New marketing guru lays out ambitious plan to bring mainland global respect
China's new troubleshooting football tsar has promised millions of disgruntled fans international glory by the next World Cup.
The Chinese Football Association's new marketing expert, Wong Yingquan, said China was about to embark on a no-expense-spared trophy hunt as the national game underwent a revolution thanks to 'a new kind of relationship'.
'I can promise fans things are going to change from August, and China will become an international footballing force by the [2008] Olympics and the next World Cup. We will have something to cheer about,' said Wong, the general manager of Infrontasia, the CFA's international marketing partner.
He said the CFA was poised to spend 'millions of dollars to rid the game of scandal, hire the best coaches, obtain the best training facilities, and get the best players'.
A new, young team would be assembled for the 2008 Olympics, which would then springboard China on to the footballing map during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, said Wong.