Shock news: Choi Kang-hee's hard-hitting, Silhwa Sandong, 6th in the FA Cup + 6th in the league → Biggest crisis

Jun 21, 2025

사진=소후닷컴

Choi Kang-hee, who is leading Shandong Taishan, is shaking his position.

Coach Choi Kang-hee's Shandong was eliminated from the tournament after losing 1-3 to Chengdu Longcheng in the quarterfinals of the Chinese FA Cup at the Olympic Sports Center Stadium in Jinan, China on the 20th.

The flow of the two teams, which was tight, was divided in the 39th minute of the first half. As Romulo, who has played in the Korean K-League in the past, scored the first goal with a fantastic free kick score, Chengdu began to take the lead. Shandong didn't easily back down either. Lucas Gajal's score in the 8th minute of the second half, which received a cross from Zeka from Pohang Steelers, brought the game to square one.

However, Homulo also led Chengdu. In the 16th minute of the second half, Homulu's shot was deflected off the defensive wall from a free kick obtained from a long distance. Goalkeeper Wang Daray was caught in a dynamic game and could not prevent it. Shandong lost hope of victory in the 36th minute of the second half when he even gave up a penalty score, and eventually lost.

After the game, Sohu of China strongly criticized Choi Kang-hee. Looking back on this game, Shandong's defeat was due to the players' overall deterioration of condition, but the most decisive loss was manager Choi Kang-hee's tactical operation and command. In the match, Choi Kang-hee made at least two absurd decisions, ranging from the composition of the starting lineup to judgment during the game. The two decisions eventually changed the course of the game, leading to Shandong being eliminated early and the dream of winning the FA Cup being destroyed.

Sohu first pointed out that coach Choi Kang-hee replaced central midfielder Guillermi Madurka early. It was criticized that the balance of the midfield was broken due to the absence of Madurka. He also mentioned that Baco, who was very active in Ulsan HD in the past, was put in too late. Baco is Shandong's ace, because he was put in the 20th minute of the second half. The story was that Baco should have given him enough time.

Crucially, Sohu predicted that the defeat would lead to the dismissal of head coach Choi Kang-hee. The media was eliminated early from the FA Cup and virtually moved away from the competition to win the Chinese Super League, and head coach Choi Kang-hee's replacement now seems to be a given. If Shandong keeps him at the helm despite his disastrous performance, it will be difficult to stop the fans from criticizing him,' he said, predicting that the club will make a decision.

Coach Choi Kang-hee was appointed to Shandong, which was in a difficult situation in 2023. He took over in a difficult time and showed his performance as coach Choi Kang-hee by ranking second in the league and runner-up in the FA Cup. At that time, it was even said that he had received a proposal for the Chinese national team.

However, his performance in the 2024 season was not satisfactory. He finished fifth in the league and second in the FA Cup last season. Rumors of a replacement were circulated due to poor performance, but Shandong decided to give coach Choi Kang-hee more opportunities. Unfortunately, they were eliminated early in the FA Cup this season, and the league is only sixth. If he fails to rebound in his performance, coach Choi Kang-hee's future is at stake.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.