On an unusual early morning, the sun shone through the gaps in the curtains and on Ivankovic's face. The experienced, silver-haired instructor was sitting at a small table in the hotel, his brows furrowed. His mood was as gloomy as the weather outside the window. Last night, his team, Oman, had a poor record in the Asian Cup, and finally said goodbye to the tournament with 2 draws and 1 loss.
Ivankovic's football career has been full of ups and downs. He worked as an assistant coach for the Croatian national team and later coached teams such as Hannover 96, Iran National Team, Dinamo Zagreb, Shandong Taishan and Persepolis. In particular, in 2010, he led Taishan to the Chinese Super League title, and that year, they set a record for the most wins, the most goals, the most goal difference and the most unbeaten home games. At that time, Ivankovic was a hero of Chinese football and was known as the "Best Coach of the Year in the Chinese Super League".
However, the situation on the football field is unpredictable. In 2011, Ivankovic had to resign as coach of Tarzan due to health reasons. At that moment, his heart was full of reluctance and regret. He spent many memorable moments there, fighting with the players, laughing with them, and suffering from defeat together.
Now, sitting at a small table in the hotel, Ivankovich's mind drifts back to those days. He remembered every game he played, every goal he scored, and the cheers of the fans. But the reality is cruel, his team Oman did not perform well in the Asian Cup, which forced him to face the possibility of being sacked.
The article also mentions that Ivankovic may become the new head coach of the Chinese men's football team. This is both a challenge and an opportunity for him, who is familiar with Chinese football. He knows that if he can take over the Chinese men's football team, he will have the opportunity to create glory in the Chinese football world again.
Ivankovic stood up, walked to the window, and looked into the distance. He knows that no matter how difficult the road ahead may be, he will face it bravely. Football, for him, is not just a sport, it is an integral part of his life.