When Choi Kang-hee first took over Shandong Taishan, he was in the limelight. Everyone knew that he was a famous coach from South Korea, with remarkable achievements at multiple clubs. Especially in the Asian football scene, he had a well-known reputation.
Back in 2022, he suddenly took charge of Shandong Taishan, replacing Hao Wei. At that time, expectations were sky-high, as Choi Kang-hee's coaching record in South Korea was impressive, and the teams he led performed well. Many fans believed that Shandong Taishan had found a great coach and would likely see significant success.
Honestly, Choi Kang-hee's first season did not disappoint; at least, he did not make any major mistakes. The team's structure was already well-established during Hao Wei's tenure, so he only needed to make minor adjustments, streamline the lineup, and maintain stable performance. Although it wasn't a spectacular display, the team managed to maintain a reasonable level and didn't falter. Some fans even hailed him as Emperor Kangxi, believing that he was truly a capable coach with great potential.
However, cracks began to appear in the second season. Choi Kang-hee's recruitment moves were disastrous! To name a few, the "glass men" players he brought in, especially Pato and Zecca, looked good on paper but performed poorly on the field. There were also players like Messi Wako who joined the team, which not only failed to enhance the team's strength but made the already shaky Taishan team even more chaotic. What's even more incomprehensible is that Choi Kang-hee introduced some of his former players, including Bi Jin-hao and Peng Xinli, which was not helping but adding fuel to the fire! The team, which was already struggling, became even more disorganized.
Some netizens commented: Choi Kang-hee's recruitment is simply a disaster. With many options available, he chose to pick up old players with a pile of injuries, without considering the long-term development of the team. How can we fans bear to watch this? Initially, everyone had confidence in him, but now it's all gone down the drain, which is quite demoralizing!
Choi Kang-hee's recruitment undoubtedly exacerbated the chaotic situation of the Taishan team. His tactical arrangements were also worrying. The team started losing consecutively to Shanghai Shenhua and Dalian at the beginning of the season, especially in the FA Cup, where they showed almost no resistance. Being eliminated by the Shanghai duo was simply embarrassing!
Fans began to reflect: Can Choi Kang-hee lead Taishan to go further? How much value does his tactics really have? These questions started spreading among fans and the media. At this point, the contradictions between Choi Kang-hee and the club's management gradually surfaced. With the team's poor performance, the management was naturally dissatisfied.
Especially in recruitment, Choi Kang-hee not only let go of core players like Fellaini and Moises, but also brought in players who contributed nothing, causing a significant decline in the team's strength. Even worse, Choi Kang-hee planned to sign Jardel, a "glass man," and intended to give him a three-year contract, which was no small matter. The club's management strongly opposed this, believing it was playing with fire.
Some netizens expressed: I don't know what Choi Kang-hee was thinking, letting go of top-level players like Fellaini and Moises and instead bringing in a "glass man." It's unbelievable! I really doubt if he has lost his mind, being able to make such moves. This comment, though emotional, does represent the sentiments of some fans, who believe that Choi Kang-hee's decisions are utterly bizarre.
As problems gradually emerged, the management of Shandong Taishan could no longer tolerate the situation. Everyone knows that Choi Kang-hee's contract had an exorbitant breach of contract fee; if terminated directly, the club would have to pay 30 million, which is not a small sum. However, Taishan Club still took action and began to sideline Choi Kang-hee. The power to recruit players was gradually taken away from him, and the team began to be led by other high-level executives, gradually breaking free from Choi Kang-hee and his sister's control.
What's most amusing is that some of the recruitment decisions made by Choi Kang-hee and his sister were laughable, yet they failed to save the team from its decline. Some netizens commented: This move to sideline him is truly enlightening. Choi Kang-hee's management power was taken back, and the team began to recover through some effective adjustments. Anyway, his approach was doomed to fail; it's time for him to step down!
It's not an exaggeration to say that Choi Kang-hee's actions indeed caused fans and management to lose confidence in him. Choi Kang-hee eventually stepped down. Faced with pressure from the upper management and dissatisfaction within the team, he failed to turn the situation around. Thus, Choi Kang-hee ended his short and unsuccessful coaching career at Shandong Taishan.
The team's recovery and readjustment began to progress gradually. The club brought in more experienced management and players, slowly stabilizing the team. Some netizens commented on this: Choi Kang-hee this time was really just waiting to die. Initially, people had some expectations for him, but the results were truly disappointing. Recruitment was a mess, tactics had no highlights, and he was aimlessly running around like a headless fly. Ultimately, he was sidelined. It seems this is truly the choice of the times; it's time for Choi Kang-hee to step down!
This comment makes a lot of sense. Choi Kang-hee's play has already reached a conclusion in the hearts of many people. Choi Kang-hee's coaching experience at Shandong Taishan can be described as a moment of glory followed by a lifetime of disappointment. Although the first season was勉强 stable勉强 stable, the problems exposed in the second season, especially in recruitment and tactics, ultimately reduced him to a transitional coach. The chaos of the team, the dissatisfaction of the management, and the disappointment of the fans almost defined his coaching career. And Shandong Taishan, through sidelining him and adjusting team management, gradually returned to the right track. Honestly, Choi Kang-hee's attempt this time was a complete failure.