Last week, the highly anticipated official announcement of the new training squad for the national football team was made, which includes a total of 32 players actively preparing for the two crucial top 18 qualifiers set to kick off in March, against strong opponents Saudi Arabia and Australia.
According to detailed statistical data, the average age of the new national team training squad is 26.7 years old, clearly reflecting the national team's strategy of optimizing its age structure. Among them, it is noteworthy that a total of 11 post-00s players have been selected, with Hou Yongyong, Mai Wulong, Jian Tao, and Wu Mitijiang all donning the national team's jersey for the first time.
This move fully demonstrates head coach Ivan Kozlovic's firm determination to continue promoting the rejuvenation of the national team. For example, in past games, young players were often questioned due to their lack of experience, but Ivan Kozlovic dared to break conventions and boldly启用newcomers, a boldness that has won warm acclaim from many fans.
With newcomers entering the national team camp, it inevitably means that there will be old ones exiting. For instance, Wu Lei, Jiang Guangtai, and Liu Dianzuo, with Liu Dianzuo, the goalkeeper, already 34 years old, it is reasonable for him to be abandoned by Ivan Kozlovic from the perspective of competitive form and long-term development. The younger Jian Tao, on the other hand, serves as a reserve force for the national team's goalkeeping talent, adding more possibilities for future matches.
Furthermore, an in-depth analysis of the distribution of players from various clubs reveals that Beijing Guoan tops the list with 7 selections. Shanghai Shenhua and Shandong Taishan also performed well, each with 6 selections. However, as last season's Chinese Super League champion and FA Cup champion, Shanghai Port has only Yan Junling and Wei Zhen selected this time, which is quite surprising.
In the football world's convention, when each national team calls up players, they usually prioritize domestic league champion teams to obtain the best competitive resources.
However, Ivan Kozlovic does not favor Shanghai Port's players, such as Zhang Linpeng, Lu Wenjun, Li Shuai, Xu Xin, Yang Shi Yuan, Li Ang, Cai Huikang, etc. It should be noted that Shanghai Port has many outstanding players and quite a few young players with great potential. Unfortunately, none of them can catch Ivan Kozlovic's eye.
At the same time, several veterans from Shanghai Port are also gradually being phased out, including Zhang Linpeng, Xu Xin, Cai Huikang, Lu Wenjun, Wang Shenchao, etc. Even though they are core members of the league championship team and have made remarkable contributions to the team, under Ivan Kozlovic's new strategic layout, they cannot escape the fate of leaving.
Even though Yan Junling and Wu Lei are still regulars in the national team, they have become substitutes in the current lineup. The extent of Ivan Kozlovic's reshuffle is quite significant, and his courage and determination to break and establish anew undoubtedly aim to inject new vitality into the national team, stimulate the team's fighting spirit, and thus promote the national team to achieve better results and higher goals in the future.