At the chronological juncture of January 6, the 2021 Chinese Super League campaign came to an end, with Tianjin Jinmen Tigers showing resilience in the final match and successfully realizing relegation. Such a result is undoubtedly a miracle for a team that was shrouded in uncertainty at the beginning of the season. However, despite the successful relegation this season, the reorganized team still faces many challenges next season.
Domestic soccer media Soccer Daily has conducted a comprehensive review of Jinmen Tigers' 2021 season and provided an in-depth analysis of the prospects for next season. The report pointed out that the biggest challenge facing Jinmen Tigers is the instability of the team's lineup, with most of the main players in the first lineup joining on loan, such as Barton, Kadar, and Li Songyi, who contributed to this season's relegation. However, it is unknown whether they will remain at Zimtiger next season. Reports suggest that Jinmen Tigers will have to rebuild their squad if the loan players are taken back or if there are other plans.
In addition, Jinmen Tigers hastily assembled their team at the beginning of the season, with Yu Genwei serving as both general manager and head coach, a situation that is quite rare in the Chinese Super League. Coupled with the failure to bring in foreign strikers in the transfer window, the Jinmen Tigers may undergo major adjustments at the management and coaching levels in the future.
In order to ensure the continued survival of Jinmen Tigers, share reform has become an urgent task. Last year, Jinmen Tigers were reborn under the guardianship of the Tianjin Municipal Sports Bureau and solved the debt problem by spinning off the company. This season, the team's operating funds mainly come from several state-owned enterprises in Tianjin, but this model is not a long-term solution. The Jinmen Tigers must push for a shareholding reform, set a direction as soon as possible and find a stable investor to better survive next season. (DD)
