The change of coaches in national table tennis has always been the focus of attention. With Coach Li Falcon on the verge of retiring due to age and health reasons, the competition among the three candidates – Wang Hao, Ma Lin and Xiao Zhan – is becoming more and more intense. Li Falcon was once the meritorious coach of the national table tennis, and the national table tennis lacked high-level coaching resources during his tenure, so he took over as the head coach out of a sense of responsibility. Now that his retirement plans are on the agenda, the choice of his successor is in the spotlight.
Originally, with the help of a good relationship with Chairman Liu Guoliang and Guoping, Wang Hao and Ma Lin occupied a favorable position in this competition. However, Li Falcon's selection attitude and Xiao Zhan's excellent coaching results made the latter gradually a popular candidate to take over, changing the original competitive landscape.
Since Xiao Zhan served as the first head of the mixed doubles team of national table tennis, he has made many achievements, especially in leading the national table tennis from the trough to recovery. During his coaching career, the emergence of outstanding players such as Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha has added luster to his coaching ability, and their performance has not only won honor for national table tennis, but also almost locked their seats in the Olympic arena.
In contrast, the results of the men's and women's teams coached by Wang Hao and Ma Lin fluctuated, making Xiao Zhan's lead more obvious. However, even though Xiao Zhan is currently a leader in the eyes of the public and experts, his path to the top is still full of challenges.
Especially Liu Guoliang's philosophy of employing people, he used to favor Wang Hao and Ma Lin, who were close to him, and this attitude is difficult to change in the short term. If Liu Guoliang's stance changes in favor of Xiao Zhan, if Xiao Zhan encounters difficulties in his new position, it will not only trigger a backlash of public opinion, but also may expose Li to greater external pressure and Liu Guoliang's political marginalization.
In this context, the differences between Li Falcon and Liu Guoliang appeared, although Li Falcon was originally inseparable from Liu Guoliang's support, he now insists on recommending Xiao Zhan. In the face of such a complex situation, it remains to be seen whether Xiao Zhan can successfully take over the baton and become the new head coach of national table tennis.