Taishan's journey to the AFC Champions League was unexpectedly hindered by a 0:1 defeat in the group stage, dropping them from tied at the top of the table to third, and seemingly with little hope of making it out of the group. Yokohama Mariners' strength and Incheon United's slump made Shandong Taishan's prospect not optimistic. This loss seems to be a mirror that shows the real strength of Shandong Taishan. The eclipsing of the Chinese Super League (CSL) champions in the AFC Champions League (AFC Champions League) has exposed the overall level of the CSL to be upgraded. The team under Cui Kangxi's rule has made progress this season, but there has been no qualitative leap, lacking the experience of playing with high-level teams.
Shandong Taishan is full of confidence in the face of the upcoming challenge. Compared to their demoralized opponents, Taishan is on a winning streak. However, the loss was a blow to their confidence, once again highlighting the fierce competition in the Chinese Super League. Recently, Taishan has shown strong competitiveness with 4 wins and 1 draw in 5 matches.
Shandong Taishan are desperate to prove themselves in the AFC Champions League. The lack of high level matches makes it difficult for them to recognize their own strength. If they want to make a difference in the AFC Champions League, Taishan must face up to their own problems. Although the foreigners are strong, there is still a gap between them and the domestic players, which is the biggest shortcoming between them and Yokohama Mariners.
Choi Kang-hee's team did not show substantial improvement in this tournament. Next season, Choi Kang-hee will face more challenges. How to deal with foreign aid changes, select young players, and keep the team stable is a problem that Choi Kang-hee must think about. Although the strength of the Chinese Super League is strong, but how to improve the overall strength of the team is the problem that Choi Kang-hee needs to overcome.
With the limited number of matches in the AFC Champions League and the low level of the Chinese Super League, it has become a big challenge for Cui Kangxi to see how Shandong Taishan can improve their strength in the competition. I hope that the Chinese Super League can follow the example of the early Serie A and now the English Premier League to improve the overall competitiveness, and introduce more excellent coaches like Cui Kangxi, to jointly promote the development of the league and the team.
