In the 0-7 defeat to Japan in the national football team, Sun Jihai's post-match comments were like a sharp knife, hitting the point, making it impossible to avoid those naked realities. The five heartfelt words not only show his deep insight as a professional, but also make everyone who cares about Chinese football think deeply. However, this match and Sun Jihai's comments are only the tip of the iceberg, and the crux of Chinese football is far more complicated than that.
Sun Jihai's five heart-wrenching words
"Our defense is terrible"
Sun Jihai directly pointed out the core problem of the national football team's defense. Defending is not the business of one or two people, but the responsibility of the whole team. This kind of analysis to the point is irrefutable. However, the poor defense was not only due to the quality of individual players, but also due to the total collapse of the entire team in terms of tactics and mentality.
'The mentality of the players is wrong'
In the face of Japan's attack, our players looked flustered. Sun Jihai emphasized that the state of mind determines the state, and this kind of psychological analysis makes people have to admire his professional insights. The mentality problem actually reflects the players' lack of self-confidence and weak ability to resist pressure in the face of strong opponents, which is a psychological problem accumulated over a long period of training and games.
"Our technology and tactics can't keep up with our opponents"
Sun Jihai bluntly pointed out the shortcomings of the Chinese men's football team. The technical and tactical backwardness was the main reason for the big loss. This kind of in-depth comment makes people have to face a cruel reality: there is a huge gap between Chinese football and advanced countries in terms of basic skills and tactical understanding.
"The team lacks a real leader"
Sun Jihai's words are straight to the hearts of the people. He mentioned that there is a need for a core figure on the field who can stand up and stabilize the morale of the military. This focus on team culture and leadership shows his deep understanding of football. The lack of leaders means that the team lacks cohesion and sense of direction at critical moments, which has been a long-standing problem for the national football team.
"We can't just play with passion, we have to be smart"
Sun Jihai's last sentence is a summary of the whole game, and it is also an expectation for the future of the Chinese men's football team. He hopes that everyone can learn from their failures and use wisdom to improve. This kind of wise advice is undoubtedly a reflection of professionalism. However, wisdom refers not only to the wisdom of individual players, but also to the wisdom of the entire football system and youth system.
Deep-seated questions and reflections
Although Sun Jihai's comments are profound enough, the problems of the national football team are far more than that. Ivankovic's line-up, individual player performance, and overall tactical execution all exposed serious problems.
Ivankovic's coaching ability: He has proven unsuitable for the national football team in the round of 36, but why should he continue to coach? This reflects the blindness and short-sightedness of Chinese football in the choice of coaches.
The performance of individual players: Zhang Yuning started as a center forward but did nothing, Wu Lei can kill all sides in the Chinese Super League, but he can't do it once he arrives in the national team. These problems are not only a question of the quality of the players, but also a problem of the overall tactics and mentality of the team.
Total collapse of defense and attack: Wang Dalei performed poorly, and Li Yuanyi and Liu Yang, as defensive midfielders and wide players, also failed to complete their tasks. These problems exposed the total collapse of the national football team at both the defensive and offensive ends.
Youth training and selection system: The failure of the two central defenders of Jiang Guangtai and Zhu Chenjie, as well as the failure to turn things around in the second half with the substitution of Alain and Fernando, all reflect the problems of the national football team in the youth training and selection system.
Rebirth of a broken wrist: the way out for Chinese football
In the face of such a painful defeat, we have to think: where is the way out for Chinese football?
Institutional reform: It is difficult for a good woman to cook without rice. It's no longer a question of which coach and which players, it's a question of the football system. We need to fundamentally reform the football system, return football to its essence, and involve people who truly love football and have the heart to serve the country.
Youth training system: Chinese football needs to start from a young age, but the key is to have a scientific youth training system and selection mechanism. We can't just rely on passion and money to develop players, we need to have wisdom and long-term planning.
Commercialization and professionalism: Chinese football needs to be truly commercialized and professionalized, but this requires a healthy environment and soil. We need to make football a real professional choice where players can get the rewards they deserve for their efforts.
Education and Culture: Chinese football also needs to be reformed at the level of education and culture. We need to make football a part of the school culture, so that children can be exposed to football from an early age and develop their interests and hobbies.
The national football team's 0-7 defeat to Japan was not only a defeat in one game, but also a concentrated outbreak of problems accumulated by Chinese football for a long time. Sun Jihai's five heart-wrenching words only reveal the corner of the scar. The real way out lies in institutional reform, the youth training system, commercialization and professionalization, and a comprehensive reform of education and culture. This is a long battle that requires the joint efforts and persistence of each and every one of us. Hopefully, in the near future, we will be able to see the real rise of Chinese football.