Is it finally the end of a bleak few years for China, or merely just the beginning of another stagnant chapter? While stability is hardly a word you’d affix to the Chinese football landscape, the national team has remained consistently below par for some time now. The rushed appointment of Italian legend Marcello Lippi steadied a ship in qualification, that in reality needed a complete rebuild. The months and years that later passed, have seen little improvement, leaving few with any positive hopes for Asian Cup progress.
Come January, Chinese football can look back on the last 12 months in with mixed feelings; the league season was one of the most enthralling for years, the CSL contributed to two teams in the last 16 of the Champions League and general quality of Chinese players featuring domestically saw a noticeable increase. At direct opposition to this however, the national team looks to have been severely left behind, devoid of any relation with other CFA initiatives, leaving a worrying chasm going into another hopeless World Cup qualification campaign.
Two of the most talked about and most controversial news stories of the last year, involved top down directives intent on improving the domestic stock. While the introduction of stricter U23 rules on the CSL followed by a bizarre military U25 camp to end the season were widely criticised, the ambition (however it was done) was agreeable – how do we build a stronger, younger national team? You’d be forgiven in the thinking that Marcello Lippi missed the memo.
Lippi, who was sworn in to ultimately save face at the end of World Cup qualification, has slowly looked a man disinterested or simply unequipped to take up the role of national team coach. The team remains stagnant with the same old faces that crept by in qualification only to crumble in the big matches, fleetingly introducing younger players who have come on in progress since the introduction of the U23 rulings, but rarely demonstrating his full trust.
What has come to pass has been mediocre, blind testing but ultimately ineffectual preparation, only managing to pick up one victory in their last five preparation friendlies, including reputation damaging home draws to India and Palestine. Lippi remains at a loss to get the best out of the players he’s loyal to, tinkering with styles of play, formations and personnel, without really going the extra yards in scrapping the vast majority of this generation altogether.
His loyalty, borne out of his time with Guangzhou Evergrande may be the sticking point. Lippi has already agreed to walk away after the Asian Cup, so to him, bringing in untested younger players would not benefit him personally in in the immediate short term. The likes of Zhang Linpeng, Feng Xiaoting, Zhang Zhi and Gao Lin are all consummate pros, arguably the finest selection of the last decade, yet the signs are already there that something isn’t clicking.
The one piece of the puzzle that Chinese fans will hope to slot into place, is that of Shanghai SIPG striker Wu Lei. Having led the domestic goal scoring charts for Chinese players over the last few years, Wu has gone one step further in topping the lot this term, in his side’s first title success. Blossoming in an attack featuring Brazilian internationals Hulk and Oscar, Wu has not merely acted as backup, but the spearhead, developing his all-round game, into a player that could easily make the transition to European club football.
Getting the best out of him in a Chinese shirt however, is proving a galling task. Without a clear plan, or the suited personnel around him, Wu has been squeezed into a number of positions, all failing to best utilise his talents. His combination play with Gao Lin, has yet to provide fruit, while acting as a foil off a target man, such as Yang Xu or Yu Dabao hasn’t worked either. In the end, a move back to a defensive, counter game with Wu as an isolated leading figure may be the opening gambit set for the UAE.
Without that additional spark from a dearth of experience outside the domestic league, Wu and China look set for a frustrating run in attack. While this is a worry, one redeeming feature seems to be their improving defence. Amongst the Evergrande heavy set up, SIPG keeper Yan Junling and Beijing Guoan central defender Yu Yang, demonstrate the one area the national team has improved in over the outgoing cycle. While initial expectations are thin on the ground for progression, low scoring draws are at least a starting point.
Having drawn South Korea, alongside two dark horses with little expectation on their shoulders in Kyrgyzstan and Philippines, China couldn’t have imagined a tougher group to go into. Casting an eye over the tournament as a whole, the fact teams can progress from the group stage in third spot, few shock exits are predicted; yet China’s star will no doubt be the first to fall. Lippi’s farewell tour, that many expected being constructing the dawn of a new generation of Chinese football, looks more to be the lowest ebb of their modern-day progress.
Key Men
Head Coach - Marcello Lippi (ITA)
Highly experienced coach, who has won the World Cup, European & Asian Champions League trophies across an illustrious career. The man behind, the most successful Chinese side of all time; Guangzhou Evergrande, winning three titles in a row with them. The Asian Cup will bring to end his time in China, and almost certainly bring down the curtain on his illustrious managerial career.
Star Player - Wu Lei
Wide man or centre forward, peaking at the right time, after finishing as the domestic league top scorer (with 27 in 29) in Shanghai SIPG’s title triumph. Has developed his all-round attacking game, his speed to run in behind, aerial ability to contest for headed goals and initiative to force tap ins. Has generally underwhelmed for the national team thus far.
Under Pressure - Zhang Linpeng
Swashbuckling right full back or centre half, who has all the talents to be a legend in Asian football but has failed to provide his A-game for some years now. One of the few Evergrande players that Lippi puts his hat on to perform at the Asian Cup, much will depend on Zhang and his Guangzhou defensive partners, to see how successful a send off it is for his Italian boss.
Young Prospect - Wei Shihao
One of only a few under 23-year-old players to break the national team with any sort of regularity. Has already made a name for himself at national tournaments, starring at the East Asian Cup last year and the Asian Games this. The unpredictable striker has European experience of playing in Portugal but is now back in the CSL with Beijing Guoan.
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