Head coach of China's national football team Aleksandar Jankovic instructs players ahead of a training session in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, July 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)
The head coach of China's national football team Aleksandar Jankovic is determined to present a team with "a strong attitude, strong mentality, and commitment" at the upcoming East Asian Football Championship in Japan.
BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) -- As China sets off for Japan for the 2022 East Asian Football Championship on July 17, head coach Aleksandar Jankovic expressed the excitement of the whole squad and vowed to present a Chinese team that works hard and fights to the end.
Having won the championships twice in 2005 and 2010, the Chinese team, mainly composed of its Under-23 team members will face South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong, China.
ON PREPARATION
The Dubai Cup in March this year was the first international competition in three years for many players due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which Jankovic admitted was a "difficult period" during an exclusive interview with Xinhua.
"We use this Dubai Cup to start playing international games after a long time," Jankovic said. "We got some very interesting feedback and we tried to correct this after the Dubai tournament during our camp in Haikou. We don't have much time because the league has started."
Besides the tight schedule prior to the championship, Jankovic stressed that the players need to solve the psychological issues first, which he believes is on the right track and players have learned to "control emotions."
"I'm happy that most of our players have had a lot of minutes in Chinese Super League (CSL) this year, so we are growing up," the Serbian said. "These players individually grow up, and so we grow up as a team. Now we have some experienced players on the team. All these things are very positive."
"I can hardly wait to put them all together, to keep working hard, and use all these previous experiences to build up a competitive team for Eastern Asia Football Championship," Jankovic added.
Players of China's national football team receive instructions at a training session in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, July 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)
Known as a coach that values physical contact during the game, Jankovic is quite satisfied with his players' physical fitness, adding that it's the basis of high-level football.
"We have been talking very often in the past about the physical condition, the requirements and the fat percentage I was insisting on all the time."
"On the last day of the Haikou camp in April, the team average was a 8.9% body fat rate, so we already reached our targets," Jankovic said. "So the first day of this camp, the team average is already at the top level."
Jankovic revealed that Zhu Chenjie will serve as the team captain, adding that "it's a privilege to have a lot of guys with a strong mentality and character that we need."
ON INJURIES
Source from the Chinese Football Association told Xinhua that Jankovic planned to bring experienced Chinese internationals Wu Xi, Zhang Yuning and Zhang Linpeng to Japan, but they all suffered injuries in recent CSL games and cannot make it to the championship.
"I feel sorry for them and that's very unfortunate that it happened at the end of the league," Jankovic said. "But that's football. It happens."
"I want to remind you that I'm very happy to have them with us. They raise the level of our training quality 30% last time. So they are very important."
"But once we close the list, I will be focused on the players who are on the list to train and focus on the game," Jankovic noted.
Among the team, Jiang Guangtai and Tan Long are the only two players above 23 years old, whom Jankovic believes will "transfer good values to the young players and be the role models for our young players."
Jiang Guangtai (C) of Guangzhou passes the ball during a 2022 Chinese Football Association Super League (CSL) match against Hebei FC in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, July 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)
ON OPPONENTS
Both Japan and South Korea mainly recruited players from their domestic leagues for the Championship, as both of them have qualified for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in December this year.
Facing the top-tier Asian teams, Jankovic believes it's more important to focus on the Chinese team rather than whom the opponent is.
"Honestly, I don't care about the motivation of our opponents. I always care about what we are defending," Jankovic said. "If we defend the colors of China on the Japanese soil, there is no bigger honor for our players."
"We are building up a team around young people who are very hungry, motivated, generous, and hard working. In that case, I don't think any team is more motivated than us."
"Mentality and attitude has to be at the maximum of the maximum. This is something I want to see and has nothing to do with the opponent, whether we play against the Japan, South Korea or other teams," he added.
"The goal is always to leave no regrets after the game. Hard working, strong mentality with the top attitude, fighting spirit, and always play to win."
Players of China's national football team attend a training session in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, July 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)
ON ANTICIPATION
When talking about the upcoming Championship, Jankovic is expecting to present a Chinese team that is "fighting, hard working, running and generous with a strong attitude, strong mentality, and commitment."
"The players are focused on what they have to do and everything they do, they have to do it with full intensity, full aggressiveness and the commitment until the moment they fall down without energy," Jankovic stressed. "Then they ask for the sub and they go out and another one comes in. That's the philosophy."
"This has nothing to do with the seniors, Under-23 or Under-20. This is to play our attitude and our respect for the jersey we wear."
Jankovic also noted that the team will upload locker room videos just like they did during the Dubai Cup as they "have nothing to hide."
"We just open our doors to let people see the way we live every day, how we prepare for games, how we celebrate victories and how we face losses together."
"I think these videos can show the nature of this team and the special honor we have - representing China." ■
