Madeking: Antonio’s Contract Follows Same Model as National Team Coach Ivan, Four Challenges Ahead

On August 16, according to reporter Madeking, the contract for U21 national team coach Antonio follows the same model as national team head coach Ivankovic, with four challenges ahead to be addressed.

On August 16, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) officially announced the return of former U20 national team coach Antonio to lead the new U21 men’s national team in preparation for the 2026 U23 Asian Cup and the 2026 Asian Games. It is understood that Antonio’s contract follows the same phased model as national team coach Ivan.

After the selection committee finalized Antonio, another crucial step was to determine the contract details, from coaching duration to salary issues. Antonio’s salary upon his return is within the scope recognized by the CFA, naturally higher than when he coached the U20 national team due to the different nature of the team, but it will not exceed one million euros. In terms of duration, similar to previous foreign coaches, it is a phased contract, meaning automatic renewal after completing each phase. The first official tournament this team will participate in is the qualifying round of the Seventh U23 Asian Cup in September 2025. If they qualify, the contract extends until the final stage of the competition in Saudi Arabia in January 2026. Should they reach the quarter-finals, the contract continues until the Japanese Asian Games in September-October 2026; if not, an evaluation will determine the continuation. This contract format began during the Yankovic era and includes the current national team coach Ivan, which is beneficial for overall team preparation.

One significant advantage of Antonio coaching the 2003 age group is his familiarity with domestic players of this age, especially since his U20 national team reached the quarter-finals at the 2023 U20 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan. Public opinion and online feedback are generally favorable, preventing him from facing distrust upon taking office. However, it should be noted that the situation Antonio faces now has changed significantly from when he coached the U20 national team.

Firstly, Antonio hasn’t been back to China since ending the U20 Asian Cup in March 2023. The 2003 age group players have undergone significant changes. Of the 23 players who participated in the U20 Asian Cup, nearly half have faced development challenges, some disappearing from the Super League, China League One, and even China League Two. Many players performing well in various leagues did not get the chance to join the U20 national team. Therefore, Antonio needs to reassess and re-evaluate the players of this age group.

Secondly, the reason the U20 national team could reach the quarter-finals under unfavorable circumstances in the U20 Asian Cup was the much-criticized method of “long-term training.” Due to the pandemic, players had to train together, unable to participate in regular matches. The team trained for three months straight before the U20 Asian Cup, with few warm-up games. Now, the 2003 age group players often play as starters or substitutes in China League One and Two, making long-term training difficult. Instead, training must utilize FIFA-designated international match weeks. Under these conditions, how to ensure and improve the technical and tactical level of the U23 national team?

Thirdly, from a technical and tactical perspective, Antonio’s approach with the U20 national team was to focus on defense and counterattacks, emphasizing efficiency. While the team performed well in the U20 Asian Cup, the technical and tactical content was low, with the highest number of passes in a single game being around 180. Continuing this strategy might be unsustainable. Thus, Antonio may need to adjust his tactical guidance.

Fourthly, Antonio’s assistant coaches had significant qualification issues during his time with the U20 national team, but due to the circumstances, no further action was taken. Now, it is understood that Antonio has replaced several assistants with better qualifications. How the new coaching staff will work together remains to be seen.

In any case, Antonio’s return as the head coach of the 2003 age group national team can be seen as meeting public expectations, but the demands and expectations from the outside world will likely surpass those of the past. The competitive landscape this age group faces in Asia will also be more challenging than the U20 national team level. Therefore, while this collaboration has a solid foundation and a greater chance of success, the challenges Antonio faces will also be greater than before.