Dissecting the latest Ballon d'Or list, Shandong Taishan have seven Tigers in the 2023 Chinese Super League Best XI, the strength of which is staggering! Cui Kangxi, the best manager in the Chinese Super League, has far more votes than the rest of the team, making Javier look especially awkward. Even the head coach of a championship team had a hard time beating Cui Kangxi, not to mention Chengdu's Xu Zhengyuan and Zhejiang's Qiaodi. If Shanghai Port still hasn't changed its manager next year, I'm afraid Javier's situation will be even more difficult.
The Chinese Super League MVP was none other than Fellaini, who was a distant second with 942,213 votes. The best coach of the Chinese Super League, Choi Kang-hee, topped the list with 11,476,617 votes, while the total number of votes of the other team's head coaches were not as high as his. Shandong Taishan finished second in the league this season, and will next meet the challenges of the FA Cup and the AFC Champions League. As a member of the team, the players have the opportunity to witness more exciting moments. Taishan's fans also rejoice.
With the FA Cup tournament coming to an end, Taishan will make lineup adjustments in the offseason, and some of the players may face no place to sit, including veteran Song Long and all-around player Sun Guowen. Tong Lei in the hearts of fans mixed reviews, some people believe that he is not competitive enough in the right back position, at most, just a rotating replacement; some people believe that, as a former Olympic player and a member of the national team, Tong Lei in the domestic right back still has its value, and is worth to stay.
At the end of the 2023 season, many players of Taishan team fought hard. Hu Jinghang scored a trio of goals in the league finale against Henan, a spectacular display that has fans looking forward to the goal scorer. Li Hailong added to his tally in the penalty shootout in the fourth round of the AFC Champions League, while Liao Lixiang vowed to play consistently with his excellent long-distance shooting and free-kick abilities.
However, not all players have performed well under Choi Kang-hee's leadership, with fierce competition between Sun Guowen, Pato, naturalized players Fernando and Delgado, and it is still unknown whether they will stay in the team next season. Some Taishan fans are calling for the return of Sun Guowen. "Exchange Sun Guowen for Dalian's Lin Liangming!" Lin Liangming, an international player from Real Madrid's youth training camp, is not to be underestimated. With Dalian relegated, the possibility of his return to the Chinese Super League is unclear. If Lin Liangming returns to the Chinese league, many players are in doubt. Shandong Taishan is expected to continue their three-front war next year, striving for the domestic double title and making a difference in the Asian Championship. Nevertheless, Dalian fans are still convinced that "Sun Guowen cannot change Lin Liangming." They even suggested: "Add Tong Lei!" "No, better add Chen Pu."
