November 3, 2013, at Workers Stadium in Beijing, the 30th round of the Chinese Super League ended. In the 77th minute of the match, Zhang Xizhe assisted Gelong's goal, and Guoan fans shouted "Qingdao relegation" in the Workers' Stadium.
Qingdao Zhongneng, who lost the game 0-1 and scored 31 points in 30 rounds, had no choice but to be relegated at the last minute. After the game, many players collapsed on the turf of the stadium, sad and tearful, and the coaches and staff on the bench covered their faces and cried.
Qingdao fans who came from afar shouted "Come back next year" from the stands to encourage the team, which made the players who came to pay their respects even more nervous and couldn't stop their tears from flowing.
Investor Qiao Weiguang also cried, as the owner, he lost his voice on the sidelines and could not control it, like an aggrieved child.
After that day, Qiao Weiguang said, "We will definitely come back!"
Witnessing his team's relegation, Qiao Weiguang lost his voice and cried
On October 6, 2013, the National Day has not yet ended. In the 27th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL), Guangzhou Evergrande defeated Shandong Luneng 4-2 at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center, winning the CSL title three rounds ahead of schedule and completing a third consecutive title in the CSL.
Six days later in a Chinese Super League bye, Qingdao Jonoon turned back Tianjin Teda 4-1 at home, but are still in the relegation zone.
It is important to know that at the beginning of the season, Qingdao Zhongneng was once undefeated for seven rounds and even became the leader of the Chinese Super League, occupying the top four for a long time. After the halfway point, Zhongneng is tied for fifth place with 21 points, hoping to hit the AFC Champions League.
But in July, Zhongneng "have no choice" to rent the core Zheng Long to Evergrande.
"In order to realize the set goal of the AFC Champions League, Guangzhou Evergrande Football Club and related parties have repeatedly raised the intention of introducing Zheng Long to help the team impact the AFC Champions League. Zheng Long himself has always insisted on his strong desire to stand on a higher stage to realize his personal dream.
According to the relevant situation, with the attitude of winning glory for the country and being highly responsible for the players, after repeated consultations and fully respecting Zheng Long's strong desire for personal development, the opinion of lease was finally reached to help Guangzhou Evergrande Football Club realize the goal of AFC Champions League and contribute to the development of Chinese soccer out of Asia.
After many negotiations, Zheng Long's loan period ended at the end of this season. As the domestic soccer environment is gradually heating up, Chinese soccer needs to improve its performance in order to fulfill the social expectations that match it. Hereby, Qingdao Zhongneng Football Club wishes Zheng Long to play at his best and help Guangzhou Evergrande Football Club to achieve the desired results in the AFC Champions League, adding to the glory of Chinese soccer and competing for the country."
At the time, Zheng Long had six months left on his contract with Zhongneng, and after a six-month loan, his contract expired, and Zheng Long officially joined Evergrande at the end of that season.
Qingdao Jonoon announces Zheng Long's loan to Evergrande
It is said that a senior leader at the time called the club directly to ask for his release for one simple reason:
Support Evergrande to play AFC Champions League.
Evergrande did not want for nothing, paid more than 20 million in loan fees, bought an international player who played one year, probably equal to the "white pick".
Evergrande is fed up, and the Chinese can crash and go undefeated for 15 consecutive matches starting from the 12th round of the league.
Before the final round away to Guoan, Zhongneng has 31 points and can press Changchun Yatai for relegation if they can get one point in the Gongtian.
Things don't work out the way they're supposed to.
Yatai in the final round of the "Northeast derby" in the home 1-0 victory over Liaozhu, accumulating 32 points, pressure Zhongneng, thrilling relegation.
Six days after Zhongneng's relegation, Evergrande drew 1-1 with Elkeson's goal against Seoul at Tianhe Sports Center. FC, with a two-round aggregate score of 3-3, won the Asian title by virtue of the advantage of scoring more goals on the road, and is the second time that a Chinese club has won the Asian title after 23 years.
On November 28th, Zhongneng organized a seminar for fans to reflect on the past, summarize, and imagine the future.
The fans were very enthusiastic and actively contributed:
"Don't make excuses for failure, only find ways to succeed."
Listening to the seriousness of the fans' speeches, Qiao Weiguang cried again.
"I've had more tears in that time than in the last couple decades."
Joe Weiguang is crying on the bench
"Over the last nine years we have survived a couple of relegation battles, two in sixth place and one in seventh, or have gained a lot of experience which will form the basis of our future revival."
In conclusion, Joe Weiguang said:
"It's the same old saying, get up from where you fell."
I just didn't realize that the way up would be so difficult.
Those were the years when Chinese soccer swung for the fences.
In October 2016, after two years of hibernation in the Central League, the team dropped "twice in three years" into the Central League.
That's another four years, with a lot of money being invested in the mid-2020s, but credit where credit is due.
Qiao Weiguang also wanted to quit, but as a native Qingdao child, as well as a special affection for soccer, he finally resisted the pressure and took the club, which had gone through vicissitudes, to continue to move forward.
At the beginning of 2021, Qingdao Zhongneng officially changed its name to Qingdao Hainiu in response to the request of the Chinese Football Association to neutralize the name of professional clubs.
On November 14, Qingdao Hainiu 2-0, the 12th round of Group A, Qingdao Hainiu beat Xiamen Ludao 2-0 and returned to the Central League again after 5 years.
Qiao Weiguang, who is in Qingdao, opened the champagne, filled his glass and drank it all, he said:
"Our ultimate goal is to get back to the top flight."
On November 22nd, the final round of China B, Qingdao Hainiu won the championship with a 2-2 draw against Guangxi Pingguoha.
Qingdao Hainiu won the Championship of China B
Finally, he said:
"As Manatee has become the city brand of Qingdao, we want to continue to dream higher!"
The National Football Work Conference was held in June 1992 in Hongshankou, Beijing, where it was decided to establish a system of soccer clubs and implement a professional league.
According to this spirit, Qingdao Municipal Government decided to form its own professional team, Qingdao Manatees, with the Shandong Province Economic and Trade Commission (Qingdao) soccer team as the main body.
Qingdao Manatee FC was officially established on December 31, 1993, becoming the first professional team in Qingdao.
In less than a year, Qingdao Hainiu managed to win the A B Championship A. For the next 10 years, even though it went back and forth between A A, A, and AB, it has been a force to be reckoned with in Chinese soccer.
At the end of 2004, Yizhong Tobacco decided to transfer all the shares of its former Qingdao Yizhong Manatee Football Club to the "Football City" Qingdao faced with the dilemma of the only Chinese Super League team to leave the rest of the world. Coordinated by the Qingdao Municipal Government and the Municipal Sports Bureau, Qingdao Zhongneng signed an agreement with Yizhong Group, which transferred the club to Zhongneng Group.
From then on, Nakanen has stuck with it until now.
Qingdao Manatee Club hosted a celebration on May 10, 2021 with the themes of "Legacy", "Tribute" and "Dream", with more than 400 people gathered in a full house. The event was attended by more than 400 people.
At the celebration, Qiao Weiguang was very moved:
"Because of the Manatee Complex, we all come together and soccer is the most reflective of our city. Our business, especially the ordinary people, has an upward spirit. I have no regrets about sticking with it for 17 years."
Qingdao Football Association Chairman Yang Peng Association Chairman Yang Peng Ming:
"In the past 17 years, there have only been 28 years of professional soccer in China. Zhongneng has not had an easy time in the past 17 years. The investment in these 18 years is not only capital but also spirit. In the past 17 years, the municipal leaders have also fully recognized Zhongneng Group's investment and persistence. In the country, a club like ours and capital strength can reach this level, we can say we have a clear conscience to this city!"
Qiao Weiguang does have a clear conscience.
In this year's Central League, Qingdao Hainiu went on a rampage, and in the 32nd round, Hainiu won 7-1, and with two rounds left in the league, it was decided to overtake the league in advance.
Nine years of drinking ice does not cool hot blood, Qiao Weiguang said to do.
Joe Weiguang will be back with his manatee.
Just entering the business of soccer, Qiao Weiguang said, "As a Qingdao person, I cherish the honor and pride of Qingdao Soccer City, and Manatee is the business card of this city."
In April, Qingdao FC, which was relegated from the Chinese Super League last season, announced its withdrawal from the Chinese Professional Football League.
