In the recently concluded Asian Cup, the performance of the Chinese men's football team can be said to break the hearts of all those who love football. Not only did we finish our worst result in 48 years, but we even finished 18th out of 24 teams and didn't even make it to the round of 16. Come to think of it, such a result is unacceptable in any football-loving country. This is especially frustrating when you see that on the pitch the older players are still in the main position, and the new blood has not had the opportunity to show what they are capable of.
Ma Dexing's latest revelations let us see the other side of the national football team's selection and employment. It turned out that head coach Jankovic had intended to use new players, hoping to train young players through a major tournament such as the Asian Cup. However, this idea was rejected by the relevant authorities. They prefer to use experienced veterans in the hope of securing their results in the Asian Cup. But the end result is not only a dismal result, but also a loss of valuable training opportunities for young players.
We can't fail to mention that the Asian Cup was supposed to be a great opportunity to develop young players and gain experience in the game. In the case of our last World Cup opponents, Vietnam, despite losing all three of their matches, they stuck with young players and even took the lead against Japan at one point. This spirit of courage to use newcomers and dare to train young players in the tournament is what our national football team lacks.
Why can't we give more opportunities to young players like Vietnam did? Why do we always expect to change the game with one or two seasoned veterans, rather than solving the problem at the root of the problem and switching between the old and the new? This mindset of relying on veterans is clearly not suitable for the current international football environment.
Judging from the performance of this Asian Cup, our problem is not only the age structure of the players, but also the major deviation in the grasp of the direction of football development. We need to realize that only through continuous upgrading can the national football team maintain its vitality and gradually improve our international competitiveness. What we need is not just one or two wins, but a complete shift in the football system and mindset.
In the future, what I hope to see is a national football team that has the courage to reform and use new people. What we need is not only technical improvement, but also ideological renewal. We may encounter more challenges and failures in the short term, but only in this way can we truly stand on the stage of Asian and even world football one day in the future.
Let's look forward to that day, and at the same time praise the national football team for every effort and attempt. The national football team still has a long way to go, but as long as it goes in the right direction, nothing cannot be overcome. I hope that the national football team can bring us more surprises in the future, let us cheer for the future of Chinese football together!