Shanghai Media Reveals Ivan on Volcano, Still Refuses to Call Up Veterans: Yu Hanchao, Wu Xi, and Zhang Xizhe All Struggle to Impress

According to the Shanghai media outlet Orient Sports Daily, although Ivan has managed to stay in his position as head coach of the national team, despite the constant threat of dismissal, he remains uninterested in veterans who have performed well in the Chinese Super League. This includes players like Wu Xi, Zhang Xizhe, and Yu Hanchao, who are unlikely to be included in the new squad list.

While the debate over Ivan’s dismissal has been temporarily put aside, with Ivan confirmed to lead the team in October, if the situation repeats itself in the upcoming matches against Australia and Indonesia as it did in the two World Cup qualifiers in September, it will not only lead to greater opposition from fans and media but also prompt action from the Chinese Football Association.

However, even so, Ivan continues to adhere to his own fixed mindset in selecting players. Currently, apart from Wei Shihao who might return, several veterans who have performed exceptionally well in the league still fail to catch his eye.

The September training camp saw the exclusion of veteran Zhang Xizhe, who had previously excelled in the Chinese Super League, which sparked some controversy. Ahead of the announcement of this new squad list, veteran Yu Hanchao from Shanghai Greenland Shenhua demonstrated a heavenly performance. However, according to Orient Sports Daily, these two players are unlikely to be included, “Veterans such as Yu Hanchao and Zhang Xizhe may continue to be left out due to the coaching staff’s requirements for the intensity of World Cup qualifier matches.”

Moreover, former captain Wu Xi will not choose to return to the national team due to personal reasons. Of course, although the training camp is set to begin on October 3rd, Taishan, Port, and Shenhua will all play away games in the AFC Champions League on October 1st and 2nd. Whether to grant rest time to the international players from these three teams is something that the coaching staff led by Ivan needs to consider.