On the evening of September 5th, the national team lost 0-7 to Japan in an away match of the top 18 tournament and is currently at the bottom of the group. The national team’s head coach, Ivan, has come under intense scrutiny. After the game, media figure Pei Li posted that it’s currently impossible to select a good coach for the national team, and if they lose to Indonesia later on, Djordjevic can replace Ivan.
The original text by media figure Pei Li:
It must be recognized that it is fundamentally impossible to select a good coach for the current national team.
Domestic coaches are generally considered to be of insufficient caliber, with complicated networks and too many constraints. Moreover, with the national team in dire straits, no one is willing to take over the team, and no one dares to.
Truly capable foreign coaches won’t come either. Even someone like Marcello Lippi couldn’t handle this team, so who among the renowned coaches would dare to risk their reputation? In the past, there were companies willing to help the football association pay high salaries, and where there’s big money, there are brave takers. Now those companies are gone, and the football association has no money either.
So in the end, only the ‘contractors’ who are willing to take any job and do anything will come. As long as the money is right, they’d even tile the Great Wall. Without conducting any research upon arrival, they dare to boast about leading the Chinese team to the World Cup.
Ivan falls into this category. Regardless of his skill level, he certainly lacks dedication and a sense of mission. He came here with the idea of doing a short-term job, trying to make a quick buck. Holding a phased contract, if they don’t qualify from the top 36, he’ll take some money and go home to play with his grandkids. Unexpectedly, the Singaporean team helped push him back into the spotlight. So he keeps going along.
When he can’t go on anymore, he’ll return home for an interview, harshly criticizing the various chronic issues within the national team, and pushing all responsibility onto the client.
Most likely, Ivan will still be hanging on until before the match against Indonesia. If they lose to Indonesia, public outrage will be overwhelming, and if it really doesn’t work out, Djordjevic can step in, bringing more young players to prepare early for the 2030 World Cup.