In the spring of 2017, Changsha Heron Stadium press conference hall is crowded, all eyes are focused on the 69-year-old "silver fox" on the stage. The weather-beaten veteran, facing the camera, still looks graceful, calm and relaxed.
When a reporter asked the deeper meaning of the slogan "no fear under heavy pressure", the white-haired Lippi responded emotionally: "Since the coaching of the national team, I have repeatedly emphasized that the players should abandon all the pressure and fear, you represent the dignity of the 1.4 billion Chinese people, wearing the national team jersey, we must give our all. You have to go all out and put your best foot forward."
At the same time to inspire the spirit of the players, Lippi also did not forget to give them affirmation in the strength: "As long as the true level of play, we do not lose to any opponent in Asia."
China's men's soccer team then showed an amazing burst of power in the 2018 Russia World Cup qualifying round of 12 in the Asian region.
On October 11, 2016, after the national football team lost to Uzbekistan on the road, Gao Hongbo announced his resignation at a conference, "I had an in-depth exchange with the leaders of the Football Association, and they believed that the current problems of our men's football team should be borne by me. I understand this, so after the game, I chose to leave. Thanks to my team for their support and help, and thanks to the Chinese fans for not abandoning our men's soccer team."
After resigning, Gao Hongbo said, "I hope China's men's soccer team will play better and better, and now my body doesn't feel too comfortable, so I'm leaving first."
The loss of the national soccer team, coupled with the resignation of Gao Hongbo, instantly pushed the CFA into the limelight.
On the 13th, the CFA held a briefing, the president of the Football Association Cai Zhenhua personally participated, he introduced the relevant process in detail. This kind of open and honest communication was very rare in Chinese soccer back then.
"Before every big match, the FA knows about the preparation, gives advice and the final decision is the head coach. It's been going on since Perrin's time. Of course, the FA is more of a service and advice, and the final decision is definitely still the head coach. Since we used Gao Hongbo, we should fully support him and not have any intervention like before. The coach must also be held accountable for any mistakes in decision-making. The theme of the day was how to fight back when times are tough and how to get the players to play at the level they are at in the Chinese Super League, because the players were under too much pressure and didn't really play to their ability in the Top 12 games. And after the change of formation after the emergence of a number of newcomers, the first three players are under pressure, too nervous. Gao Hongbo said in the locker room to start, because to have an exchange in advance on the starting players, I also put forward my suggestions on how to play the game."
"The conference he put forward his resignation, I was only after arriving at the hotel to know. After the resignation of Gao Hongbo, I and Yu Hongchen first time to find Gao Hongbo to understand the situation, in the case of who is not prepared to care about Gao Hongbo, the national football team skipper Mental pressure is very big. I let Gao Hongbo look away, do not have so much pressure. I asked him again, how will suddenly resign, Gao Hongbo said the first 5 games to get 7-8 points, before the 12 strong match said must play into the World Cup , so from the head coach this piece, he must take responsibility, so the resignation ...... was put forward."
"I can personally and responsibly tell the media that I have never said the word 'resign' before! I wouldn't make such a cheap blunder: it's like a child who has a test the next day, how can I tell him the first night what I'm going to do if he doesn't do well!"
Later, GAO Hongbo did not say anything else, and everything was subject to what Chairman Cai said. Later, Cai Zhenhua left the Football Association (FA), and Gao Hongbo became a vice-chairman of the FA, and now he has also left, and this is all an afterthought.
The day of the briefing, the Chinese Football Association vice chairman is also the head of the front team of the National Football League Yu Hongchen introduced the National Football League from the Sino-Syrian to the Sino-Ukrainian war preparations, as well as Cai Zhenhua before the game to listen to the coaching team to inform the preparations for the war and put forward the team's four requirements of the details of the supervision of the war, at the same time, he also informed the National Football League selection of a new manager of the situation:
"According to the next training needs of the national football team, the new head coach of the ideal selected time is October 20, the selection process will be as serious as ever norms, the work of the new head coach will first take the task of participating in the 12 strong tournament as a cycle, has not yet circled the scope of the specific candidates."
On October 22, the Chinese Football Association announced that Lippi took office.
Earlier on the 22nd, Guangzhou Evergrande Club made an official announcement, announcing the termination of the employment contract signed with Lippi, in advance of the "wind":
"After friendly consultation with Mr. Marcello Lippi, we hereby formally terminate the appointment contract of the head coach of Guangzhou Evergrande Football Club signed by both parties on 3 August 2016."
Evergrande has successfully offered "Ri" for the national football team, and has also borne most of Ripi's salary. It is said that Ripi's annual salary at that time was 20 million euros, and Evergrande has borne 15.5 million euros, which is the cost of Evergrande Soccer School for hiring Ripi as a consultant.
This operation is very Chinese soccer.
At that time, Chinese soccer had a lot of money, and it was also good to earn, but the job of the head of the national football team was not good.
Lippi took over the national football team, the name is right but the words, in November 2016 his Chinese men's football coaching debut, the 12 strong match against Qatar, to the opponents tossed enough to choke, and put the home field to the plateau, but in the end or kicked a 0-0.
Controversy, skepticism, and all.
The result of that game is not satisfactory, but the process is sound, the national football field crushed, "hanging" Qatar, 21 shots, Wu Xi and Zheng Zhi hit the goal frame.
Apart from the result, Lippi was quite satisfied: "We played our best game and we actually deserved the win. I also told the players in the locker room that they were satisfied and they should be satisfied with themselves, we just lacked a little bit of luck."
He also said:
"Through this game, I want to tell everyone that the Chinese team is not inferior to other teams. As long as we still have theoretical hope, we have to work a hundred times harder and we will never give up."
After 5 rounds of the 12 rounds, the national football team 2 draws, 3 losses, points only 2 points, ranked at the bottom of the group, there is really only a theoretical hope.
Time rushes on and winter turns to spring.
In March 2017, the national football team ushered in the sixth battle of the 12-strong tournament, home against the strong enemy of South Korea, after five battles, South Korea 3 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss, accumulating 10 points, ranked No. 2 in the group, placed in front of the national football team, there is only one way: either win, or go home.
Gao Hongbo with the national football team, 12 strong match away to South Korea had let the fans bright, 0-3 behind, even after 2 goals, and even have the opportunity to tie.
The last time the national football team beat South Korea, also Gao Hongbo led the team, 2010 East Asian quarterfinals, the national football team 3-0 victory, get the history of China and South Korea to meet the second victory.
"Fear of South Korea" is a topic that Chinese soccer has been unable to get around. Before the Changsha match, the Chinese team had a record of 2 wins, 13 draws and 19 losses in 34 A-level meetings between China and South Korea.
Also in 2017, China-South Korea relations were once very tense because of the "Saad" issue.
The Chinese Football Association (CFA) put the battle of life and death in Changsha, one of the "blessed places" of Chinese soccer, where the national football team has played 8 matches since 2005, with 4 wins and 4 draws.
Tickets for the match were sold out early, and in order to protect the national football team, the local government spent 70 million yuan on upgrading the stadium's hardware and software facilities, and the Changsha municipal government prepared more than 10,000 police officers to maintain order.
Everything is ready.
Lippi's request was simple: "We only care about the result of the game, we must take three points if we keep our dream of reaching the World Cup, I believe all the players know this and they will give their best."
On the day of the 23rd match, Herong Stadium was flooded with more than 40,000 fans wearing red T-shirts with "Battle in Changsha", and the home stadium was red.
Son, 25, was a spectator due to suspension.
Lippi lined up a very aggressive 433, goalkeeper Zeng Cheng, defenders Jiang Zhipeng, Feng Xiaoting, Meifang, Zhang Linpeng, midfielders Artemisia Junmin, Zheng Zhi, Zhang Xunzhe, attacking line Wang Yongper, Yu Dabao, Wu Lei.
After the opening, the two sides scrambled fiercely, each other offensive and defensive, Wu Lei manufacturing Ji Dongyuan yellow card, Yu Dabao oblique shot was blocked, the 34th minute, Zhang Linpeng forward and Zhang Xizhe cooperation with the smooth breakthrough, the penalty area before the long-distance shot hit the South Korean players bounced out of the bottom line, the national football corner kick.
In the 35th minute, Wang Yongper issued a corner kick, Artemis ran to cover, Yu Dabao grabbed a header to dump, the South Korean goalkeeper caught off guard, 1-0, the national football team to take the lead, which breaks the drought of 408 minutes of goals in the 12-team tournament.
If you want the national football team to be good, you have to use "Dabao", then also played forward Yu Dabao, with goals for his own name, he is still the national football team "blessing".
The fans were completely triggered and celebrated with crazy shouts, but it was Lippi in front of the bench who was so calm that he signaled assistant coach Maddaloni to calm down and told him to hurry back.
After the loss of the ball, the South Korean team will be the formation forward pressure, continuous impact on the defense line of the National Football League, the National Football League defense is under great pressure, but good, hold on.
After halftime, Lippi quickly adjusted, removed Wu Lei, replaced by Wu Xi, changed the attack and defense more balanced 442. second half, the national football team did not stick to the defense, still through the effective attack threat to the South Korean team.
In the 81st minute, South Korea formed a very threatening header from consecutive corner kicks, and Wu Xi, who was guarding near the goal post, blocked the ball with his chest.
In the 89th minute, replacing Wang Yongper, Yin Hongbo fell to the ground while protecting the ball, Huang Xican roughly swung his leg and kicked the ball pressed on the side of Yin's leg, Feng Xiaoting went up to reprimand Huang Xican and formed a confrontation, the two sides of the players gathered together to make the scene very chaotic, the side of the field of the Ripley's Huang Xican's action is very angry.
In injury time, Zhang Yuning, who replaced Yu Dabao, had a chance to get a one-two but unfortunately failed to stop the ball.
Accompanied by CCTV commentator Xu Yang that "left the Korean team time is not much", the referee in 94 minutes blew the whistle at the end of the game, Ribbons National Football League to take the first victory in the 12 strong tournament, retaining the hope of the line.
Helong Stadium a jubilation, captain Zheng Zhi tears, Feng Xiaoting can not hide the excitement, cried, spelled the whole game Artemisia said:
"Actually, our group of players have never been afraid of the Korean team."
Yu Dabao, on the other hand, thanked Lippi: "Thank you to the manager for giving me the opportunity, I haven't played a starter in the national team for a long time."
Ripley sealed the deal in one battle.
The Xinhua News Agency's review of the Silver Fox was succinct: "The ability to make complex things simple, call it a master."
Later, the Korean media called the match the "Changsha Disaster", which still haunts us to this day, saying that it is the black history of Korean soccer.
The Chinese media spoofed Sun, and the televised broadcast of the game found him in the stands watching the game with a hat on, leading to this playful headline:
"Son's 'hat' hard to save as South Korea lose away to China!"
A few months after that game, a ceremony was held at the Changsha Helong Sports Center, where a stone monument inscribed with the words "Chinese Football Foochland" was unveiled.
The stone monument is 9.9 meters long and 3.23 meters high, representing the day of March 23, 2017; the monument is 0.56 meters thick, signifying the spirit of unity, friendship and struggle of the Chinese nation; and the bottom of the monument is engraved with the score of China 1:0 South Korea.
Then later, South Korea entered the World Cup in Russia, the national football team completely unattached, Lippi brought surprises, the continuation of hope, but ultimately failed to create a miracle.
Two years later, on March 23, 2019, Yu Dabao came to Changsha again and clocked in at the stone monument, he wrote:
"It's March again, but today the weather in Changsha is extraordinarily beautiful..."
