China PR captain Zheng Zhi on Saturday said the team was facing a "crucial moment", after a disappointing 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ qualifying campaign angered fans and left coach Alain Perrin under pressure.
Zheng, who is shortlisted for Sunday's Asian player of the year awards in New Delhi, said China had to pull themselves together and perform in their final two second-round qualifiers next year. The Chinese Football Association (CFA) apologised and announced a review of Perrin's performance after a 0-0 draw with Hong Kong left the team third in their group and struggling to make the next round.
"Indeed our national team has encountered some obstacles and with our ranking in the group stage, maybe we'll have a lot of difficulties in the following games," Zheng said in the Indian capital. "But we still have two matches to go next year so the whole team really hope that we can work together, all the players with the coaches, and we can really make a change in the next two matches."
The veteran Zheng is up against the UAE's Ahmed Khalil and Omar Abdulrahman for his second Asian Football Confederation (AFC) award, after he won it two years ago in 2013. Zheng led Guangzhou Evergrande to their second AFC Champions League title last week - against Khalil's Al Ahli - but the path has not been so smooth for China's national team.
"We cannot deny that we now have some difficulties and our head coach is definitely under certain pressure. To everyone on the team, I think it's a crucial moment," Zheng told journalists.
"Everyone needs to work hard. The spectators and the Chinese fans really want the Chinese team to improve ourselves so we should improve ourselves and play better. I really believe that winning the AFC Champions League with Guangzhou Evergrande could contribute to the (national team) players' performance in the following matches and give encouragement to all the fans and spectators."
While the mop-haired Abdulrahman, known as "Amoory", was absent because of playing commitments, Khalil is hoping winning the award will boost his club after last week's 1-0 loss to Guangzhou. The 24-year-old said he still harboured hopes of making the leap from UAE club football to Europe, a move which would emulate Zheng's stints at Celtic and Charlton Athletic.
"Every player dreams of playing for big teams that he used to follow on TV...I have big hopes, big ambitions. I will do my best to achieve those ambitions," the striker said.
However, both players were lukewarm on the prospect of playing in India, where football has a foothold with two professional leagues, the I-League and the two-year-old Indian Super League. "I don't think Indian clubs will be interested in me because I'm too old," smiled midfielder Zheng, 35. "I think I may retire at Guangzhou Evergrande."