"Last night there was an in-depth exchange with the leaders of the association (Chinese Football Association), and the leaders of the association also believed that the current problems in the Chinese men's football team should be borne by your head coach, I understand this meaning, so the game is over, and I now propose to leave."
On the night of October 11, 2016, the national football team lost 0-2 to the feet of Uzi. After 4 rounds of the round of 12, the national football team drew one and lost three times, and was almost sentenced to death.
What was even more "exciting" than the defeat was that head coach Gao Hongbo resigned – when he said the above words in a calm tone at the post-match press conference, Cai Zhenhua, deputy director of the General Administration of Sports, then president of the Football Association, was pushed to the cusp.
Cai Zhenhua, who originally had no plan to supervise the battle, appeared in Tashkent before the Sino-Ukrainian War, and the reason he gave was: "As the president of the Football Association, it is not appropriate not to come." ”
"Dissuading" the head coach before the game has even started, how to play the game? This was so much questioning from the outside world that Cai Zhenhua's wife, Huang Sheng, asked him, "Did you say anything like that (to make Gao resign)?" ”
Cai Zhenhua's answer was, "This is impossible. For example, before my child takes the test, I can't tell my child what will happen if you don't take the test. This sentence was said at a briefing specially organized by the Football Association on the third day after the loss.
Cai Zhenhua said that at that time, in addition to himself and Gao Hongbo, there were also Yu Hongchen, the team leader and the members of the coaching team, the theme was how the national football team could fight back in the current predicament, Gao Hongbo reported on the preparations, and Cai Zhenhua gave his own suggestions as usual. "Because I've been a coach before and I've led the team to big games. Helpful, coaching staff listens, and final decision-making is up to the coach. ”
Cai Zhenhua stressed that he is not targeting Gao Hongbo, and has had similar exchanges with Perrin and women's football coach Bruno before. "The association has hired a head coach, and when he is appointed, he must be fully supported and cannot intervene as in the past."
Cai Zhenhua said that he never mentioned the word "resignation" at the meeting, "I can responsibly say that I have not expressed similar meaning, and I will definitely not say that you will resign if you lose this game." Under normal circumstances, I would not have made such a low-level mistake. ”
Cai Zhenhua even asked: "Is it a little impulsive to make such a big decision?" Is it a bit hasty to talk about this time (resignation)? ”
Earlier than Cai Zhenhua faced the media to press Yu Hongchen, not long after Gao Hongbo said those words, Cai Zhenhua returned to the hotel for the first time to let Yu Hongchen find Gao Hongbo to "understand the situation".
"There is no communication about the problem of not leaving class, we are communicating about the responsibility of the national team, such as what kind of responsibility the competition association bears, what responsibility the coach bears, and the responsibility and power should be clearly distinguished." Yu Hongchen repeatedly stressed that "the Chinese Football Association did not evict guests, it was Gao Hongbo who resigned without authorization", and he even said that Gao Hongbo's resignation was not what he said, even if he did, he still had to go through the procedures of the Football Association.
That night, the national football team took a charter flight to leave, many people witnessed a detail is: at zero o'clock in local time, Gao Hongbo stepped on the bus, sat in the first row of seats on the right side of the front door, when he got on the bus, Cai Zhenhua who came down half an hour in advance was still smoking at the hotel entrance, his eyes were "intriguing", after that, Cai Zhenhua also got on the bus, but he got on the bus from the back door, sat in the first row of the back door, first looked solemn, picked up the mobile phone and smiled slightly...
"Dissuade" or "Retreat"? It's quite a Rashomon flavor, but it doesn't really matter.
In fact, in the third round of the home 0-1 loss to Syria, Gao Hongbo's fate has been determined, the coaching process has been started, and there is more news that the selection plan of the new coach has a framework as early as when Gao Hongbo succeeded Perrin, but after he led the team to the round of 12, no one dared to forcibly change the coach.
But after one draw and three losses, "the time is ripe".
On October 13, at the Executive Committee of the Football Association, Gao Hongbo formally submitted a resignation letter, which the Football Association accepted.
Nine days later, Lippi arrived in Hong Kong, China, where Liu Yongzhuo personally greeted him, and then the "Silver Fox" met with Cai Zhenhua and Xu Jiayin in Guangzhou. That night, the Football Association officially announced that Lippi was appointed as the head coach of the national football team. It is said that Lippi's annual salary is as high as 20 million euros, but in fact, the Football Association is only responsible for 4.5 million euros, and the rest, Evergrande pays the bill.
At that time, there was news that since the second half of 2013, Evergrande began to recommend Lippi to the Football Association, and Xu Jiayin created opportunities many times, including inviting Lippi to watch national football matches and provide advice for national football, but the Italians were not interested.
Cai Zhenhua and Lippi met many times at that time, but in the face of questions from the media, he said that as the president of the Football Association, he would not personally talk to a coach, "Asking a coach is to go through the procedure." In addition, he also expressed doubts about "whether the professor can bring middle school students", but compared to the local coach, he still prefers the foreign coach, "the local coach has never led the team into the World Cup, and the foreign coach at least led the team in the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan." ”
In the next 12 rounds, Lippi led the team to win three, draw two and lose, just one step away from the play-offs; while when Gao Hongbo left the class, one draw and three losses, the probability of qualifying was only 0.5398%.
Many people say that if Lippi had taken over earlier, the national football team might have gone to Russia, but football has no if, especially Chinese football.
At that time, he was full of ambition but was robbed of his job by Camacho, and the outside world always had a good feeling or sympathy for Gao Hongbo, and then he was ordered to replace Perrin and lead the team to the top 12 tournaments that had not been scored in 15 years, and his reputation among the tushuai was unparalleled.
But professional sports, the king of success and failure. The record of one draw and three losses in the first four games of the round of 12 gave the outside world the opportunity to attack and make a move from the top.
In 6 months, Gao Hongbo fell from heaven.
Regarding Gao Hongbo's "guilt", similar to the official conclusion, it includes: the four games have not run out a set of main lineups; the three center-backs have become four defenders who still can't stimulate the combat strength; the key away game starts to rotate more than half of the players - such a manager is unqualified, "No matter in terms of process and results, the more the whole team plays, the more people can't see hope, and the confidence of the players is also depleted a little bit..."
At that time, Li Tie, who was squeezed out of the Chinese coaching position by Pellegrino, commented after the national football team lost to Uzi, the starting replacement of 7 people, the tactical system was replaced, "I feel that the strength of the players can not be made." A few days later, Lippi took charge, Li Tie entered the cabinet, served as an assistant coach, Lippi's every move in the round of 12, he saw in his eyes...
Now, 5 years later, those who stand on the cusp of the round of 12 are replaced by Li Tie himself. From changing Gao Hongbo to "changing Li Tie", many things have changed over the years, and many things have not changed.