Last season, Shandong Taishan lost in the Chinese Super League, and despite the introduction of a number of strong players, the start of the new season was bleak, with the team finishing in the bottom three, an embarrassing and staggering result. As the giants of the Chinese Super League, why has Shandong Taishan struggled to replicate Guangzhou's successive championships? If Wuhan Three Town is too solid, then Shandong Taishan's own problems are obviously more complex. If the team's strength has not regressed this season, but once again has no chance of winning the title, then Shandong Taishan will hardly be recognized as one of the top teams in the Chinese Super League. Meanwhile, Shanghai Port's competitiveness should not be underestimated, even though they have only won the Super League title once so far.
Where does the problem lie? Numerous fans pointed the finger at the famous manager Hao Wei. Wu Jingui led Shanghai Shenhua to beat Shandong Taishan easily, which made Hao Wei feel the pressure. As a result, Hao Wei faced a crisis of dismissal after the first round of matches, while Shandong Taishan did not replace the coach in the middle. Hao Wei had taken over Li Xiaopeng in the middle of the game and eventually won the Double Crown. However, now Hao Wei is faced with no scorer like Cressan, the attacking tactics are difficult to perform, and can only rely on passing. A game was up to 40 passes, the success rate of the attack is less than 10%. Is this not a typical British style of play? Who can say no?
Fellaini and Guo Tianyu have been mediocre in their heading and passing tactics, and both have had their fair share of problems. Fellaini's athleticism has declined significantly with age; Guo Tianyu has delayed his growth due to studying abroad and has yet to find his best form. As a result, they are more suited to serve as substitutes rather than occupying starting positions for long periods of time. If Hao Wei can see this clearly, Shandong Taishan's offensive efficiency may be improved. So, is there anyone better than Hao Wei to be the head coach of Taishan? The answer is obvious.
In my opinion, Zheng Zhi is undoubtedly the best candidate. On one hand, he's a Taishan legend and has a lot of affection for the team. On the other hand, Zheng Zhi has never coached a top team in the Chinese Super League, which makes him full of motivation and more energetic than Hao Wei, or at least can inject new energy into the team. In fact, Zheng Zhi has three major advantages. Firstly, he has an advanced tactical philosophy, which is heavily influenced by Lippi and Scolari, and he can make the team play pleasing soccer, with well-organized transmission and control.
Secondly, Zheng Zhi has great personal charisma and outstanding locker room management skills. No one dares to disobey him. Moreover, he has not yet retired and can personally coach the young players on the training ground to do what he says. Thirdly, Zheng Zhi's strong sense of championship and spiritual attributes, and the fact that he builds a team that never gives up, helps Taishan change their spirit. After all, championship underpinnings are crucial. Isn't Zheng Zhi more of a champion coach than Hao Wei? Currently, Zheng Zhi serves as an assistant coach of the national soccer team, but actually has nothing to do. If Hao Wei really dismissed, Zheng Zhi take over Shandong Taishan may be a good choice.
