Summary: "Pick up some ground, get some luck, add some talent, and learn some dominance."
In order to better prepare for the first National Student (Youth) Games U18 finals, Xu Genbao as head coach of the Shanghai U18 team recently frequently in Shanghai, "small to play big" to play warm-up matches, grinding team, accumulate experience.
Recently, Shanghai U18 team, as the "little brother", lost to Shanghai Shenhua by a large margin. However, considering the age gap, physical gap, Shenhua's main players and foreign aid appearances, Xu Genbao still expressed his satisfaction: "The key is to let the young players feel the rhythm and strength of the Chinese Super League, and to find their own gaps through the game - I hope that they can get in touch with some of the earth, get some luck, increase some talent and learn some dominance."
Preparing for the race, the warm-up challenge is difficult
In late May, 80-year-old coach Xu Genbao confirmed that he would lead the 2005/2006 Shanghai men's soccer team to the first Scholastic Youth Games in 2023 and the 2025 Greater Bay Area National Games. in June, the team managed to win the right to qualify for the group and advance to the final stage, which will be held in Hezhou, Guangxi, in early November.
The Shanghai U18 team has been warming up a lot in order to prepare for the final of the YMCA soccer tournament, "playing small against big" to sharpen the team.
In order to better prepare for the first National Youth Schools Association finals, especially to solve the problem of insufficient number of domestic high-level games, Xu Genbao made an early decision: first to go overseas training.In September, just recovered from the Eryang Xu Genbao played a lot of high-quality warm-up matches in Ulsan, South Korea, the team believes that the "harvest is very big".
In October, Xu Genbao's preparation strategy is to "play big with small" to play four warm-up matches - the first two warm-up matches, the Shanghai U18 team in the Shanghai U21 ladder team played a game than their own two years old; in the third game, Xu Genbao thought of the challenge of difficulty! ceiling - against Shanghai Shenhua, currently in the top three of the Chinese Super League table.
Amateurs under the age of 18 challenged the professionals of the Chinese Super League, and the victory was basically not in doubt. Even so, Xu Genbao called Wu Jingui: "You'd better send the main players, so that our young players can see the world and feel better." Wu Jingui agreed very quickly: "Not only all the main players, but also the foreigners!"
Xu Haoyang and Liu Ruowan vanadium, all disciples of Genbao base, are now picking up the slack at Shenhua.
In the Shenhua lineup, there are many disciples of Genbao base, such as Cao Jieding, Aidin, Zhu Chenjie, Jiang Shenglong and so on. Xu Genbao shook hands with the disciples who came on as substitutes this time.
In the first half, both teams played with full strength and Shanghai U18 team fell behind 0-2; in the second half, both teams replaced their substitutes one after another. The non-professional youth players exposed their inferiority in body, strength, technique and ability, and Shanghai U18 team finally lost by a big score.
Even when the win or loss was not in doubt, Xu Genbao stayed on the field to watch the game, his trademark loud voice constantly ringing out. For these familiar Shenhua players, such as Cao Jieding, Xu Haoyang, Zhu Chenjie and Jiang Shenglong, they all gave a thumbs up to their teacher's professionalism that has been rooted for decades.
The heart is in the right place, and Jin Gui Genbao has a tacit understanding.
Xu Genbao led the Shanghai U18 team to Kangqiao for a warm-up match. The current Shenhua coach Wu Jingui not only attached great importance to it, but also gave enough face to his predecessors. In Wu Jingui's eyes, Xu Genbao is the first coach in Shenhua's history and one of the founders of the Shenhua brand. Therefore, the Shanghai U18 team fully enjoy the Kangqiao "super VIP treatment" - the game on the best conditions of the central field, after the game "guest team" in the cafeteria to eat before dressing and showering. Before the match, Wu Jingui accompanied Xu Genbao to visit Shenhua's new swimming pool and fitness center.
Youth teams challenge Super League teams to find gaps and gain experience by playing small.
In 2001, Wu Jingui had helped Xu Genbao as an assistant coach of Shenhua, and there was a good understanding between the two champion coaches.
Xu Genbao and Wu Jingui are the only gold medal local coaches in Shanghai Shenhua's history. Their personal relationship is very good, and they have a very good tacit understanding. 2007, Xu Genbao in Shanghai Dongya coaching, has three times against Shanghai Shenhua: the first time, Jimenez as head coach, in Kangqiao by only 18-year-old "East Asia doll army" 1-1 draw; the second time, Shanghai Dongya in the base of Genbao to beat the "Shen merger" of Shenhua by 3-1. The second time, Shanghai Dongya beat Shenhua of "Shen United" by 3-1 at Gembao Base. At that time, Jimenez had just been dismissed, Wu Jingui was ready to put out the fire; at the end of the year, when Shanghai Dongya was about to go to Kunming to prepare for the final of the Second Division League, Wu Jingui, who was the head coach of Shenhua, once again acted as the head coach.
"In 2007, Zhang Linlin and Cao Miao Ding were only 18 years old and Wu Lei was only 16, so we forced the newly merged Shenhua to a draw." Xu Genbao said bluntly that he was also 17 years old, but he could feel the change in Shenhua's strength between time and space. "In 2007, he played 1-1. at that time, Shenhua's foreign coach was very ordinary, the team did not take shape; now (Wu) Jingui pinched the team very well, the overall team shape and formation have changed. At first glance, he is well-trained."
On July 14th, Shanghai Shenhua club chairman Gu Jieqing and head coach Wu Jingui made a special trip to the island to visit Xu Genbao, the first head coach in Shenhua's history.
Although it was only a warm-up match, Shenhua attached great importance to it. Club chairman Gu Jiqing also came to the stadium to greet Xu Genbao and invited the coach to participate in Shenhua's 30th anniversary activities at the end of the year. Xu Genbao also gave special thanks to Shenhua for their support of the Shanghai All-China Team. "We represent Shanghai in the Youth Institute and the All Games. Shenhua is willing to participate in warm-up matches with us, which means helping Shanghai soccer training. I want to thank Shenhua for their support."
There's one more match to go, so expect the champ to warm up.
The second day of the Lunar New Year in 2023 marks the 80th birthday of base founder Xu Genbao. He has been working quietly at the base for 23 years. As a famous Chinese soccer player, Xu Genbao has trained ten batches of disciples, such as Gao Hongbo, Fan Zhiyi, Xie Hui, Sun Xiang, Wu Lei and Yan Junling. During his coaching career, he remained at the forefront of youth soccer training in China.
On an experience and psychological level, the Shanghai U18 squad's experience has been greatly enhanced by playing against Chinese Super League rivals Shenhua.
In the 2023 season of the Chinese Super League, Shanghai Tang's two Chinese Super League teams have achieved good results, in which Xu Genbao and the soccer base people have been quietly paying for 23 years. Wu Lei, Yan Junling, Zhang Linmiao, Wang Shenchao, Lu Wenjun and Cai Huikang remain the backbone of the team, with Wu Lei and Yan Junling being the core players of the national soccer team. Similarly, Shanghai Shenhua has performed well this season, with Zhu Chenjie, Jiang Shenglong, Xu Haoyang, Liu Ruofan and many other outstanding young players from the Genbao base, of which Zhu Chenjie and Jiang Shenglong are also included in the national soccer list.
Prof. Xu Genbao's Shanghai U18 team consists mainly of the 2006 age group Shanghai Harbor ladder team training at Genbao Base, and also includes outstanding age-grade players from a number of clubs, including Shanghai Shenhua. The 1989-1991 age group, represented by Wu Lei and Yan Junling, and the 1999-2000 age group, represented by Zhu Chenjie and Jiang Shenglong, have been living, training and playing at Genbao Base for a long time. In comparison, this Shanghai U18 team has not been organized for a long time and does not have an absolute advantage in terms of overall strength in the country.
The first Student Youth Games, known as the "First Student (Youth) Games of the People's Republic of China", were held in Guangxi this year.
In Xu Genbao's plan, we have to play a fourth warm-up match, but the opponent and time have not been finally decided. 20, Shanghai Harbor team will be in the Chinese field, which theoretically may end the suspense of the league. Genbao revealed: "The fourth warm-up match has not been booked yet. I want Wu Lei to win the match, so I will try to book the championship warm-up match to continue to let the young players open their eyes and find the gap."
