Changing the manager did not bring any changes. Chinese football has once again hit the wall of reality. After failing to qualify for the World Cup, the replacement of the manager was carried out, but finding a new head coach is proving to be a challenging situation. The fundamental limitations have resurfaced.
The Chinese Football Association dismissed head coach Branko Ivanković on the 14th. This was after receiving a dismal performance report of 3 wins and 7 losses (9 points) in the 2026 North and Central America World Cup Asian qualifiers, placing 5th in Group C. Even with the expansion of participating countries to 48, China failed to advance past the third round of qualifiers. They did not even pass the threshold for the final Asian qualifiers.
The problem arises next. Even after changing the manager, they have yet to find a replacement. The reason is clear: there is no money.
The football program 'Football Night' on China Central Television (CCTV) revealed the salary levels set by the Chinese Football Association for the manager. According to the broadcast, the salary cap for the Chinese national team manager is 1.2 million euros, about 1.9 billion won. This amount includes the salaries of the coaching staff. It is essentially a sum that cannot even be put on the negotiation table for managers active in Europe's major leagues.
The broadcast stated, "It is nearly impossible to persuade a young and capable manager from Western Europe with this budget," adding that "negotiations with world-class maestros are simply out of the question."
This situation also stems from past excessive investments and failures. China once spared no expense in their investments. In the mid to late 2010s, they paid former Italian national team coach Marcello Lippi 23 million euros (36.5 billion won). At that time, it was one of the highest coaching salaries in the world. However, the results were disastrous. Under Lippi, China collapsed without significant achievements, leading to extreme skepticism about high salaries within the Chinese Football Association.
Now, they have shifted their strategy to looking for a 'realistic figure' rather than someone with a big name. Nonetheless, evaluations indicate that it is challenging to bring even a mid-tier Asian manager with the current offered salary levels.
Public opinion in China is also cold. Self-deprecating comments continue on Chinese portals including Sina Sports. One internet user remarked, "Let's just give up on Chinese men's football now. Instead of spending money on a manager, let’s properly build a youth system," while another user expressed, "What will change just by replacing the manager now? The skills themselves are the problem."
Some suggest that it would be better to discover 'desperate young managers'. There is an argument that rather than chasing fame, they should provide opportunities to individuals who can establish systems and philosophies.
Ultimately, it seems the Chinese Football Association is shifting towards finding solutions from internal resources. Currently, there is a high likelihood that Dejan Žurjević, who is leading the U-20 Chinese national team, will take over the senior national team. He is familiar with the Chinese system through the youth team and is considered suitable for leading a generational change.
This can also be seen as a cautious move for Chinese football to attempt a reset beyond just changing the manager. The failure to qualify for the World Cup signals that both clubs and associations prefer structural reform over unrealistic investments.
[OSEN]