China Loves Its Soccer. Its Team? Don’t Ask.

[red card]

this NY Times article is chock full of interesting tidbits:

"...Soccer is the sport the Chinese care about above all else, but also the one that most frustrates and disappoints them." (I wish some American NBA followers know this as they seem to think the NBA is at the top of the Chinese pro sports pyramid)

“..We play soccer like the Brazilians play Ping-Pong,” Li Weifeng, 30, the new team captain, said with a deflated voice afterward.

Many Chinese would say that is an insult to Brazilian table tennis players."

"...Chinese leaders generally try to silence widespread criticism of national symbols, but with men’s soccer, the government allows people to vent."

"... Fans also openly deride the head of the government-run Chinese Football Association, Xie Yalong, a former senior official from Shaanxi Province. “Xie Yalong must resign!” became a loud chant at the last two Olympic matches, and Xie was seen leaving the Belgium match early."

"...Xu Guoqi, a professor of East Asian history at Kalamazoo College and the author of a new book on China and the Olympics, said Chinese soccer will improve only after rule of law is established in China. He said disappointment with soccer could lead to the next “major revolution” in China. And he was not joking."

"...Chinese news media often report on the flashy lives that many soccer players lead. Players have been caught with drugs and prostitutes. Such behavior is not unusual for international soccer stars but is out of the norm for Chinese athletes."

"...Li, the soccer columnist, said the government could easily invest $12 million to train a table tennis player, but the resources needed to properly develop a soccer team are beyond the means of the state. A market-based system has to be put in place,..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/15/sports/olympics/15soccer.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[Soju]

Soccer is the sport the Chinese care about above all else? No. In team sports maybe but that tide turned even before the Olympics (though the horrible Olympic showing may well cement it). Basketball is the future for China. No soccer player even comes close to the nation's adoration of Yao Ming, and quite rightfully so. There are also other key factors.

-Can't watch Premier league on TV for free anymore. Have to buy packages or dishes to watch that the average man won't buy or can't afford.

-Domestic football league is awful and corrupt. It's run by dinosaurs and poorly marketed. Families seem to consider stadiums unsafe. People have lost interest. Attendance is in steady decline.

-Domestic basketball league is hip with the kids and has better marketing. The NBA is working closely with the CBA in terms of development and scouting.

-NBA is free to watch on TV.

-Major cities in China seriously lack facilities for football. Forget about playing on grass unless you play for your University team or are pro. Turf pitches are available but must be booked, around 100 USD for two hours (a father is hardly going to pay that to have a kick about with his son is he?)

-Basketball courts are usually free. The number of courts are increasing nation wide, including prominent courts in Beijing paid for and sponsored by Nike. Courts require little or no maintenance.

When the Olympic basketball team loses they at least acquit themselves well. They show good sportsmanship and try their best. See the USA v China game for details.

Now let's look at the Olympic footy team. The Chinese media hyped this football team for some bizarre reason. Seriously look at this team on paper. Their best player was Zheng of Charlton Athletic. Regardless of the money spent on them, regardless of the time they spent training together, they are a weak side. Canada could have fielded a better team if our over age players were DeRo, Hutch and deGuzman for example. The difference is we would've had absolutely no expectations and probably done better.

I would also like to add that like all of my Chinese friends and coworkers, I hate these guys and their World Cup counterparts. They are a disgrace. They spent their European tour infighting, fighting with QPR and Chelsea reserves, and thinking up ways to get their coach fired. These players are complete a$$holes they are an embarrassemnt to their country. That totally unnecessary red card against Belgium that ended their shot at getting out of the group summed up the mentality of the entire team. Zheng and possibly the goalkeeper are the only players I wouldn't fire out of a canon.