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Like Hopewell, volleyball team knows how to bounce back

The Chinese women's volleyball team is anything but consistent, but it has a special place in  people's hearts.

The national team has won the most world  championships for China among the three most popular sports (soccer, basketball and volleyball), with seven titles, including two in the Olympics (1984 and 2004). It was  the world's No3 team behind Russia and Brazil last year.

'Iron Hammer' Jenny Lang Ping,  'Small Devil' Zhang Rongfang  and 'Pretty Killer' Liang Yang  all become household names as they helped the team win the pennants.

But 'volleyball' also means 'volatile' in China sports because of thwarted hopes  for most of the past 30 years. We found the fate of  team has a striking similarity to that of Hopewell Holdings

In 1981, when the volleyball team claimed its first world championship, Sir Gordon Wu Ying-sheung completed his landmark Hopewell Centre in Wan Chai.

But thereafter, the national team, like Hopewell, underwent a slump between 1986 and 2003 until it won the World Cup in 2003 and  the gold medal at Athens in 2004.

With this  background, you can see why the women's volleyball team  has not been a top choice for corporate sponsors.

But things changed last month when Kerry Oil's No1 brand, Arawana, agreed to sponsor the team. The partnership appeared to get off to a good start. Last week, the team clinched the first international championship of the year with a win in Switzerland. It is now preparing for a showdown in Ningbo where the 14th World Women's Volleyball Grand Prix is to be hosted in August.

Next month, a nationwide  television advertising campaign  will support the national team.

Thanks to a special arrangement by Kerry Oil and its advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, Lai See was privileged to preview the production last week of a 30-second ad jia you - literally translated as 'add oil' - a term often heard by fans cheering the team.

Like many, Lai See can still recall supporting the team with his family during a live broadcast 25 years ago and crying when they came back to beat Russia in the 2004 Olympics. How time flies!

Acting role a tall order

Lai See had a short conversation with Zhao Ruirui,  the tallest  Chinese women's player  at 1.96 metres,  during filming of the video.

Lai See: It must be tough for you under the hot spotlight.

Ruirui:  Well, it's okay.

Lai See: Which is tougher - acting or playing?

Ruirui: I guess you don't know how to play volleyball, right?

Ruirui has been injured for the past three years, but was called back to the team for Olympic training this year. She is the hope of China, as is captain Feng Kun,  who is also on her way to recovery.

Taking stock of Birmingham

Hong Kong broker and investor Carson Yeung Ka-shing  could emerge as the new owner of English Premier League club Birmingham City.

Mr Yeung is reported to be leading a consortium to buy the side from co-owners David Sullivan  and David Gold,  who own a 38 per cent stake of listed Birmingham City, for #50 million (HK$775 million).  Birmingham shares were up 8 per cent early yesterday to #40 in London, valuing the  firm at #40 million.

A shareholder of Greek Mythology, Mr Yeung is believed to have made some of his fortune in Macau stocks and property investments. He is keen to snap up an English football franchise, having had his name linked with Sheffield Wednesday and Reading this year.

Playing doctors and nurses

Stanley could become a financial centre for a day. Thanks to the title sponsor AIA, the Stanley International Dragon Boat Championship this year will be patrolled by hundreds of AIA staffers, who will be dressed like doctors and nurses to perform financial health checks for participants and onlookers.

We were told this year would be the world's biggest dragon boat event. Going for its 40th anniversary, there will be 200 teams competing,  with more than 4,000  spectators.

To all readers, happy Dragon Boat Festival!

Globalisation gets personal

What can sum up the 25-year journey of Morgan Stanley chief economist Stephen Roach?

Three important words: disinflation, productivity and globalisation.

We leave the last words to Mr Roach  (below), who is about to head Morgan Stanley Asia after serving as an economist with the Wall Street firm since 1982.

'I wouldn't trade that experience for anything. And now it's off to Asia - the epicentre of the Next Wave. My role will change, but I can assure you the lens won't. Stay tuned,' the economist said.

Ming will be back on Wednesday.



Lai See