Chinese fans should keep victory over South Korea in perspective
China’s World Cup qualifying victory over South Korea on Thursday provided a welcome shot in the arm for domestic soccer, but the game’s overall health at home remains in need of major surgery.
The 1-0 win in Changsha, Hunan province, kept China’s slim hopes of reaching next year’s finals in Russia alive to send home fans into raptures.
As the jubilant celebrations continued into early Friday morning on Changsha’s streets, one could easily have been forgiven for thinking World Cup qualification had been secured.
Indeed, the sea of red flags and outpouring of patriotic pride was reminiscent of the night of Oct 7, 2001 when China earned its first and only World Cup finals appearance, for the 2002 tournament in Japan and South Korea.
The reality, though, is that qualification remains a long shot.
China is placed fifth of six teams in Group A, with four matches remaining. The top two in each Asian group go through automatically, with the two third-place countries going into a playoff.
China is four points behind third-place Uzbekistan and five adrift of second-place Korea. Leader Iran is on 14 points.
And whatever about qualifying f or Russia, China’s aim of becoming a soccer superpower by 2050 is perhaps a tougher task.
Chinese Football Association president Cai Zhenha has called for a redoubling of efforts in the nation’s soccer drive.
“The level of the national team hasn’t improved significantly, but our efforts over the past two years shouldn’t be ignored. Still, huge challenges remain, and we must forge ahead with determination and resilience to deepen the reform,” said Cai at a recent Beijing conference to review the measures taken since 2015 to boost the domestic game.
On Thursday, the CFA unveiled a series of new short-term targets.
They include improving the national team’s world ranking to at least 70th, cultivating a million youth players, introducing soccer training at 20,000 schools and constructing 60,000 new pitches by 2020. China is currently ranked 86 th in the world, while about 13,000 schools offer specialist soccer training.
Youth concern
Industry insiders are concerned a lack of training facilities and qualified coaches remain major obstacles to mass soccer participation.
“The shortage of qualified trainers on campus and high cost of venues remains an issue for us to provide longterm training on a consistent basis for the juniors,” said former China midfielder Ma Mingyu, now the deputy secretary general of Sichuan Provincial Football Association.
“The low wage for grassroots coaches is hampering their passion as well.”
Ma, a veteran of China’s 2002 World Cup team, urged professional clubs, local-education authorities and sports bureaus to work together to offer technical and financial support to junior coaching programs.
On the elite level, massive investment has resulted in spiralling transfer fees and revenues in the Chinese Super League.
CSL clubs spent $410 million during the recent winter transfer window, while the league’s media rights from 2016 to 2020 sold for 8 billion yuan ($1.16 billion).
According to auditing firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, the sponsorship revenue of CSL reached 375 million yuan ($54 million) in 2016, with an estimated 20 percent growth to be achieved by the end of this year after new sponsors got on board, including alcohol brand Yanghe.
The level of the national team hasn’t improved significantly, but our efforts over the past two years shouldn’t be ignored.” Cai Zhenhua, President of the Chinese Football Association cheer on China during its 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory over South Korea in Changsha, Hunan province, on Thursday. The win provided some encouragement for China’s government-led bid to become a major soccer power by 2050.
Koreans sticking by Stielike
However, many remain sceptical about the overall nature of the CSL’s growth.
“The attention on the league and the investment have been impressive but, to be honest, the level of local players didn’t improve so much because some of the club investors are short-sight- ed,” said former China and Manchester City midfielder Sun Jihai.
“They only care for instant results while neglecting longterm cultivation.”
To curb the overspending and encourage youth development, the CFA is planning a cap system to limit player transfers and salaries.
“The development of our league has to be achieved based on rational thinking,” said CFA chief Cai.
“It has to be a mature operation with the goal of building famous clubs that can eventually boast of over 100 years’ history, like those in Europe.” Road of reform
February 2015:
Uli Stielike’s future as South Korea’s head coach is safe despite its 1-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to China, Korean FA chief Chung Mong-gyu said on Friday.
South Korea still occupies one of the two automatic qualification spots for next year’s World Cup finals, and Chung backed Stielike to carry on as coach ahead of Tuesday’s Group A clash with fourth-place Syria in Seoul. “We didn’t play such a bad match,” Chung said. “The players did the best they could under the circumstances. We haven’t lost hopes of qualifying for the World Cup and talks of a coaching change (are premature).
“We just have to watch and let these players have a strong game (on Tuesday).”
Stielike, who was hired in 2014, apologized to South Korea fans for the defeat and promised improvements from his side, which failed to convert superior possession into goals in Changsha on Thursday.
“We lacked a delicate finish,” said the 62-yearold German. “I will try to find solutions to the problem in the remaining four matches by making changes.”
Second-place South Korea trails group leader Iran by four points with four games left.
Stielike, a former Real Madrid and West Germa-
The Leading Group of Overall Reform headed by President Xi Jinping approved the proposal for the nationwide promotion and reform of soccer in China. May 2015: A delegation of FIFA executives visited China to discuss the plan and provide advice to the Chinese Football Association. August 2015: The General Administration of Sports of China (GASC) decides to delink the CFA from its administrative control. September 2015: The media rights for the Chinese Super League for 2016 to 2020 were sold for 8 billion yuan ($1.16 million). February 2016: The delinking of the CFA from the GASC was completed to make the association a full-fledged non-governmental organization. April 2016: The State Council, China’s cabinet, issued the mid- and long-term soccer development plan with the goal of transforming China into a world-class competitor by 2050. May 2016: The State Council released a construction plan aimed at building 7,000 soccer pitches by 2020. October 2016: Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi is appointed manager of China’s national team. December 2016: The Education Ministry selected 243 foreign youth trainers to work at Chinese schools to train students and local PE teachers.
Fourth-place Colombia also needed a penalty to score a 1-0 home victory against Bolivia.
Elsewhere, seventh-place Paraguay beat fifth-place Ecuador 2-1, and bottom team Venezuela drew 2-2 with Peru, which is eighth.
Despite Brazil’s convincing victory, it conceded for the first time since September.
A blunder by Real Madrid’s Marcelo led goalkeeper Alisson to foul Edinson Cavani and the Paris Saint-Germain striker converted the resulting ninth-minute spot-kick to give Uruguay an early lead.
The goal was Cavani’s 40th for his country, which had won all six of its previous home games of the campaign.
Brazil coach Tite said his team’s performance was “more than the expected”.
“I was happy about the 90 minutes, our capacity to absorb a goal against us and keep playing based on one idea,” the 55-year-old added.
“Our team is very aware that it has to triangulate. We did more than controlling the match, we were dominant.”
Uruguay sorely missed the attacking threat of Barcelona star Luis Suarez, who was suspended, while Brazil was without Manchester City teenage sensation Gabriel Jesus, who has a broken toe.
Brazil will be without defender Dani Alves against Paraguay on Tuesday in Sao Paulo — the match that will likely secure the Samba Boys’ World Cup berth. On the same night, Uruguay will travel to face Peru.