Godfather of national football

Chapter 698
2029 years.

On the first anniversary of the 2030 World Cup in Australia, the Chinese Football Association held a press conference, and all domestic sports media were present, because this conference will announce a major decision!

"What's going on, it's already half an hour late." Old Zhao complained.

Lao Zhao works for an online media, while Lao Wu who works for a local satellite TV next to him is very indifferent, "It's never too late for a good show. After Li Guo left, the national football team has never been so lively."

Old Zhao sighed.

After the Chinese team won the championship in Russia, it did not go as smoothly as the outside world imagined. Instead, it responded to the curse of the World Cup champion.

The 98 French World Cup champion France was eliminated in the group stage in 2002, and the 2006 German World Cup champion Italy was also eliminated in the group stage in South Africa, and Spain was also eliminated later.

Although the two World Cup champions, Brazil and Germany, were slightly better during the period, they were not satisfactory.

The Chinese team led by Chen An performed well in the qualifiers for the World Cup in Qatar, qualifying first in Group B of the top 12. But in the World Cup in Qatar, China's golden generation is obviously old. Zhou Dun is 34 years old, and that is Zhou Dun's last World Cup for the Chinese team.

In the end, the Chinese team had one win and two losses in the group stage, and was eliminated miserably. After returning to China, Chen An also resigned as the head coach of the Chinese team under great pressure.

However, the return of Li Guo expected by the outside world did not happen. The national football team began to choose foreign coaches, and successively invited Capello, Sampaoli, and Pekerman.

But these foreign monks still failed to succeed in China. After firing the last foreign coach, the Football Association started a new round of coaching work. This time the Football Association no longer superstitiously believes in foreign coaches, but is determined to use a Chinese coach!
"The past few years have been really tossing, I hope I can choose a reliable one this time." Old Zhao said.

Old Wu smiled slightly: "This time this guy is really reliable when he plays football, but he just doesn't know what it's like to be a coach."

"It is generally more reliable for a defender to be a coach." Old Zhao replied.

"hope so."

"But I still miss Li Guo, that guy doesn't know where he is now."

"I also miss Director Li. After he leaves, the national football team will not be so strong. Chen An is indeed a little bit worse."

"Yes, when Director Li was here, the team had a backbone in adversity, and Chen An was good at playing downwind. Once the tough backbone was encountered, the national football team led by Chen An would stop."

"Yes, that's the difference between Ferguson and Moyes, even with the same players."

As veteran journalists, both of them are a bit sentimental when it comes to this point. The miracle of 11 years ago seems to be in front of them, but it is so blurred.

Old Wu sighed and continued: "But I think Director Li was right to leave, just like Lippi left Italy after the 2006 World Cup, and even if he came back reluctantly in 2010, it was useless."

"Yes, football cannot depend on one person, Li Guo has done enough."

Just when the two of them recalled the past, the scene started to commotion, followed by a series of clicking sounds.

The two knew that what was supposed to come had finally come, and what Old Wu said was good, it's never too late for a good show.

There were two people walking on the stage, one was the familiar head--Li Weifeng.

When Li Weifeng played football, he was the top player of the Chinese team. Now he is the chairman of the Football Association, and the new head coach of the national football team is on his right.

When the two sat down, the camera was focused on the new coach of the national football team. Today is the press conference for his official signing and appearance.

After so many years, he has cut off his long hair and grown a crew cut, but his handsome face remains the same.

It was he who took over the Hercules Cup from the Russian President 11 years ago and held it high. The picture of winning the title in that battle still lingers in the fans' minds.

Yes, he is the captain of China——Zhou Dun!
Two years after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the 36-year-old Zhou Dun officially retired and bid farewell to the green field. After a period of rest, Zhou Dun began to study coaching courses in Barcelona, ​​​​and has been working as an assistant coach in the Barcelona B team since then.

Everyone looked at Zhou Dun, as if they had turned back time, and for a moment forgot that the press conference was going on now.

Li Weifeng laughed, and he spoke first: "They are all familiar, I don't need to introduce this one."

Hehehe, there was a burst of laughter at the scene.

"I think so, you can't wait, the contract will be signed later, let you ask questions first."

Zhou Dun nodded, indicating that there is no problem.

The on-site press officer ordered a reporter, and he stood up and was the first to ask: "I don't know if I am qualified to represent the media, but I want to say, we miss you!"

As soon as this remark came out, there was thunderous applause at the scene, Zhou Dun smiled shyly, and made a joke for the first time—"Actually, I miss you too."

After another burst of laughter, another reporter stood up and asked, "I heard that the assistant coach you chose is Mu Fei, is that true?"

Zhou Dun nodded: "Yes, actually that kid wasn't very good when he played football, but he is a good coach, at least better than me. He was already the head coach of the Bundesliga team last season, and this time he took the initiative to find me."

"Then will Li Guo come back? Be a consultant or something."

This was everyone's expectation, but Zhou Dun's answer disappointed everyone, "No, I haven't contacted Tou for a long time."

A burst of disappointment permeated the audience. Everyone expected Li Guo to be like Ferguson countless times, even if he was pointing the country in the stands, but after the World Cup in Russia, Li Guo never appeared in the stands when the Chinese team played.

When Li Guo was a coach, he didn't like having a Supreme Emperor behind him, so it was even more impossible for him to be the Supreme Emperor himself, and leave completely if he left.

After a while of disappointment, everyone returned to the press conference, "May I ask Director Zhou, what is the goal for next year's World Cup?"

Zhou Dun was still a little unaccustomed to being called Coach Zhou for the first time, and said with a smile: "Of course it is the group stage. The national football team has been eliminated in the group stage of the World Cup for two consecutive times, so this time the more realistic goal is to qualify for the group stage."

"Director Zhou, can the golden generation of the national football team reappear?"

Zhou Dun paused, "It's a kind of luck that a group of outstanding players gather together. It's not easy, but I believe that the golden generation will definitely reappear. It will take time."

At the end of the press conference, Zhou Dun officially signed his name on the contract. From now on, he is the head coach of the Chinese team.

The arrival of Zhou Dun has aroused new expectations for the media and fans!
(End of this chapter)