Chen Dong, general manager of Dalian Zhixing, was interviewed by Ding Xu, a special reporter of Soccer News. Chen Dong was the main goalkeeper of the national Olympic team during the Horton era, and has won the A-A and the Chinese Super League many times in his playing days.
Championship.
First of all, congratulations to Mr. Chen for leading Zhi Xing's successful run to the top, let's briefly review it.
Chen Dong: We were originally called Dalian Read Line Club, which was established on December 24, 2021, and in March 2022, the staff and players were erected to participate in the Chinese Championship last year
and advanced to 4th place in the
To the second, at the beginning of this year, the club set the goal of the first, but not too much publicity, which may have something to do with my character, I do not want to be too publicized. After the target was set, the preparation work was carried out according to the first division, including winter training and reinforcements. During the winter training period, we had a good cooperation with Huilong, Wu Hook, Dongwu, Nanjing City, etc. in the first division.
Teams have met 6 times, although the opponent has foreign aid, we are all Chinese class, but the results are not bad (2 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss), acceptable, the field is basically 50-50, which increases our confidence in the first division.
On March 17 of this year, at the request of the Football Association
Neutral title requirements, the club changed to Dalian Zhixing, in the first half of the year, Zhixing steadily improved, achieved the North Championship, but the second half of the year before the first match of the first group to reach the first division, the club has a huge change, can be described as a devastating blow, the club immediately held an emergency meeting, and ultimately decided to continue to complete the rest of the game, and strive to achieve the goal of reaching the first division. In the second half of the year, it can be said to have gone through a lot of difficulties, and finally overcame the difficulties and achieved success, thanks to all the staff and players.
How did Wisdom come out of the woodwork and accomplish its goals?
During this period, the club had to contact the society and keep close contact with the team, but the good thing is that the players didn't give up. Before the match with Yukun on the road in the first division, some players even told me that they were willing to buy air tickets out of their own pockets to go to the away match, meaning that they love soccer and Dalian, and wanted to make some contribution to Dalian soccer. But as the leader of the club, I don't want this to happen. With the efforts of all parties, especially the support of the government and the Sports Bureau, the club's daily operating expenses have been partially solved, but the coaching staff, players and staff in the second half of the year are not paid, and one of the most gratifying points for me is that, up to today, not a single person has left.
The key stage of the first division, Zhixing once in jeopardy, but in time to adjust to reoccupy the initiative of the first division ......
Yes, in the second half of the year, the investor had a sudden change of heart, the club had no money in its account, and the team's food, accommodation and transportation could not be guaranteed. Between the 5th and 6th rounds, there was a 3-week break, which was very difficult, the club could only guarantee the team's most basic training, the foreign players could only guarantee a meal, and the elevator and air-conditioning could not be used. Before the penultimate round of home games against Yukon, there was internal turmoil in the team, which is normal, everyone has different ideas, because the club has been in trouble for more than two months, some players can always stay positive and have a high fighting spirit, while some players will slacken off due to family and personal reasons.
In the home game against Yukon, we were under pressure and played really bad and lost the game. 4 days later, we had the penultimate round of the tournament, and with very little time to adjust, the club decided to have the team arrive 2 days early. Normally, we could have arrived 1 day earlier, and arriving at the away game earlier would have involved costs. However, the situation was that we had to go to the away game in advance, and we arrived at Liuzhou two days early. The club quickly communicated with the players and coaching team, and clarified the strategic approach for the last two games, and in the end, we had a tough 1-0 win over Lanhang in Liuzhou, so that we snatched the initiative of the first-place rush back, and it was up to us to watch the last round of the game at home with Tongliang Dragons.
In the finale with Tongliang Dragons, Zhixing can only win to ensure a run to the top, how did the club mobilize before the match?
finale, there are many difficulties in organizing the operation of the club, and, the Football Association
The award ceremony was held in Dalian. That week, the club did a lot of work, I emphasized to the players in the meeting, "There is only one last game left, everyone doesn't want the whole year's efforts to go down the drain in the end, I don't want to say too many other words, we are now just going to go up to play with our opponents with bare feet. In the last game, we're not going to work hard, we're not going to fight, we're going to play for our lives!"
Without that spirit, we couldn't win because Copperbottom Dragons are the champions and we lost away from home. The good thing is, many players have seen a lot of storms, some of them have reached 200 professional league games, they adjusted their mentality, and with the support of 6,788 fans on the field, we took the game, and in the end, made this matter of going to the first division a success.
The moment the referee blew the final whistle, coaches and players rushed onto the field in wild celebration, but you sat quietly alone on the bench ......
Last year's Chinese championship
I was also sitting on the sidelines when we narrowly beat Hefei City on penalties. Maybe it has something to do with my personality, I was able to stay calm. After the first division, everyone is very excited and thrilled, actually I am the same. But then I have to interact with the fans, I have to finish all this work and need a time to calm down and think. After the game, many friends sent me messages to congratulate me, and the most common thing they said was: I am very happy today. Zhixing can bring happiness to Dalian fans on October 22nd. As a soccer practitioner, I am very happy and gratified. It is the club's job for soccer to bring happiness to the fans.
Later, I saw that you were hugging with your family and shedding emotional tears.
The success of a career cannot be separated from the selfless dedication of the family. My family pays attention to every game of Zhixing, including my parents, my lover and my children. The last game of the season, at first I was suppressing my emotions and did not show them, after interacting with the fans, I saw my lover standing on the sidelines, so I did not have control over it....... club was established two years ago, I am very grateful to my family, especially my lover, for accommodating me, and as a husband and a son, I did not fulfill my obligations, and I am grateful for my family's support for my work and understanding.
Your resume is very rich, you have been selected at all levels of the national football team as a player, representing Wanda and Shide to win the first A and the Chinese Super League many times.
Champion, Retired
After transitioning to being a coach and leader, and now a manager, it can be said that the roles have undergone multiple transitions.
Chen Dong: Yes, every role is not easy. Players era, I just need to be responsible for a good individual, think about how to practice the ball skills, with my ability to help the team; coaching period, I am a goalkeeper coach, responsible for bringing 3 to 5 goalkeepers, the years of experience and skills to teach them to play football, so that they are integrated into the whole team system; the year before last, I became the general manager of the club, to lead the whole team of sixty to seventy people, everyone I have to take into account, but also to take into account the The year before that, I became the general manager of the club. With the transformation of my role, my responsibility is also escalating.
I was mentally prepared before deciding to become the club's general manager, but when I actually took up the job, I realized that the job is not that simple. From the first day of the club's incorporation, things kept happening, and they were all things I had never experienced before. On the first day of its establishment, I was the only person in the club, and I didn't even have a pen. There were a lot of things that I had to do, and I was constantly learning, bonding, and growing. The club has only been in existence for two years, and there are some aspects that have not been done enough, but in terms of the operation of the club at this stage and the management and performance of the team, it has been quite successful.
Two steps in two years, from the middle crown
Promotion to Central League
, review your team.
Before the establishment of the club, I have a plan for the future of the club, to do professional clubs, certainly to find some like-minded, love of soccer, and have previous experience in the soccer industry, which formed the framework of the club's staff. As for the coaching team, I am mainly Dalian local, Li Guoxu is the head coach, other assistant coaches are also mainly Dalian; as for the players, they are also "localized", not only include Dalian players, but also include players from Dalian youth training or have played for Dalian teams at all levels, I have set up this club with this purpose, and I want to make a contribution to Dalian football. I formed this club with this purpose, wanting to contribute to Dalian soccer.
Dalian, as a soccer city, is in the Chinese soccer
The world has a pivotal position, but in recent years there have been some ups and downs, but the players are constantly growing, different age groups of Dalian players, all over the country. I have been practicing soccer for so many years, I have a deep understanding of the city of Dalian, Dalian soccer, while not forgetting the original intention, and my original intention is to do a good job of soccer, I played soccer all my life, and I want to give back to the community through soccer.
In the process of the first division, Sun Platinum, Zhao Xuebin, Jin Qiang, Ji Zhengyu, Yan Peng, Li Zhen, Mao Weijie and other players of different age groups have played a key role in the process of the first division, comment on the play of the players, how do you see their growth?
At the beginning of the year, the club brought in 12 players, and when talking to me, each of them had one firm idea: love Dalian and want to do something for Dalian soccer. Sun Bao, Zhao Xuebin, Jin Qiang all played for Dalian, but for some reason went abroad, when Zhixing issued an invitation, they returned to their hometown without hesitation.
Talking about the contract, they have no more requirements, from this point can be seen, they have sentiments for the city of Dalian, Dalian soccer. This year, no matter it is the old players, the middle generation players or young players, they are under the leadership of the coaching team, there are different degrees of improvement, which is the core competitiveness of the club, two years of two-level jump, and the players, coaching team and the staff's hard work is inseparable.
What's the most memorable thing you've done in the past two years?
Dong Chen: There are a lot of them, because Zhi Xing has experienced so much. If we talk about the most memorable one recently, it must be the moment when we broke through to the first division. Last year's Central Championship
We finished 4th, advancing to
In China B, it became a professional team, but it was the 48th, or last, in the ranking of professional clubs. At the beginning of the year, when I talked to everyone, I said I hoped that the team would be ranked higher at the end of the season, and in more than one ranking, and asked everyone if they had confidence, and all of them said yes. As a result, we did it, and I'm very pleased that Wisdom is ranked 32nd.
Which was the toughest game in two years?
Last year's Chinese championship
finals (of a competition)
In the first game, the first unplayed was ruled a loss, then 4-1 victory over Tianjin Fusheng to charge B; this year's first home 0-0 draw Wuhan Jiangcheng, and then the finale, Tongliang Long once a must goal did not score, we scored the winning goal fast attack. The important aspects of each game over the past two years, I have an impression in my mind, after all, these two years, the club, the team has experienced a lot, I also paid a lot.
Wisdom Bank is currently experiencing difficulties, there are rumors that a new investor wants to inject capital, at this stage, how is the progress of the specific promotion work?
The club operates normally and summarizes this year's work, including the formulation of a general direction for next year's work. As for the club's new investor, it is necessary for the government, the Sports Bureau and other relevant departments to meet and study, I will actively cooperate. Next year, the Central League
s access is earlier than in previous years, and access materials must be submitted by December 5, which is a very tight time frame. Wisdom is a promoted club, a young club with a big challenge, and there are some things that, hopefully, will be finalized as soon as possible.
Dalian has 3 clubs, Dalianjin, Zhixing and Huayi, how do you see the future development of Dalian soccer?
I think Dalian soccer needs more young players at this stage, that is, fresh blood, the old players have fought to the maximum, the future is the world of young players. I've been in soccer for so many years, and my perception of young players is that they need more games. Whether it is in the Wanda period, or in the Shide and Beyond era, my view on developing young players is: let them follow the first team training, and play in official games, of course, the prerequisite is to have the ability to compete. Young players can only discover their shortcomings and deficiencies by playing matches, and then make up for them in training. If they train all the time without playing matches, they will never know where the gaps are.
Next year, Zhixing will vigorously develop young players on the premise of standing firm. This kind of development is not in the ladder team, but transferring capable youngsters to the first team to get more playing opportunities when they are capable. When I was organizing the team, I focused on young players, and I have already tasted the sweetness, most of the young people in this year's China B have a record of appearances, five players played more than half of the year, and the performance is very good, like Mao Weijie, Ge Peng, Zheng Zhenxian, Wang Shengbo, Tian Yifan are very capable. Through this year's performance in C.B, they have a certain understanding of themselves, and have a prediction and positioning for their future career.
Zhixing is a young club, and I have formulated a "three-year plan" for the club, which, as I mentioned earlier, is to play in the Central League next year.
Standing firm, the old players are the wealth of the club, they will play the role of passing on the role of many key games, the outside world to see the experience and ability of Sun Platinum, Wang Xuanhong, they teach young players by example, the club's virtuous circle; the second year to see what the players have to improve; the third year, that is, 2026, when all aspects of the time is ripe, you can wrestle with it, try to punch the Super League.
