Taiwan’s international soccer aspirations once again face turbulent times, with officials under pressure to name a replacement at the top following last week’s abrupt resignation of national squad head coach Chen Kuei-jen.
The Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA) has since been busy convening meetings and making consultations to find a new coach, as Taiwan need to be ready for an AFC Asian Cup two-legged qualifier against Cambodia in June.
In a surprise move on Tuesday last week, Chen announced that he was resigning to take responsibility for the team’s “shortcomings” in their qualifying campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Photo: Lin Tsung-wei, Taipei Times
Taiwan were eliminated ahead of their final Group F match, in which they were soundly beaten by Vietnam 4-1 in Hanoi on March 24. Taiwan lost every game home and away against their Group F opponents — Vietnam, Thailand and Iraq.
Chen’s squad finished with zero points, scoring five goals and letting in 19.
“I have put in my best efforts through the past three years, but the team still has some shortcomings. This is a group of outstanding players who have the desire to get better, but I am unable to lead them to a higher level. They need a head coach to push them up another level, to stimulate them with new challenges,” Chen wrote in his resignation letter.
He recommended that a foreign coach take over, one who can provide fresh ideas and professional training, such as in the areas of physical conditioning, specialized coaching for goalkeepers and game data analysis.
A former Taiwan international, 47-year-old Chen took over the national team in 2013.
However, some critics questioned his commitment to the cause as Chen continued as head coach of Taipower in the Intercity League, the nation’s top tier, a job he has held since 2004. For the past two years he has also served as head coach of the Kaohsiung side at the National Games.
The CTFA also intends to appoint him coach of Taiwan’s team at next year’s Universiade, which is being hosted by Taipei.
CTFA chairman Lin Cheng-yi said a selection committee would assess potential candidates to take over the national side and that a decision would be made soon, as the squad needs to start training for some international friendlies, the Asian Cup qualifiers and for the East Asian Cup.
CTFA officials said they would take Chen’s advice and look at coaches from overseas and that they might consider the return of Japan’s Toshiaki Imai, who coached Taiwan from 2005 to 2007.
However, officials admitted that due to the urgency, Imai might be just an interim solution while they look for a longer-term appointment.
Critics say they are unhappy with that plan, since Imai also had a 0-6 record and bringing the Japanese coach back would indicate that the CTFA and Taiwanese soccer are headed in the wrong direction, going back to the levels of 10 years ago.
The NHL postponed the Los Angeles Kings’ home game against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday with several massive wildfires burning across the greater Los Angeles area. The Kings and Flames were scheduled to play on Wednesday night at the Kings’ downtown arena. The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers were scheduled to host the Charlotte Hornets in the same arena last night. “Our hearts are with our entire Los Angeles community,” the Kings said in a statement. “We appreciate the hard working first responders who are diligently working to contain the fire and protect our community. We appreciate the league’s support in keeping our
Doping fears prevented former US Open champion Emma Raducanu from treating insect bites on the eve of the Australian Open, she said, with players increasingly wary about ingesting contaminated substances. The British player was speaking in the wake of high-profile doping cases involving Iga Swiatak and Jannik Sinner. “I would say all of us are probably quite sensitive to what we take on board, what we use,” the 22-year-old said, recalling an incident on Friday. “I got really badly bitten by, I don’t know what, like ants, mosquitoes, something. I’m allergic, I guess,” she added. The bites “flared up and swelled up really a
TWO IN A WEEK: Despite an undefeated start to the year playing alongside Jiang Xinyu of China, Wu Fang-hsien is to play the Australian Open with a Russian partner Taiwan’s Wu Fang-hsien yesterday triumphed at the Hobart International, winning the women’s doubles title at the US$275,094 outdoor hard-court tournament, while McCartney Kessler lifted the trophy in the women’s singles. Fourth-ranked Wu and partner Jiang Xinyu of China took 1 hour, 15 minutes to defeat Romania’s Monica Niculescu and Fanny Stollar of Hungary, 6-1, 7-6 (8/6) at the Hobart International Tennis Centre, their second title in a week. Wu and Jiang on Sunday won the women’s doubles title at the ASB Classic in Auckland, beating Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic and Sabrina Santamaria of the US. Their winning ways continued in Australia as they stretched
EL CLASSICO: La Liga champions Real Madrid would face Barcelona in the Super Cup final tomorrow. Barça secured their final spot after a 2-0 win over Bilbao on Wednesday Real Madrid would chase a record-equaling 14th Spanish Super Cup title in the final against Barcelona after second-half goals by Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo helped them to a 3-0 win over Mallorca in the semi-finals on Thursday. England midfielder Bellingham broke the deadlock after the hour mark with a low shot into the middle of the goal before Mallorca defender Martin Valjent’s own goal doubled the lead in stoppage time followed by a Rodrygo strike from close range. Spanish champions Real are to play Barcelona for the trophy tomorrow after goals by Gavi and Lamine Yamal earned Barça a 2-0 win over
RSS