On April 16, 2024, the Chinese men's national Olympic team lost to the Japanese Olympic team in the first round of the Asian Cup. Despite the final score of 0-1, the match still attracted the live spectators of the head coach of the Chinese national team, Ivankovic. The purpose of Ivankovic's trip is to hope to find some outstanding young players in this game and reserve strength for the future construction of the national team.
Through the observation of this game, Ivankovic finally determined that four national Olympic players can enter the new training list of the national team. They are Xie Wenneng who came off the bench, Tao Qianglong and Bai Helamu on the front line, and Jia Feifei in the back. The outstanding performances of these four players have undoubtedly made Ivankovic look forward to their future prospects.
So, what are the performances of these four players that make Ivankovic so optimistic about them, and how will they benefit the overall construction of the national team? Let's take a look at them one by one.
Xie Wenneng: The old handsome confidant has been a confidant for a long time
The first person selected by Ivankovic to enter the national team training camp was Xie Wenneng, a substitute player in this game. The reason why the young player has won the favor of Ivankovic can be traced back to the situation in the last training camp of the national team.
It is reported that when formulating the list of training camps for this national team, Ivankovic had already included Xie Wenneng in the list. This shows that the veteran coach has a full understanding and recognition of Xie Wenneng's level and potential.
In this game, although Xie Wenneng is only a substitute, his performance after coming on the field is enough to prove Ivankovic's vision. He impressed with his excellent ball handling, intelligent positional awareness, and courage to fight when it mattered most. Even if the team lost 0-1 to Japan in the end, Xie Wenneng's individual performance was still eye-catching.
I believe that in the next national team training camp, Xie Wenneng will have the opportunity to get more opportunities to show. As a player that Ivankovic has recognized for a long time, he is undoubtedly the object of the old coach's favor. As long as he can continue to perform well in the training camp, he may soon be able to play for the national team and become the pillar of Chinese football in the future.
Tao Qianglong: An offensive ace with breakthrough ability
In addition to Xie Wenneng, another player who caught Ivankovic's attention in this game was Tao Qianglong, the captain of the National Olympic Games. As a striker, Tao Qianglong's performance on the offensive end can be described as a bright spot.
In an attack in the first half, Tao Qianglong used his excellent individual ability to hit a high-quality shot. Although the shot hit the crossbar in the end, it was enough to prove Tao Qianglong's offensive strength. Not only is he able to create chances, but he is also able to make decisive shots against opposing defences. Such offensive ability is undoubtedly urgently needed by the national team.
In addition, it is worth mentioning that Tao Qianglong is not the first time to enter the national team's field of vision. As early as in the previous U23 national Olympic team, he had already skipped a grade and was selected for the national team. It can be said that in the eyes of Ivankovic, Tao Qianglong is already a highly valued player, and it is reasonable to be selected for the national team training camp this time.
In the future, Tao Qianglong will have the opportunity to get more tempering in the training and competitions of the national team. His excellent breakthrough ability and attacking instinct are exactly what the Chinese national team desperately needs. If he can continue to perform well in the training camp, I believe that Tao Qianglong will soon become the main striker of the national team and inject new vitality into the national team's attack.
Baihelam: An attacking knife from the academy
In addition to Tao Qianglong, another offensive player who caught Ivankovic's attention in this game was Baihelamu. Although this player is not the captain of the Olympic team, his performance up front is just as impressive.
Baihelam is a product of Luneng 03 Academy, and has played for the team in the AFC Champions League. At that time, due to the impact of the team due to special reasons, Luneng could only send the 03 reserve team led by Baihelam to play in the AFC Champions League. This is undoubtedly a valuable experience for Baihelam, and it has also greatly improved his competitive level.
Today, Baihelam has grown into one of the few post-03 players in the Chinese Super League who can serve as the main player. His excellent dribbling and distribution ability, as well as his control of the front court, are reminiscent of Gao Lin in his prime. It is with these excellent offensive qualities that Baihelam has become the ace player of the Chinese Olympic team.
In this match, Baihoram was equally impressive. He is able to receive the ball up front and react quickly to create a constant threat to the opposition. This kind of offensive ability is exactly what the Chinese national team urgently needs.
Perhaps in the future training camp, Baihelam has the opportunity to form a substitute relationship with Zhang Yuning of the national team. Both are excellent strikers, but they have their own characteristics. If there is healthy competition, I believe that Baihelam will become another pillar of the offensive end of the national team.
Jia Feifei: An excellent player suitable for single-back tactics
In addition to the attacking players, there was also one backfield player in this game who caught the attention of Ivankovic, and that was the defender Jia Feifan.
Jia Feifei's performance on the defensive end is excellent, whether it is an active steal in the front court or an effective clearance in the back court, he has left a deep impression. Moreover, he was also able to make excellent passes and arrangements on the offensive end, showing excellent all-round qualities.
Such a performance is exactly in line with the tactical needs of Ivankovic's national team as a single back. In Ivan's coaching philosophy, the midfielder must not only have solid defensive skills, but also be able to control the overall situation and organize the attack. Jia's extraordinary comprehensive ability is undoubtedly highly consistent with this requirement.
Perhaps it is precisely because of these characteristics of Jia Feifei that Ivankovic will include him in the new training list of the national team. In the future training and games of the national team, Jia Feifei is expected to become one of Ivan's preferred players in the single midfield position.
As long as he can continue to perform well in the training camp, I believe that he will soon be able to play an important role in the national team competition. As a well-rounded midfielder, Jia Feifei is undoubtedly a key part of the future construction of the national team.
Summarize the outlook
Through the analysis of this match between China and Japan, we can see that Ivankovic is indeed not in vain. He has successfully discovered 4 outstanding players who can enter the national team, injecting new vitality into the future development of the national team.
The 4 players are:
Xie Wenneng is a player that Ivankovic has long recognized, and it is logical that he will be selected for the national team's training list this time. His excellent ball control ability and intelligence will surely become an indispensable member of the national team.
Tao Qianglong, with excellent offensive ability and breakthrough ability, is the striker that the national team urgently needs. He is expected to be a regular in the front line of the national team in the future.
Baihelamu, an offensive knife from the academy, is expected to form a healthy competition with Zhang Yuning and inject new vitality into the national team.
Jia Feifei, a well-rounded midfielder, meets the tactical needs of Ivan's national team as a single midfielder. He could become the core of the national team's midfield in the future.
Through the selection of these four players, it can be seen that Ivankovic is seeking the future development of the national team. He set his sights on a group of outstanding young players, hoping that through training camps and competitions, they can adapt to the requirements of the national team as soon as possible and inject new vitality into the reconstruction of the national team.
It is believed that under Ivan's careful training, these four players will play an increasingly important role in the future journey of the national team. Their performance will also become a microcosm of the re-emergence of Chinese football.
As long as Chinese football can continue to discover and cultivate such a group of outstanding young talents, I believe that the national team will regain its former glory and write a new chapter for Chinese football.