consider hiring Korean coaches. According to reporter Li Pingkang, a veteran Chinese Super League team has basically finalized the hiring of a Korean coach, but he did not disclose which team. In his reply to fans, he hinted that the Korean coach is Cui Longzhu of Jiangsu Suning, not Li Zhangzhu or Zhang Wailong, who are well known to the public, after all, Cui Longzhu is the old face of the Chinese Super League.
So, which Chinese Super League veteran team will Cui Longzhu be in charge of? At the moment, Shanghai Port, which is in desperate need of a managerial change, could be his next stop. Several media reports claimed that Javier was dismissed due to poor performance and has a close relationship with Australian coach Muscat. However, Japanese media revealed that the former Yokohama Marinos coach's next target is Sunderland of the English Premier League.
Therefore, it is possible that Shanghai Port will take a step back and hire Choi Yong-ju to replace Javier. After all, Choi knows Asian soccer like the back of his hand, having led Seoul FC to the K-League title and the AFC Champions League final. Although they ultimately failed to win the title, the loss was justified against Guangzhou Evergrande, who were at their peak at the time. Next season, Shanghai Port will be playing on three fronts, and it would certainly be a wise choice for Choi to become the team's head coach.
Of course, Henan could also be a potential home for Choi Yong-ju. Since Sarko joined Henan, the team has been plagued by controversy over its staffing and mediocre results. We can't rule out that Henan, which has successfully completed its share reform, will consider hiring Cui Longzhu. As for Shanghai Shenhua, Beijing Guoan, Changchun Yatai, and even Tianjin Jinmen Tigers, the possibility of changing coaches is almost zero.
