On July 11, Shanghai Shenhua officially announced the signing of Shandong Taishan player Fernando on loan, drawing widespread attention. Regarding the reason behind Fernando’s departure, some reports have suggested that he had a conflict with head coach Choi Kang-Hee. Wang Xiaorui, a reporter for “Titans Weekly”, provided a detailed explanation on this matter.
The report states that the root of the conflict between Fernando and Shandong’s head coach Choi Kang-Hee lies in playing time.
In mid-June, Fernando returned from national team duty, coinciding with Shandong Taishan’s away match against Meizhou. He was not given a starting position in that game, leading to his dissatisfaction. After the match, he confronted head coach Choi Kang-Hee. Adding to the tension, Shandong failed to win the match. Fernando’s attitude was clear: He felt he deserved to start, rather than another player in the main lineup.
However, the coaching staff had decided to place Fernando on the bench considering that he had only been back with the team for two days and had not participated in any of the team’s recent tactical drills. Fernando did not accept this reasoning and subsequently refused to join the team for the FA Cup match in Chongqing.
The report further indicates that Fernando’s behavior in daily life and training had already caused annoyance amongst the coaching staff. He was seen as laid-back and not aligning with the demands of head coach Choi Kang-Hee.
On the day before the away match against Guoan on June 29th, Fernando, without being called up by the team, went to Beijing on his own. This action directly angered Choi Kang-Hee. It is reported that the two met in Beijing and had a heated argument, ending in a bitter separation.
An insider stated that Fernando’s actions amounted to an open challenge to the coach’s authority. Particularly in terms of team selection, having players openly criticize the coach’s use of players, even attempting to overstep their role and participate in the selection process, is highly unusual within the Chinese Super League.
Fernando’s departure from Shandong Taishan came as no surprise to those within the team. A knowledgeable individual acknowledged: “From the day he was suspended from training and matches, we knew he wouldn’t be returning to the team.”
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