Team China to throw off the shackles

Branko Ivankovic has vowed Team China will go on the attack as the Croatian coach kicked off his tenure in charge of the struggling squad in bullish mood.

The 70-year-old Ivankovic was appointed by the Chinese Football Association last month, and on Friday faced reporters in Tianjin as he prepares for his first test as head coach in a FIFA World Cup qualifying doubleheader against Singapore.

After years of disappointments, expectations are at an all-time low that Team China can reach its first World Cup finals since a sole appearance at the 2002 edition.

However, Ivankovic, who was an attacking midfielder in his playing days, wants his players to at least be more "aggressive" and "confident "on the pitch as they bid to win over the team's long-suffering fans.

"I would ask our players to attack more and be willing to take risks. But of course, playing with different teams, we will have different tactics," said Ivankovic on Friday in Tianjin in his first news conference in the job.

"Another key point is that we have to bring a new winning mentality to the team. We need to have changes. My philosophy is that there has to be passion on the pitch and our players have to be brave to take risks. The results of matches are unpredictable, but what should remain the same is our philosophy of soccer."

The former Iran and Oman coach takes the reins with Team China reeling from yet another setback — failing to progress beyond the group stage at the AFC Asian Cup in January, when the team failed to score a goal across two draws and one defeat.

The lackluster displays resulted in the dismissal of head coach Aleksandar Jankovic, with the CFA appointing Ivankovic as the Serbian's successor in late February. The Croatian has the chance to begin his tenure on a positive note, with two relatively easy looking games against Singapore, on March 21 and 26. Singapore is a lowly 156th in the FIFA rankings, with China 88th.

"I'm very proud to become the head coach of Team China. I believe with the joint efforts of everyone, we can bring better performances and results, which is also the hope of fans," said Ivankovic.

"The position means great responsibility and challenges for me. With the help of the entire coaching team I hope to meet the expectations of all."

Team China, currently third in Group C, opened the second round of its World Cup qualifying campaign in November with a 2-1 win over Thailand before losing 3-0 to South Korea.

"The preparation time for us is very limited, and the Chinese Super League has also just started. The players are not at their peak, so we need a training camp to reach peak condition," the coach added.

The first round of Asian zone qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, kicked off in October last year. The ongoing second round consists of nine four-team groups, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the third round.

Those 18 remaining teams will then be split into three groups of six. The top two finishers in each group will be assured of World Cup spots, with a round of playoffs then offering the third- and fourth-place teams another route to the finals.

For the first time, Asia will have eight direct berths at the FIFA World Cup, with an additional team participating in the FIFA Play-Off Tournament for a possible total of nine AFC participants.

The odds are still stacked against Team China reaching the 2026 finals but Ivankovic wants his squad to dream big.

"Our first goal is to get into the next round of qualification, but our ultimate goal is to build a new national team that is strong enough to get into the World Cup finals," Ivankovic said.

"China has invested heavily in soccer, but the results have not been satisfactory," he added. "Asian soccer is progressing fast, but I believe the Chinese team can still be a force in Asia. The Chinese players are making some progress. I have been observing them for a while, and I'm sure they can produce better results."

Ivankovic is no stranger to Chinese soccer. From 2009 to 2011, he coached CSL powerhouse Shandong Taishan, winning the league title in 2010.

He also enjoyed a notable success over Team China on the international stage, steering Oman to a 2-0 victory in a World Cup qualifier in March 2022.

"As Oman's head coach, I also worked at this year's Asian Cup, and paid close attention to Team China's performances. Before that, I also came up against Team China. My experience tells me that Team China needs to be more aggressive," said Ivankovic.

"You just have to look at the scoreless performances at the Asian Cup. We need to be more efficient in our passing. And it was very obvious that in these matches, there was a lack of confidence on the pitch."

Ivankovic said that although he left China years ago, he continued to follow Chinese soccer and watch CSL matches. His coaching team is a mix of Croatian and Chinese staff, including former Team China captain Zheng Zhi and former Bundesliga player Shao Jiayi.

"The coaches I have brought with me have been working with me for years, and we are all very committed to the job," he said. "The Chinese coaches are also very experienced, and they can act as a bridge between us and the players, and also between the team and the fans."

Hours after Friday's news conference, a 31-man squad for the Singapore matches was announced by the CFA. The omission of many veterans, including former Team China captain Wu Xi, showed Ivankovic is keen to execute his attack-minded plans with a more youthful group of players at his disposal.

shifutian@chinadaily.com.cn