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CFA outlines blueprint
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Yang Yunfei
CHINESE soccer is expected to see some fundamental changes in the next few years as the sport's governing body, the Chinese Football Association (CFA), is determined to breathe new life into China's number one sport with some reform-driven plans.
In his speech on the first day of the much-heralded national soccer work conference on Saturday, Yan Shiduo, the CFA's boss, unveiled a package of plans for the development of China's soccer in the coming five years.
As China is gearing up for this year's World Cup qualifiers and the hosting of the women's World Cup in 2003 and the 2004 Asian Cup, the three-day conference is widely believed to be a watershed in the country's soccer history.
Many analysts also believe that the CFA wants to take this opportunity to initiate reforms to rebuild the sport's image tarnished by increasing violence, accusations of match-fixing poor refereeing, call-girl scandals and a lack of professional ethics among players, to steer the ailing game onto the right track.
In his 15-page speech, Yan discussed the gains and losses to the sport over the past nine years since the CFA decided to professionalize soccer during its first work conference in Beijing in 1992.
While admitting that great progress has been made in the past nine years, Yan also pointed out that problems ranging from scant attention to training talented youth, relatively poor skills, impatience of players, fans and clubs to irregular management of the clubs and overheated enthusiasm on the part of fans and officials, can all hinder the further progress of Chinese soccer.
Saying that the development of Chinese soccer should be based on the massive involvement of youth of the country, Yan called for local football associations to offer free training pitches on weekends to youth.
CFA is also considering setting up a Chinese Football Committee For School to push the establishment of soccer leagues in China's university, middle and primary schools.
CFA announced drastic changes to the seven-year-old professional league last month to prepare for the launching of a Super League in 2004.
According to Yan, only clubs with net assets amounting to 50 million yuan (US$6.04 million), annual revenues exceeding 30 million yuan (US$3.62 million) and keeping sound financial standing for three consecutive years are eligible to join the Super League.
Yan's speech also caused controversy. Starting from 2002, no foreign coaches will be allowed to have their own non-Chinese assistant coaches. This decision, designed to give Chinese coaches more chances to learn from their foreign counterparts, drew heavy criticism from most clubs.
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