In the twilight of September 25th, Chinese Super League newcomer Nantong Zhiyun Football Club suddenly threw out a paper announcing that the team's mastermind, Gabriel Garcia, had handed in his resignation 80 minutes before the end of the match. The club expressed its understanding and wished Garcia all the best for his future success in his career.
To recap, former Barcelona star Gabriel has sadly departed, and Nantong Zhiyun's next four battles for relegation survival will be taken over by a new coach.
After 26 rounds of the Chinese Super League, Nantong Zhiyun is at the bottom of the table with a record of 3 wins, 10 draws and 13 losses, accumulating only 19 points. Although Dalian Ren also has 19 points, it has a slight advantage in terms of head-to-head record, leading with a record of 1 win and 1 draw. Therefore, in the case of a tie, Nantong Zhiyun will be behind Dalian Ren in the ranking.
Nantong Zhiyun's recent relegation situation is grim, with three consecutive league defeats and four consecutive FA Cup losses.
Nantong Zhiyun's next four opponents are Shanghai Port, Shanghai Shenhua, Meizhou Hakka and Tianjin Jinmen Tiger. Although Meizhou Hakka's strength is relatively weak and the game is an away game, Nantong Zhiyun has a poor record on the road, with 1 win, 6 draws and 7 losses, while Meizhou Hakka's home performance is excellent, with 7 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses. Overall, Nantong Zhiyun is difficult to win, and it is not easy to score.
Faced with heavy pressure, Nantong Zhiyun decisively chose to change the manager, which seems to hint at the club's financial difficulties. Gabriel's performance seems to have failed to meet the team's needs. In the face of difficulties, it may be wiser to take the initiative to change than to sit on the sidelines.
The immediate trigger for Gabriel's dismissal was Nantong Zhiyun's 1-3 defeat against Qingdao Hainiu on the road in the 26th round of the crucial relegation battle. The loss almost sealed the fate of Nantong Zhiyun and dealt a huge blow to the team.
Nantong Zhiyun's fans are confused about this, and some of them even call for the team to return to the Central League to find life again. However, some people believe that Nantong Zhiyun's strength in the Central League can only be regarded as a mid-level team.
For now, Gabriel has proven to be no longer suitable for the team. What kind of ability does the new coach need to have in order to fight for valuable points from strong teams such as Harbor, Shenhua, Meizhou and Tianjin in the upcoming matches?
