Li Xiaopeng led the East Asian Cup journey looks tough, if only to Jankovic's U23 lineup plus overage players, it may touch the sensitive nerves of the East Asian Football Federation, incurring the organizer's displeasure. As for the identity of the Chinese team to participate in the East Asian Cup positioning - is the U23 national football team, the national second team, national selection team, or directly called the Chinese national team - so far is still inconclusive.
Overage players' attitudes a mystery
If all goes as it should, Jankovic will once again lead the team in the East Asian Cup, with a lineup that will include U23s along with several overage players. However, defining the identity of the team remains a mystery. Whether Li Xiaopeng is still in charge of the national soccer team or not, it seems inappropriate to refer to the team as such.
It is worth mentioning that the selection of overage players is also full of challenges. It is expected that 4-5 over-age players will travel with the team, and despite the fact that the CFA senior management has informed the players concerned, some of them have shown strong resistance to participating in the East Asian Cup due to a number of factors. Meanwhile, other international players are secretly asking if they will be drafted.
The players' mentality is understandable. After the intensive training and long isolation of the Top 12, the international players are physically and mentally exhausted. Coupled with the continuation of the league, if they traveled to Japan to compete, they would also have to face up to 20 days of quarantine after returning home. The second phase of the Chinese Super League was originally scheduled for July 19 to August 20, which means overage players will miss the entire second phase.
For Chinese Super League teams, the international players who are called up are often the core of the team, and their absence will have a significant impact on the team's overall strength. Take Zhang Yuning as an example, as the best scorer in the Chinese Super League, his absence may force Guoan's tactical system to undergo a complete adjustment. This is not a problem that can be solved by a simple compensation policy.
Although Shanghai Shenhua head coach Wu Jingui expressed his support for the national team's call-ups, Shenhua has a number of U23 players and captain Wu Xi. If they return together, the team's personnel depth and lineup adjustments will be seriously affected.
It is reported that the possibility of the Chinese Super League following the K League to adjust the schedule is not high. This season's Chinese Super League schedule is compact, time is tight, want to complete the game before the World Cup, the adjustment space is extremely limited. If the league interrupted a month, part of the tournament can only be postponed to after the World Cup, which will directly affect the Chinese team's preparation for the Asian Cup.
