"The national football team is out, there is no win!" This is not just a news headline, it is the voice of hundreds of millions of Chinese fans. In the Asian Cup, the performance of the Chinese men's football team can be described as "bleak": three games, zero wins, zero goals. This is not just a defeat, but a shocking signal that the influence of Chinese football on the Asian stage is fading.
With 26 players, it seems like a huge squad, but only 18 players are really running on the field. The remaining 8 players seemed to be spectators. This raises the question of what is Jankovic's selection strategy based on? Is it technology, strategy, or simple preference?
The frustration and anger of the fans is understandable. When you see players who usually work hard and perform well in the league, but don't play a minute in the national team, you can't help but ask: are we wasting resources and missing out on more possibilities?
But let's dig deeper, is it really just the choice of coaches? perhaps, we should also focus on the individual ability of the players, the overall coordination of the team, and even the competitive environment of the domestic league. One problem leads to another, and what we see may be just the tip of the iceberg.
The highlight is that the performance of the Asian Cup may be a manifestation of the deep-seated problems of the Chinese men's football team. For example, is our youth system robust enough, is the individual technical and tactical understanding of our players up to the demands of international competition, and is our league able to produce internationally competitive players?
Against this backdrop, we have to face the upcoming World Qualifiers. We need a revolution, a bold and radical adjustment. The 8 underperforming players mentioned in the article may indeed need to be replaced. But this is just the beginning, we need a fresh perspective, a more scientific and fair selection mechanism, and a style of play that is more adapted to international football.
Some people have suggested that perhaps more opportunities should be given to those who have performed well in the Chinese Super League, such as Ackerson, Fernando, Yu Hanchao, Barton, etc. Their performances at club level are probably the best proof that they have won a place in the national team.
But such a choice is fraught with controversy. Why? Because it's not just about capabilities, it's about strategy and planning for the future. Do we want short-term success, or long-term construction, do we want immediate results, or do we want continuous and steady progress?
When the opening whistle blew, the cries of the fans shook the sky, but for the Chinese men's football team, this Asian Cup became their nightmare. Three games, zero wins, zero goals, this is not only a report card, this is a slap in the face, a slap in the face of Chinese football. The Chinese team, a team that once had a glorious history in the Asian arena, is now weak, and their presence seems to be inferior to that of a local team.
Let's face the embarrassing fact that only 18 of the 26 players set foot on the field, and the remaining 8 players seem to exist only to make up the number of rooms in the hotel. Is this our "national team"? Is this our definition of "elite"? Coach Jankovic's approach to employing people makes one wonder: Is it a tactical necessity or an ulterior motive?
The problem of Chinese football is never simple, it is an intricate network, and every node is related to each other. The choice of coach undoubtedly triggered the fuse of this public outrage, but can just changing a coach win a victory? Isn't the confusion and helplessness of the players on the field the epitome of the overall backwardness of Chinese football?
First of all, we must admit that there is still a big gap in Chinese football in terms of infrastructure and youth training system. Starting from the cultivation of young people, we lack systematic training plans and scientific teaching methods. Academy is not only about developing players' skills, but also about teaching them how to understand the game and how to make decisions on the pitch. A well-developed youth system should be an all-round development program that covers technical, tactical, psychological and life aspects to ensure that young players can develop holistically.
Secondly, our professional leagues need to be further competitive. Although the Chinese Super League has invested a lot, it still cannot occupy a place on the Asian and even world stage. There are management issues, as well as problems with the players themselves. What we need is a more transparent and fair management system, an environment that can attract and develop top players.
Thirdly, we need to change the selection mechanism for the national team. The selection should be more open and transparent, with more emphasis on the actual performance and potential of the players. It's not just about which club they're playing for, or their commercial value. Only when the national team truly becomes a gathering place for the best players in the country can it make a difference in the international arena.
In addition, bold innovation is also needed at the technical and tactical levels. International football is evolving with each passing day, and we can't always lag behind, we should have our own style and characteristics. The construction of the coaching team should be internationalized, introduce world-class coaches, and cooperate with excellent domestic coaches to exchange ideas and collide sparks.
And for the fans, their role is just as important. The support of the fans is an indispensable motivation for the team, but blind accusations and complaints will not solve the problem. Fans should pay attention to the national football team with a more rational attitude and use constructive criticism to help the development of football.
On the road ahead, Chinese football needs patience and time. From the strict youth training system to the high-level league, from the fair selection mechanism to the innovative use of techniques and tactics, every step is not easy. But as long as we persevere and have the courage to reform, Chinese football will eventually usher in its own dawn.
At the end, we were full of expectations for the Chinese men's football team, but this expectation is not in the air. It is built on the basis of a deep understanding of the current situation, and it requires the joint efforts of every Chinese footballer. Perhaps in the near future, we will be able to see the Chinese team in the World Cup, no longer a passerby, but a competitor. The defeat of the Asian Cup will be an opportunity for the rise of Chinese football. There is a long road, only struggle.