Chapter 990 Is it good or bad?

Chapter 990 Is it good or bad?

The Xuanwu Sports Center in Jiu'an, Hexi Province can accommodate 60,000 people, but because Hexi Province does not have a top league team, and Hexi Daqin is still struggling to survive in the Chinese League One, it is difficult for this stadium to be full at ordinary times - unless it is Star concert.

But today, the stadium was packed and crowded.

It is finally worthy of its title of "Sports Center".

What is going on here is a friendly match between the Chinese team and the Slovak national team.

Although they came from afar, Slovakia did not send a second-line lineup. All their main players who play in the five major European leagues were present. It can be seen that Slovakia also attaches great importance to this game.

The reason why they attach so much importance is naturally because the Chinese team cannot be underestimated.

With three draws and three unbeaten results in the World Cup, especially the 3:3 draw with Brazil in the last game, the Chinese team has made a name for itself around the world.

The importance their opponents attach to them is a form of respect.

The football world is like this. If you have strength, you will be respected. If you don't have strength, no one will care about you.

When Japanese football first appeared on the World Cup stage, it was an unknown player that no one cared about.

But now they have made all opponents who compete with them dare not take it lightly, no matter how strong that opponent is.

Although Slovakia's main force was fully used, the Chinese team performed better amid the cheers of their hometown elders.

In an almost crazy atmosphere, the Chinese team continued to attack the Slovak goal.

New coach Dong Jianhai almost followed Shi Wuyin's World Cup lineup for this game.

Formation 433. Forward Hu Lai was in the center, with Chen Xingyi and Luo Kai on the left and right.

Midfielder Jiang Wanqing drags back to intercept and defend. Xia Xiaoyu is responsible for connecting the front and backcourts next to him and acting as the hub for offensive and defensive transitions. Zhang Qinghuan breaks out at the front, close to Hu Lai, and can be an organizing midfielder or a shadow forward.

The center back is still the combination of Yao Huasheng and Wang Guangwei, with right back Bai Di and left back Qu Lu.

Goalkeeper Lin Zhiyuan.

Whether it is the formation, personnel matching, or tactical design, they are all the same as the national team during Shi Wuyin's period.

Since there is no difference, the international players on the field naturally cooperate with each other without any discomfort.

Playing at home again, in hot form.

At the end of the first half, the Chinese team already took the lead by two goals - these two goals were scored by Hu Lai and Luo Kai respectively.

You must know that the opponent is Slovakia. Although they did not participate in this World Cup, they also reached the knockout round of the European Cup two years ago. They are by no means a weak team.

And the Chinese team was able to lead by two goals in the first half!

The fans in the Hexi Jiuan Xuanwu Sports Center were so happy that they almost fainted.

They were shirtless and beat the drums hard. Along with the rumble of the drums, uniform and deafening shouts sounded in the sky above the Xuanwu Sports Center.

"Team China! Come on (dong dong)!!"

The Chinese team played very well in the World Cup, but unfortunately, the three games were all in the distant United States, and there were still only a few Chinese fans who were able to watch the games live.

Now the first national team game after the World Cup is arranged in Jiu'an City, the capital of Hexi Province. This game has touched the hearts of countless people. Not to mention Jiu'an City, fans from several provinces around Hexi Province heard the news and flocked to Jiu'an City just to witness the elegance of this national team live.

Tickets for the game were completely sold out half a month in advance. Even so, a week before the game started, fans from all over the country were lingering outside the Xuanwu Sports Center, hoping for a miracle - the home court would release tickets again, or someone would show up. I couldn't watch the game for various reasons, so I came to sell tickets, and they just cut me off...

It’s also a credit to the fact that all football tickets now have real-name authentication. To watch the game live, you need to match your ID card with the information on the ticket to enter the venue. Otherwise, the ticket for this ordinary friendly match may be sold for less than 10,000 yuan. Go...

The Slovak players are obviously not used to such an away atmosphere - they came to China with the mentality of playing a friendly match. But how does this look like a friendly match?

If I didn't tell them, they would even think it was a European Cup match!

And it’s the European Cup held in China...

Damn it!

Chinese fans are so fanatical. Is the football atmosphere in China so good?

※※※

Although Slovakia got a goal back in the second half, in the 66th minute, Chen Xingyi scored another victory for the Chinese team, and the final score was fixed at 3:1.

Anyone who watched the game will have this idea: the Chinese team won easily at their home court, and the advantage was definitely not just as simple as a 3:1 score.

This feeling is actually quite ridiculous. After all, the Chinese team in the past rarely performed like this when facing European teams - comprehensive suppression from the scene to the score.

After this game, the media and the Internet were full of praise for the Chinese team.

Everyone thinks it is obvious that the Chinese team that has participated in a World Cup is more mature. In addition, the benefits of studying abroad are obvious.

When facing European players, everyone dared to make moves and show themselves.

Increased self-confidence leads to improved performance on the field.

A big victory over the opponent does not seem to be something too difficult to understand.

※※※

Four days later, the Chinese team faced its second friendly match opponent, the stronger Mexican team, in Jingyang, Haining.

This time Dong Jianhai's starting lineup has changed a lot compared to the previous game.

The formation changed from 433 to 442, with Hu Lai and Zhou Zijing starting on the front line, Jiang Wanqing and Zhang Qinghuan in the midfield, and Chen Xingyi and Luo Kai on the left and right.

Only the back line has not changed much.

However, this set of changes did not produce the effect Dong Jianhai expected.

The Chinese team did not play well in the first half. Not only did they not score, they also conceded two goals.

After the halftime break, Dong Jianhai made adjustments and returned to 433. Zhou Zijing was replaced and Xia Xiaoyu came on as a substitute.

After changing back to a familiar formation, the Chinese team's performance improved.

Hu Lai got a goal back for the Chinese team before being substituted.

It is also the only goal scored by the Chinese team in this game.

In the end, the national team lost to Mexico 1:2, ending their two friendly matches with one win and one loss.

Although they did not achieve a complete victory, everyone still spoke highly of the national team's overall performance in these two games after the game.

At the same time, he also gave high marks to the performance of the new coach Dong Jianhai in his second entry into the national team.

The media believes that the best thing Dong Jianhai did was not to break the "precious legacy" left by Shi Wuyin without authorization. He followed the tactics and staffing of his predecessor Shi Wuyin, which is very commendable.

Because the performance in the World Cup has proven the effectiveness of Shi Wuyin's tactical thinking and personnel combination.

Since practice has proven the effectiveness of this style of play, why should we change it?

After some coaches take over a team, they always want to prove to others that they are different and have something new. The so-called "three things a new official does when he takes office" is that he can't wait to overturn everything his predecessor did and promote his own. But in the end, the gains outweigh the losses... and good results may not be achieved.

After all, everyone has inertia, especially this Chinese team. They used Shi Wuyuan's method to achieve success in the World Cup.

But most coaches pride themselves on knowing better than others and that their own approach is the best. That's why the drama of the successor overthrowing the predecessor is constantly being staged.

The good thing about Dong Jianhai, an old coach, is that he understands the importance of "continuation".

When the Football Association just announced that Dong Jianhai would take over as the head coach of the Chinese team, the media was full of doubts and distrust about this selection decision. But after watching these two games, most domestic media said that Dong Jianhai may not be the best coach in the country in terms of coaching ability, but he obviously has self-awareness and has put his position in the right place.

He did not deny Shi Wuyin for reasons of face, but chose to be Shi Wuyin's follower. He was exactly the best person to lead the Chinese team through the transition.

Some media use the allusions of "Xiao Gui Cao Sui" and "Government by inaction" to describe Dong Jianhai's use of Shi Wuyin's tactics, praising Dong Jianhai as long as he follows Shi Wuyin's tactics and personnel allocation and does nothing else. In fact, This is already the best approach.

And this was proved in the game - in the second game against Mexico, Dong Jianhai really wanted to try something new. He changed the starting lineup from 433 to 442, but obviously the effect was not good. Once the team returned to Shi Wuyin's original lineup, the national team's performance became normal. In the end, Hu Lai's goal was the best proof.

Obviously Dong Jianhai also realized that 433 is still suitable for this national team, so don't mess around.

※※※

"I cannot agree with those statements in your media, Yu." Jorge Dillon shook his head after hearing the media's evaluation of Dong Jianhai, which Yu Jintao translated for him. "Dong was right to try to make changes, but unfortunately he was too timid and retreated after encountering a slight setback. So after two friendly matches, everything remained the same, with no changes at all... Take advantage of Friendly matches are a good opportunity to try new ideas, but unfortunately..."

He shook his head, looking rather regretful.

Of course Yu Jintao knew that Dillon would say this, because he understood Dillon's attitude towards the Chinese team - when the Chinese Football Association came to Dillon to talk about coaching, he participated in the whole process as Dillon's translator.

There are many speculations from the outside world about why Dillon and the Football Association failed to reach an agreement. Yu Jintao has read them all. Some of the speculations are reasonable, and some of them are pure nonsense. He knows the inside of it best, but he never talks about it to the outside world. This is the professional ethics of a translator.

"Now it seems that both the Football Association and Dong attach great importance to next year's Asian Cup...we must achieve results in the Asian Cup...but let me tell you, what if we win the Asian Cup in January next year? Is the Asian Cup or the World Cup more important?" Dillon seemed to be very talkative and continued. "If you perform well in the Asian Cup, can you also perform well in the top 12? Don't they still understand that the top football tournament in Asia is not the Asian Cup, but the top 12?"
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"Jorge, you have to take into account the desire of our Chinese fans for the honor of the national team, and understand the importance that fans now attach to the results of the national team..." Yu Jintao decided to say a word for Chinese football.

"I understand, but I think this obsession is stupid." Dillon said seriously. "I stick to my original view. The Asian Cup, which is so close in time, should be regarded as an opportunity for the team to train, rather than a desperate effort to achieve good results. When your Football Association came to me, I made my words very clear. If I were to coach the Chinese team, I would not have any performance requirements for the Asian Cup, and I would have to agree not to recruit overseas players... But they didn’t agree.”

Dillon shrugged and spread his hands.

"It is indeed difficult for them to agree, Jorge. You must know that even Japan and South Korea will recall overseas players during the Asian Cup. The Asian Cup is not the top football event in Asia from a competitive level, but it is of great significance. No one To abandon the Asian Cup so blatantly and declare to the outside world that the Asian Cup is a warm-up match for a big game..." Yu Jintao said. "In a sense, this is not just a football issue..."

"But your situation is different from Japan and South Korea. In January next year, maybe Zhang, Xing, Xia, and Wang have not fully integrated into their respective teams, and they will be transferred back to participate in the Asian Cup... If I were the head coach of their club, since they would definitely miss two months of training and games, why should I give these Chinese players a chance after finally cultivating them and then wait until January to give them to me? Sting?" Dillon shook his head and hummed.

Yu Jintao was speechless by what he said.

They also discussed this issue privately, and Yu Jintao really couldn't refute Dillon's reason.

The head coaches of European clubs do not have the consciousness of "dedicating everything to Chinese football, regardless of reward, and focusing on the overall situation." They only consider the interests of their own teams. To be honest, if one of their best players suddenly leaves the team in December to participate in the national team competition, and then plays until February... there are indeed few club managers who would be willing to let him go.

"Actually, it's not just the Asian Cup. In my opinion, this national team competition, the Chinese team should not arrange the competition at home in order to satisfy the fans' desire to chase stars. They should go directly to Europe for training and avoid Let those overseas players travel and be too tired, which will affect the progress of their integration into their respective teams... Besides, what is the performance of this group of players playing together? Didn't you see it in the World Cup? Isn't it a waste of opportunity for them to come together from far and wide to play two warm-up games? What is the purpose of the warm-up games? Adding new blood to the national team, testing new tactics, and preparing enough backup plans... As a result, none of these things were done in these two games."

At this point, Dillon suddenly laughed: "I know why Cao and Yan are so indifferent to the coaching position of the Chinese team..."

Yu Jintao said nothing.

After the Football Association failed to reach an agreement with Dillon, it tried to find Cao Wei, the head coach of the Shanhai Mariners, and Yan Li, the head coach of the Hedong Thunder. Both of these people are considered the best among local coaches in the country.

But they all rejected the Football Association because they had contracts with the clubs.

Why is this happening?

It is obvious that being able to lead the Chinese team is the dream of countless local coaches. For example, Wang Xianke was very eager to coach the Chinese team. He regarded coaching the national team as the ultimate goal of his coaching career...

There are also a lot of voices in the country calling for giving local coaches opportunities and trust.

Everyone thinks, “Isn’t it a matter of course for our own country’s team to use its own coach?”

But now it seems that perhaps it is this turbulent public opinion that has deterred those coaches.

After all, their predecessor Shi Wuyin was so successful. He not only led the Chinese team to the historic World Cup finals, but also achieved an unbeaten record in the World Cup when everyone was not optimistic about it.

With such a gem in front of me, who can be the successor? Is it not a big deal?

It is completely conceivable that after they became the head coach of the Chinese team, they were all walking on thin ice and fearful.

If they succeeded, it was because of the good teachings of their predecessor Shi Wuyin. If they failed, it was because of their own low level. The good cards left by Shi Wuyin were beaten to pieces...

"So I guess, Yu. I guess Dong may have figured out this problem in the first half of the game against Mexico, so he decisively changed it back and copied his predecessor's set of things intact..." Dillon chuckled. .

Then his expression became serious again: "But I have to say...Whether you like it or not, I have to say - football is developing very rapidly, and it is very dangerous to remain unchanged in world football. The original successful experience is very likely to It will become a stumbling block in the future. If the Chinese team does not make changes and continues to use the same tactics, it is even possible that it will not qualify for the next World Cup!”

Yu Jintao was a little surprised: "Isn't that true, Jorge?"

"How about we make a bet, Yu?"

Yu Jintao shook his head vigorously: "No, no bet!"

Dillon laughed: "So deep down in your heart you also think what I said is right?"

Yu Jintao was speechless and speechless.

"Shi is a smart man, Yu. So he chose to leave after playing in the World Cup. He said that he was not capable of continuing to lead the team... Do you think he is being modest? No, he actually saw the crisis in the Chinese team, but there was nothing he could do about it. After all, it is difficult to deny yourself to solve this crisis." Seeing Yu Jintao's appearance, Dilong shook his head and sighed. (End of chapter)