The decision was made not long after the shocking 0-1 loss to Indonesia on June 5, the result of which caused the Chinese team to be eliminated from the 3rd qualifying round and no longer have a chance to participate in the World Cup.
"Because the Chinese team did not qualify for the fourth qualifying round and the play-off round of the Asian region, the contract of coach Branko Ivankovic and his colleagues automatically ended according to the signed terms. We would like to thank Mr. Ivankovic and the coaching staff for their efforts throughout their time leading the team," the CFA announced.
The CFA also confirmed that it has temporarily appointed coach Dejan Djurdjevic, a Serbian who is currently leading the U19 team, to take charge of the national team while waiting for a new captain.
Coach Shin Tae-yong is emerging as a leading candidate for the hot seat in the Chinese national team. The former head coach of the Indonesian national team is said to be ready to negotiate if he receives an official invitation from the CFA. This information has been recently confirmed by the representative of the Korean strategist.
If the deal goes smoothly, this could be a notable return of Shin Tae-yong to Southeast Asia - East Asia, where he left a strong impression on the Korean and Indonesian teams.
Meanwhile, Chinese football continues to face a wave of fierce criticism not only for its poor performance but also for a series of scandals related to corruption and management. The case of former head coach Li Tie being sentenced to 20 years in prison at the end of 2024 is a clear testament to the crisis that football in this country is going through.
