Tactical progress needed for Team China to be competitive

Illustration: Chen Xia/Global Times

Another win! The Chinese men's national football team bounced back from being winless in March to two consecutive wins in June since Serbian coach Aleksandar Jankovic took charge in February. However, the achievement is not something to be very proud of. 

The national team's 2-0 win over the Palestine team on Tuesday following a 4-0 triumph over Myanmar on Friday at the newly unveiled Suoyuwan Stadium in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, do not indicate the teams' dominance in tactics like the scoreboard shows, as their lead was earned mainly through physical advantages rather than tactical superiority. 

Consider the rankings of the opponents: Myanmar are sitting in the 160th place in the FIFA world ranking, while the Palestine team is at 92rd. China, ranked 81st worldwide and 11th in Asia, just won the games against Asian minnows. When facing New Zealand in March, who are 100th placed in the world, China ended their trip to the Down Under with a draw and a defeat. That means Team China is likely to face challenges again when playing against teams who are tactically stronger.

Critics argue that the national team's recent successes against weaker teams should not overshadow their underlying weaknesses. The true test lies in their ability to outplay more formidable opponents and make significant strides in their technical and tactical prowess. 

For sure, to secure a berth in the next group stage of the Asian Cup and progress to the next round of World Cup Asian qualifiers, the national team needs to ensure they are able to defeat teams like Myanmar and Palestine. Treating the matches against Asian football minnows as chances to fine-tune their gameplay and explore different tactical approaches might be helpful for the national team, but a big change is yet to happen. 

As the world football continues to evolve, the opportunities to face weaker opponents are dwindling. Now, the national team is in a precarious position. 

Wu Lei remains the biggest scoring power for the national team as he scored three goals in the latest two friendlies for the national team. The former RCD Espanyol player is the only player in the team who had a long stint with a club that is competing in top-tier leagues in Europe. He is now 32. Nurturing young talents at this stage would be a bit late as the young Chinese players lack international experiences while the national team has a limited schedule for friendlies. 

To maintain China's position in the FIFA rankings, the national team even turned down an invitation to play against the 2022 FIFA World Cup winners Argentina this month, an opportunity that many other teams envy. 

From the perspective of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), the national team needed a series of victories to emerge from the gloom of recent years. Many had worried that the anti-graft campaign that has seen nearly a dozen officials from the CFA being put under disciplinary investigations would be a serious distraction for the national team players. 

Jankovic is supposed to lead the Chinese national team at the Asian Cup at the beginning of 2024 and the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers which will start in October. In the upcoming Asian Cup early next year, China will face the defending Asian Cup champions and hosts Qatar (ranked 61st in the world), as well as Lebanon (99) and Tajikistan (109). 

Chinese football fans eagerly await signs of improvement from the national team. They yearn for a team that can compete at the highest level, inspire the younger generation, and restore pride to Chinese football. 

China's best Asian Cup finish was the runners-up in 2004 when they were playing on home soil. China had a chance to play on home turfs again this year, but the CFA gave away the hosting rights of the 2023 Asian Cup last year due to COVID-19 pandemic. 

Some promising signs from the young players do exist. The national under-24 team defeated their South Korean counterparts 1-0 in Jinhua, East China's Zhejiang Province, on Monday, thanks to a goal from 23-year-old Sun Qinhan. The two teams were playing friendlies in preparation for the football competitions at the Asian Games, where the South Korean side are considered a hot favorite. 

Famed Italian coach Marcello Lippi had led the team to a mini revival both tactically and morally during his tenure from 2017 to 2020 with the national team. However, the progress did not last long due to the mismanagement of the CFA. For Jankovic, who does not possess the reputation of Lippi, the pressure and expectation might be low. There is a long way to go for the national team to progress. 

But never underestimate those who are brave enough to take the "hot potato" reins of the Chinese national team. There is still time for him to learn better about the Chinese players who are mainly playing in the domestic Chinese Super League and develop a national squad that can adapt to different game scenarios.