Former Indonesia head coach Shin Tae-yong reportedly among candidates to manage China national team

Following China's elimination in the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) has terminated Ivankovic's contract.

According to CNN Indonesia, the CFA sees Shin as one of the candidates for the head coach position.

If an agreement is reached, Shin is expected to take charge of the China national team in July and lead them in the East Asian Cup, which features China, South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong.

However, Shin's representative confirmed that no concrete proposal has been made, according to Chosun.

"Contrary to Indonesian media reports, we have not received any proposals or contacts from the Chinese Football Association," the representative said.

"Coach Shin is currently engaged in various activities, including the position of vice president at the Korea Football Association and the role of a non-full-time Director General at Seongnam FC. There needs to be a proposal from the Chinese side for any discussions to occur, but as of now, there is no movement on that front."

Shin was dismissed by the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) in early January, making way for Dutch coach Patrick Kluivert. Despite his departure, Shin remains highly regarded for his coaching ability. He notably led South Korea to a 2-0 victory over Germany in the group stage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

While taking charge of Indonesia, Shin also reached historic achievements, including advancing past the group stage of the 2023 Asian Cup, reaching the 2024 U23 Asian Cup semifinals, and leading the team into the third round of 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Many believe that Shin's exit from Indonesia was not due to poor performance, but rather a shift in the team's direction, as the squad increasingly features players of Dutch descent, which led to the appointment of Kluivert.