China appoints football star Shao Jiayi national head coach, sparks debates over lack of management success

Shao Jiayi plays for Energie Cottbus in 2011. Photo by Reuters

On Wednesday, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) made a surprising move by appointing Shao, who has little managerial success, to be the new national team coach.

Shao, 45, is one of the most successful Chinese players in Europe. He had 36 caps for the national team (2000–2011), scored 9 goals, participated in the 2002 World Cup and was instrumental in the miracle run of the team to the 2004 Asian Cup final.

His peak lasted nearly 10 years in Germany, playing for clubs such as TSV 1860 Munich, Energie Cottbus and MSV Duisburg. He is considered the most successful Chinese player in Germany’s top-tier league Bundesliga.

However, as a coach, Shao has not been very successful. He used to be an assistant coach at Beijing Guoan FC and the China U19 and U23 teams. In the 2025 season, Shao made his breakthrough when he helped Qingdao West Coast, a newly promoted club in the Chinese Super League, successfully avoid relegation early, finishing 10th last year.

The CFA's choice of a domestic coach with little success has caused great controversy. The reaction from fans on Chinese social media is mostly skeptical, because the national team has been in decline for a long period. Many fans said CFA was supposed to appoint a famous coach from Europe who understands modern football.

"CFA should have just found another coach in Europe, not a domestic coach with little experience and success," a user commented.

"As a player, Shao Jiayi is superb. As a coach, not so much," another fan wrote.

In June, CFA terminated the contract with coach Branko Ivankovic and his coaching staff after the defeat to Indonesia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, knocking the team out of the competition.

"Taking into full consideration the experience and lessons of previous national team coach selections, the current situation and level of Chinese men's football, the long-term development of the national team, as well as the qualities and coaching abilities of the candidates and expert opinions, the CFA ... decided to appoint Shao Jiayi," the association said in a statement on Wednesday, as quoted by Reuters.

CFA said it has considered multiple candidates from home and abroad, taking a prudent scrutiny on their respective managerial resumes, coaching philosophies, training methods, communication ability and compatibility with the job, before selecting Shao as the new head coach of the national team, China Daily reported.

Besides the mixed reactions, many fans put their trust in Shao, calling for more support and less interference, according to the South China Morning Post.

"There has to be a long-term plan for him, give him a good environment and patience," one fan wrote on social media. "Let’s work steadily for a few years, without any back-and-forth changes.

"Don’t change the coach again immediately just because the team doesn’t perform well in the Asian Cup or the qualifiers, I am begging you," another commented.