Taking up a new role
Coach Troussier sets sights on China’s soccer youth development
For 62-year-old Philippe Troussier, the reason for his coming back to China is not to win a championship, following his stints with clubs in Chinese professional leagues. He has now switched his focus to developing China’s future soccer stars.
The Frenchman, who led Japan to a last-16 finish at their home 2002 World Cup, has become the sporting director of Chinese Super League side Chongqing Dangdai Lifan, a change from his traditional role of head coach.
In an exclusive interview with the Global Times, the man nicknamed “White Wizard” by the Chinese media for the surprising results he managed with several underdog teams, said he wants to build a real soccer academy in the world’s most populous country.
“China is a young country for football, which automatically means it lacks [soccer] infrastructure, coaches as well as a technical program,” Troussier said.
“My goal is to establish the process of developing youth participation, to have them become professional players.”
He admitted that while youth development in soccer in China has improved a lot in recent years, many problems persist.
“Football in China changed a lot in the last five years, but the first step of the evolution, we see [problems of] coaches smoking on pitch, making business. But this is the first process you have to accept,” noted Troussier.
“Now we have a lot of money in the market … though I’m not sure the money is going straight to football. But I’m sure with certain steps, with new people, new blood, sure it will improve.”
Grass roots first
After nearly two decades of soccer experience in Asia, Troussier, who was once one of the candidates for head coach of the Chinese national team, emphasizes that he wants to focus on developing grass-roots soccer.
“We need to think grass roots first … If we have a big amount of grassroots footballers, it will be easy for any process to fish the player who wants to make an effort,” said Troussier.
Cultivating young players is not just about improving them physically and tactically, but also teaching them about “mentality, sacrifice and vision,” he noted. “We should build a life vision, to know what they want to be … it’s a human being process.”
He also took the opportunity to denounce the so-called academies that were established previously, saying they “have no future.”
“[Previously] in China, an academy was like a place where 20 players trained, not a school one goes to. They stay in a dressing room of eight players together … this has no future,” the Frenchman warns. “This is what we have to change.”
“You should consider learning, sharing time, enjoyment, education and traveling … We also need to find the balance among school, football and private life.”
Troussier also guided the Japanese side to the final of the U-20 World Cup in 1999, where they lost to a Spain team that included midfield master Xavi.
Eye on Zhang
Troussier emphasizes that there are currently about 10 Chinese players who are at a level where they can play in European clubs, though not as key players, before singling out Zhang Yuning, who he had in his reserve team squad during his stint at Hangzhou Greentown.
In contrast to China’s neighbors Japan and South Korea, who each have more than 15 internationals playing overseas, China only has Zhang, 20, playing abroad.
“Most Chinese players are the type who run with the ball, but Zhang is totally different,” said Troussier. “He can be a post player … We don’t have this type of player in China.”
Zhang, who is playing with Dutch top-tier side Vitesse, is the youngest player in Marcello Lippi’s Chinese national team. On Friday, Zhang had his contract with the club extended to 2018.
Troussier also noted he had recommended Zhang to his compatriot and former Chinese national team head coach Alain Perrin, under whom China came close to elimination in the AFC World Cup qualifying second-round before Gao Hongbo brought the team back from the brink.
But eventually Perrin had passed Zhang over due to his young age.
Under Gao, Zhang’s debut for the national team came on June 3, 2016 in a 4-2 win against Trinidad and Tobago when he scored twice and assisted for one goal.
“Eventually Zhang made it into the national team, which proved what he is capable of,” said Troussier, who believes Zhang will become one of the best Chinese players in the next two to three years.
Though Zhang is yet to score in a competitive game for China, his performance was widely hailed by fans and media for his role in varying China’s offense.
“The success of Zhang in Europe could be an ambassador of Chinese football … I hope his success can help Europeans open eyes, to say ‘maybe we can find a good player in China.’”