I went on vacation, but I didn't get a call! Quit it!Why can't I catch Choi Kanghee

Jul 04, 2025

◇photo courtesy of the Korea Professional Football Association

There's no day to blow.

Shandong Taishan coach Choi Kang-hee is again embroiled in rumors of his dismissal. Chinese reporters, including Fan Yu-gang, recently wrote on his SNS that head coach Choi Kang-hee returned to Korea for the East Asian Cup break, saying it is uncertain whether he will return to Shandong. Choi's contract period is until this year, but the reason is that the club can change the manager due to the recent poor performance.

Shandong is ranked 5th after Beijing Guoan (38 points, goal difference +22 points), Shanghai Shenhua (38 points, goal difference +20), Chengdu Longcheng (34 points, goal difference +19) and Shanghai Hai River (34 points, goal difference +16 points) with 25 points as of the 2025 Chinese Super League. Amid the gap with the top ranks, the gap with No. 10 Zhejiang FC (20 points), the second-ranked group Maginot Line, is not large. The past five games have been two wins, two draws and one loss, and two consecutive games have been undefeated (1 win and 1 draw). The league schedule has turned a halfway point, but it is still not at the stage to abandon its dream of jumping to the top. Despite this, local media cite Choi's leadership as the reason for the poor Shandong performance.

◇photo courtesy of the Korea Professional Football Association

The biggest complaint that has been raised so far is the composition of the players. Coach Choi rarely gives young players a chance and is hindering the team's growth. Although it operates a lineup focused on veterans, it is also evaluated that it is not enough to lead to a competition among the top ranks in terms of tactics.

As Chinese media view, Shandong has many talented young players. The Chinese national team, which played in the U-20 Asian Cup held in February, produced seven players, the most among the super league teams. However, the problem is that there are no players who can take the main position in the first team right away. Simply being called up to the national team by age does not vaguely give them a chance to play in the first division.

Choi advanced to China in 2018. After passing through Tianjin Quanjian (2018-2019) and Dalian Yifang (2019), he took the helm of Shanghai Shenhua in 2019, but resigned in August 2021 due to poor performance. take a break afterwards In May 2023, he took over as Shandong head coach. He has gained abundant experience while working in China for a long time, but on the contrary, Choi's soccer may not feel unfamiliar in China. Despite this, Choi proved his rusty leadership by leading the league, FA Cup runners-up and Asian Champions League elite by dealing with a chaotic team due to match-fixing after taking office in Shandong. Last year, he also ranked fifth among the 16 teams in the league. It is by no means a simple achievement in that it is a competition between high-ranking big clubs armed with solid support (Beijing Guoan, Shanghai Shenhua, Shanghai Haigang) and a strong powerhouse (Cheongdu Longcheng) who has renewed under the Korean leadership system.

◇photo courtesy of the Korea Professional Football Association

Despite this, coach Choi has not received a reasonable evaluation. Rather, it is a series of absurd situations. When the opposing team's coach mentioned in the press conference that he ran in front of him and made a goal ceremony, he had to be asked an absurd question "Is it right to criticize the opponent?" After that, whenever he talked about biased judgment and injury problems, questions below the level flew in, and the next day, voices such as 'Can't lead the team properly', 'Older', and 'Can't raise young players attacked Coach Choi. Recently, the Chinese media lost contact with the club over Choi, who is on vacation. Some argue that if you want to quit, you can say you want to quit.

It is worth finding the answer in the recent process of appointing the national team coach. Shin Tae-yong, the former Indonesian coach, Choi Kang-hee, and Seo Jung-won, Chengdu were mentioned as the next coach of the Chinese national team. However, Chinese soccer reporter Song Cheong-ryang said on his SNS, `No matter what, a Korean leader should be appointed as the national team coach. They have a strong tendency to collective selfishness and pursue private interests, and their skills are not particularly good. It is an article left in a space where personal thoughts are revealed, but it is a sharp reaction that can be read as personal aggression. Another media outlet said it is unacceptable to appoint a South Korean coach to the Chinese national team. This is a clear way to see how China is currently looking at Korean leaders. It is ironic considering that in the early days of the Super League, Korean coaches such as Choi Eun-taek, Lee Jang-soo, and O Ji-ryong grew up, and that there are only two teams led by non-European head coaches in the league's fifth place: Choi Kang-hee's Shandong and Seo Jung-won's Chengdu.