Croatian Coach Sasa Kolic: Five Years of Coach Experience with Shenyang Football Club Allows Me to Witness Its Tremendous Progress

　　"Hurry up!" "Good!" On a green field at Shenyang Urban Construction University, young players from the Liaoning Iron Man Football Club are fully focused on training under the mixed English and Chinese commands of a foreign coach. The one giving the commands is Croatian coach Sasa Kolic.

Sasa (third from left) is training players on the football field, photo by Zhu Hongmei

　　On the training ground, Sasa is always full of energy, shuttling among the players during over two hours of training. He pays attention to everyone, immediately pointing out any mistakes loudly.

　　Sasa has previously worked as a coach in the Republic of Korea and Croatia. In 2019, he came to Shenyang to become a football coach and has stayed here for five years. Shenyang is the place where he has worked the longest in his coaching career. Actually, he has truly fallen in love with Shenyang.

　　Sasa admitted that Chinese football still has significant room for improvement. "But I can see the players are making progress, and I have also improved myself because of this coaching experience."

Sasa (in the middle) takes a photo with the players, Photo by Zhu Hongmei.

　　"It can be said that I have witnessed the football scene in Shenyang improving day by day. When I came to Shenyang in 2019, our football club was competing in the third-tier leagues, and now our club will fight for the top league in Chinese football. Shenyang's football has made great strides over the years. " Sasa said.

　　Sasa watched a football match at Shenyang Olympic Sports Center in June this year. Photo provided by the interviewee.

　　Talking about the future of Shenyang football, Sasa is full of confidence, "The Liaoning Iron Man club has many young and excellent athletes. In the future, I hope to see more Shenyang football players playing in the top league, and my mission is to cultivate professional talents."