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James Porteous

“Should Chinese football start from scratch?” state media is asking in the wake of the national team’s latest World Cup qualifying defeat, which claimed the scalp of the coach.
China lost 2-0 to Uzbekistan in Tashkent, a defeat that realistically ends their hopes of qualifying for Russia 2018, even with six fixtures remaining.
China have taken only one point from four matches, a home draw with Iran.
Coach Gao Hongbo announced his resignation at the post-match press conference. “I will leave the national team because of poor health,” he said, having taken the reins for a second time in February.
Gao’s tactics and team selection were criticised, but the People’s Daily pointed out: “Could even Ferguson, Mourinho or Guardiola get results with this group of players?”
The state newspaper wondered if the boom in the big-money Chinese Super League has masked deep-seated failings in the national game.

President Xi Jinping has demanded the country become a football superpower, and the CSL has spent huge sums in attracting foreign stars to China.
Gao had discussed his future with Chinese FA bosses before the game, according to mainland media reports.
“We agreed if we couldn’t reach a positive result against Uzbekistan I would stand down from my post,” he was quoted as saying on the AFC’s website.
“As a result of this defeat, I bring an end to my time in charge of the China national team.”
China have only ever qualified for one World Cup and are ranked 78th in the world.
“Now that qualification is only a theoretical possibility should Chinese football go back to square one ?” asked the People’s Daily in a column.
“Perhaps this is too extreme, but think about whether the false Chinese football boom has covered up too many issues,” the news outlet continued.
They pointed out that despite the billions of yuan spent on foreign players and Guangzhou Evergrande winning the AFC Champions League, Chinese football was still “marking time or going backwards”.
England were held up as an example of a country with an impressive football league but poor national team.

And it was pointed out that though some in China may “laugh” at Japan and South Korea for their domestic leagues’ lack of big names, “half of their players play abroad while China only has 19-year-old Zhang Yuning struggling in the Netherlands”.
Xinhua did not bid a fond farewell to Gao, 50, a popular star when he was a player.
“Gao failed to mould an effective formation nor playing style for the Chinese team and all his tries ended in vain.
“Although there are still six matches remaining, the performances of the Chinese team have not given the fans any hope,” they wrote.

Sohu Sports made similar complaints about the big-money CSL as they bemoaned a “slaughter of [national] face” and said “Chinese football is full of holes”.
They pointed to a “match-fixing” scandal this week in an under-11 game and asked how the game could grow from such bad roots.
Sina Sports said the vast sums of money in Chinese football would hold back home-grown players from testing themselves abroad, saying “you may have forgotten teenage dreams ... and would rather stay in the country to not miss out on the gold rush.”
China’s next game is in little over a month, against Qatar in Kunming, with many commentators suggesting the team should now use the remaining games to start building for the future.
Many fans defended Gao on Weibo, preferring to blame the CFA and the players.
There have been calls for CFA president Cai Zhenhua to step down from his post, which he has so far ignored.
Earlier this year, China unveiled a masterplan to become a “football superpower” by 2050, while President Xi Jinping has demanded the team qualify for, host, and win a World Cup in the coming decades.


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Players of China leave the pitch after losing the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifying match against Uzbekistan in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Oct. 11, 2016. China lost the match 0-2. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

(161011) -- TASHKENT, Oct. 11, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Igor Sergeev (2nd  L) of Uzbekistan vies with Cai Huikang of China during their FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifying match in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Oct. 11, 2016. Uzbekistan won 2-0. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

(161011) -- TASHKENT, Oct. 11, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Wu Lei (R) of China reacts after losing a scoring chance during the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifying match against Uzbekistan in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Oct. 11, 2016. China lost the match 0-2. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

(161011) -- TASHKENT, Oct. 11, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Azizbek Khaydarov (L) of Uzbekistan fights for the ball with Zhang Chengdong of China during their FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifying match in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Oct. 11, 2016. Uzbekistan won 2-0. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

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epa04733936 Beijing Guoan's Spanish head coach Gregorio Manzano reacts during the AFC Champions League group G soccer match between Suwon Samsung FC and Beijing Guoan at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, South Korea, 05 May 2015. The match ended 1-1. EPA/JEON HEON-KYUN

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FILE - In this March 12, 2014 file photo, Guangzhou Evergrande coach Marcello Lippi, right, waits for the start of his team's match against Yokohama F. Marinos during their group stage soccer match of the AFC Champions League in Yokohama, near Tokyo. Italian coach Marcello Lippi has been provisionally suspended for one match for confronting a referee during his Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande's 1-0 loss in Sydney to the Western Sydney Wanderers in the Asian Champions League quarterfinals. The Asian Football Confederation announced the provisional ban Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014, saying the final decision of its disciplinary committee "will be issued following the completion of a full investigation." (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, File)

Britain Football Soccer - Northampton Town v Manchester United - EFL Cup Third Round - Sixfields Stadium - 21/9/16 Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho Reuters / Darren Staples Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.

Guangzhou Evergrande FC's coach Luiz Felipe Scolari of Brazil speaks with Zheng Zhi during a press conference in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015. The Chinese club team will face against the FC Barcelona of Spain in the Club World Cup semi-final match in Yokohama Thursday, Dec. 17. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

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People’s Daily wonders aloud if Chinese Super League boom has masked underlying failings


‘Should Chinese football start from scratch?’ asks state media after another World Cup qualifying defeat

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}People’s Daily wonders aloud if Chinese Super League boom has masked underlying failings

People’s Daily wonders aloud if Chinese Super League boom has masked underlying failings