Data map: Jankovic.
Image source: Visual China
China News Service, Beijing, February 24th (Reporter Li He) The Chinese Football Association announced on the 24th that in order to prepare for the 2023 Asian Cup and the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers, after review by the expert review group, the Chinese Football Association researched and approved the appointment of Yan Ke Wei Qi is the head coach of the Chinese National Men's Football Team.
According to the Football Association, Alexander Jankovic was born in Serbia on May 6, 1972.
As a player, he played for Belgrade Red Star (Serbia), ASC Sydney (Australia), AS Cherbourg (France) and other teams.
After serving as a coach, he has coached the Serbia U-21 National Men's Football Team, Belgrade Red Star (Serbia), Standard Liege (Belgium) and other teams, and won the 2011 Serbia Most Visionary Coach Award issued by the Serbian Football Association.
Jankovic is no stranger to Chinese football.
Data map: Jankovic.
Image source: Visual China
On September 28, 2018, Jankovic became the head coach of the yellow team of the Chinese U-19 (1999 age group) national men's football team.
On October 26, 2020, Jankovic completed his contract renewal and led the Chinese U-21 (1999 age group) national men's football team to prepare for the Hangzhou Asian Games.
In July 2022, Jankovic led the Chinese National Men's Football Selection Team to play in the 2022 East Asian Football Confederation E-1 Championship.
It has been rumored for a long time that Jankovic became the coach of the national football team.
According to media reports, after careful research with relevant parties, the Chinese Football Association believes that foreign coaches may be more suitable to lead the current Chinese team than local coaches.
This is also inevitable. After Lippi resigned, the two local coaches Li Tie and Li Xiaopeng "started" one after another, and they ended hastily one after another. This also directly led to the vacancy of the national football coach for a long time.
Data map: Li Xiaopeng.
Photo by Luo Yunfei
It is under the guidance of this line of thinking that the Chinese Football Association has been looking for a new foreign coach for the team since the second half of last year.
However, according to the media, the selection of coaches was not smooth due to various factors.
Some media once broke the news that foreign coach candidates including Queiroz could not be in place for various reasons, and the candidate for the national football coach has also been pending.
In this process, Serbian coach Jankovic, who was then the coach of the men's Asian Games team, became the main candidate for the new coach of the national football team.
On February 14, the Chinese Football Association held a special working meeting on the selection of foreign coaches for the national football team in Foshan, where the national football team is based, but no official results were announced.
Data map: Jankovic.
Image source: Visual China
The news at the time showed that Jankovic's coaching ability was finally unanimously recognized by the coaching and expert members of the Technical Committee of the Chinese Football Association.
And if Jankovic confirms to take over the national football team, the Chinese Football Association will not arrange for Jankovic to hold two positions, and will choose another foreign teacher to lead the men's Asian Games team.
Today, the national football coach Jankovic and the national football Asian Games coach Durjevic made an official announcement together. For the Chinese men's football team, which has been vacant for a long time, it can be called rain after a long drought.
Data map: Jankovic.
Image source: Visual China
Today, the Chinese men's football team seems to have drank the "first sip of water" during the desert journey.
But the question remains - can Jankovic, who has quenched his "near thirst", lead the national football team out of the "desert" in the next few days?
(over)