The Chinese Super League has entered the closing stage with only three matches remaining. Harbor team can beat Beijing Guoan in the next round to lock up the title ahead of schedule. Shandong Taishan has basically locked up an AFC Champions League seat. Shanghai Shenhua, Zhejiang and Beijing Guoan are fighting for the last AFC Champions League spot. In the relegation battle, Shenzhen seems to have taken the lead in locking up a relegation spot. Newly promoted teams Qingdao Hainiu, Dalian Ren, and Nantong Zhiyun are fighting for relegation. Qingdao Sea Cowboys need only one win to complete the relegation task ahead of schedule.
As a result, it seems likely that the remaining relegation spot will be created between Dalian Ren and Nantong Zhiyun. Nantong Zhiyun is still in the lead for relegation despite Dalian Ren's goal difference. Xie Hui successfully led Dalian Ren to relegation last season, and this season, despite the team's declining strength, Xie Hui is still expected to lead the team to complete the task of relegation, which is already a satisfactory result.
In my opinion, regardless of whether Dalian Ren can finish relegation or not, head coach Xie Hui may part ways with the team. Wanda Group has stopped injecting money into Dalian Ren, and the lack of money makes it difficult for the team to keep their core players. Players similar to Xie Hui, such as Lin Liangming, Wang Zhenao, Huang Jiahui, He Yupeng and other international players, are also favored by other Chinese Super League teams. In order to ease the financial pressure, Dalian People may consider selling these key players if they receive the right transfer fee to ensure the team's normal operation.
Even if Xie Hui has three heads and six arms, it's hard for him to compete with the traditional giants who have a lot of money. Therefore, leaving Dalian to seek new opportunities has become the best choice for Xie Hui. At the moment, it seems that if Xie Hui leaves Dalian, he is likely to return to Shanghai and join Shanghai Shenhua or Shanghai Harbor, which may be his ideal home. Dalian are also actively looking for a replacement for Xie Hui.
Browsing through the media today, I found a report saying that if Xie Hui is no longer the coach of Dalian People, the team may hire former national soccer midfielder Zhao Xu Ri to take over. Zhao Xuri, nicknamed "Zhao Yifu", was famous for his amazing long-distance shooting in the World Youth Championship. It is worth mentioning that Zhao Xuri was born in Dalian Shide youth training camp. In the era of gold-dollar soccer, he joined Chinese Super League A teams such as Guangzhou Evergrande, Tianjin Quanjian and Dalian Ren. As an experienced veteran, Zhao Xuri won the Chinese Super League title with Evergrande four times.
Zhao Xuri will be 38 years old in two months. Currently playing in Pingguo, Guangxi, he may retire at the end of the season and end his career. As an excellent midfielder, Zhao Xuri is expected to become the team's head coach. In his playing days, he has accumulated rich experience in many teams in the Chinese Super League, and often discusses tactics with teammates and coaches on the bench. After his retirement, Zhao Xuri may return to Dalian to continue his soccer career as a coach.
Although Zhao Xuri has no substantial coaching experience at the moment, inviting the famous Dalian player to return to the team and replace Xie Hui as the new coach is the smartest choice at the moment.
