In the shadow of the national football team's defeat in the Asian Cup, the news of Jankovic's resignation has become an irreversible fact. The national team urgently needs to confirm a new head coach by the end of February in preparation for the World Cup Championship against Singapore in March. However, this short but tight window of time presents a great challenge for finding a manager who is familiar with Asian football, understands Chinese football and has coaching experience in China.
In China, the three popular candidates for the Chinese Super League coach, including Xu Zhengyuan, Cui Kangxi, Jodi, etc., are basically impossible options because of contract issues. Domestic coaches such as Yu Genwei, Wu Jingui, Fu Bo, Gao Hongbo and others, some are incompetent, some are heartbroken by Chinese football, and it is also a problem to leave their hometown. Therefore, the eyes had to turn abroad. However, former Iranian coach Queiroz, despite his familiarity with Asian football, has become an almost impossible option due to his lack of coaching experience in China and his high salary.
Among foreign coaches, former Luneng Taishan head coach Croatian Ivankovic has become the most suitable candidate at present. He has just been sacked after his Oman side failed to qualify for the group stage of the Asian Cup. Despite Oman's bad luck in the game, Ivankovic's wealth of coaching experience and deep knowledge of Asian football have put him in the spotlight.
Ivankovic, who coached in China, was introduced by former Luneng Taishan chairman Li Qing and led Taishan to the 2010 Chinese Super League title, 13 points ahead of runners-up Tianjin TEDA. He set the record for the most wins, the most goals, the most goal difference and the unbeaten home game that season, and was finally awarded the "2010 Best Coach of the Chinese Super League". The players' trust in him was evident, and they congratulated him on social media at the time, showing his high status in the hearts of the players.
In the warm-up match before the Asian Cup, Ivankovic led the Oman team to even defeat the Chinese team, showing his ability to mobilize and coach the team in a short period of time. He also led Oman to the last 12 in the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup in Qatar, where they defeated a strong Japan side 1-0. These achievements fully demonstrate Ivankovic's deep understanding and coaching ability of Asian football.
Looking back at Ivankovic's coaching experience, most of it has been focused on Asia. He led Iran to a third-place finish in the Asian Cup and a World Cup qualifier in the final. These achievements have given him a deep understanding of the characteristics of Asian football and the character of the players. His coaching career has also shown that he has a unique understanding of Chinese football, which is exactly what the national football team desperately needs.
Many footballers agree that Ivankovic is the most suitable candidate. In football, well-informed and savvy journalists are often the first to catch news about a new manager. Therefore, perhaps it will not be long before the Football Association announces Ivankovic as the new coach of the national football team. This is also in line with the principle of "no wind and no waves", and if many professionals are unanimously optimistic, the decision of the Football Association will be more convincing.
Overall, the national football team's defeat in the Asian Cup triggered a storm of head coach changes. Finding a suitable new head coach in a short period of time became a priority. Ivankovic, on the other hand, is the ideal candidate for his coaching experience in Asia, his deep understanding of Chinese football and his success in China. I hope he can lead the national football team out of the trough and add new glory to Chinese football.
However, the choice of a new head coach is far from just a matter of national football performance, but also a profound reflection on the Chinese football system. The current situation and problems of domestic football cannot be ignored, and the appointment of Ivankovic is only the first step in solving the problem. Chinese football needs more reform and investment, and cultivate more excellent coaches and players to achieve long-term sustainable development.
Chinese football has always been striving for a higher level, but more efforts need to be made to make a difference on the international football stage. The appointment of Ivankovic as the new coach of the national football team is only the tip of the iceberg, and the real challenge lies in how to fundamentally improve the overall strength of Chinese football. From the popularization of grassroots football, to the development of professional football clubs, to the training system of national teams, systematic and long-term planning and reform are needed.
The appointment of Ivankovic is not only a change of coach, but also a node on the road of future development of Chinese football. Behind this decision, there is the expectation of China's football reform, and it is a major choice related to the country's sports honor. It is hoped that Ivankovic can lead the national football team to victory, and at the same time, Chinese football can also be developed more comprehensively.