"Adversity grows, challenge blossoms."
That night, Liu Ruowan vanadium was successful in the Super League and passionately ran around the stadium to his heart's content, a scene that brought back memories of how he celebrated with such a grin when he first made his professional debut and tasted the joy of winning the title at the end of 2017.
EASTERN SPORT: How did the Super League play-offs go? How did the tension compare to the 2017 FA Cup final?
Liu Ruofan: I didn't play a lot of games or minutes in the 2017 league, but the final was crucial and I was nervous for sure. This year is my full season. From the beginning of the preparation, after the first two stages of the smooth, the third stage of the bad, and then the fourth stage of the decisive battle, the whole process is to follow the team. So the nerves were really heightened for this Super League play-off.
Eastern Sports: In the locker room after the game, everyone poured water on Coach Seo Jung-won's head, why didn't you participate? Were you looking at your cell phone the whole time?
Liu Ruofan: I did take part in watering and swimming on the water-filled floor. I looked at my cell phone because too many people sent me messages, including the Shenhua leadership also sent congratulations. When I saw it, I replied to them first and then went to celebrate with everyone after that.
Oriental Sports: The opponent in the play-offs is Dalian. Are these two games the toughest and most special of your career?
Liu Ruofan: The Dalianese team is very strong and the foreigners are also very well organized. When preparing for the game, I understand that these two games will be difficult. But I want to help Chengdu soccer and Sichuan soccer to charge up, our team is very united, we all have this idea.
EASTERN SPORTS: You gave yourself an 80 for the first phase, how would you grade yourself now for the whole season?
Liu Ruofan: Still 70 to 80 points. I think our team has the strength to go directly to the Super League, but the team's form has ups and downs, injuries and diseases and other factors have not directly to the Super League. My performance may just be medium to high, I think I still have a lot of things have not been dealt with, a lot of details on and off the field are lacking, the next is still to strengthen.
Oriental Sports: In the top scorer list of the Central League, you were one goal away from being the best local scorer, and were you later caught up because of the effects of injuries?
Liu Ruowan Vanadium: Because of two injuries, the condition of returning from injury is not very well adjusted. Liang Xuming scored one more goal than me, I want to congratulate him, after all, in so many foreigners dominate the top scorer list, it's not easy for him to stand out as a Chinese. I think it's good to see Chinese faces on the top scorer list, Chinese soccer will have to rely on Chinese people in the future.
EASTERN SPORTS: If you were still using Twitter, what statement would you use to summarize the season?
Liu Ruofan: Mainly thanks, thanks to the team's trust, thanks to the people who support me, thanks to the people who don't support and don't think highly of me, they all give me motivation.
"Courage to move forward in pursuit of excellence."
However, the joy was short-lived, and he left Suzhou that night to report directly to the national soccer team. This experience of jumping into the team is not the first time, as he jumped into the national Olympic team in 2019.
Oriental Sports: When did you find out that you were selected for the national soccer team? How did you feel at that time?
Liu Ruofan: I knew about it a month ago when I was in Meizhou because the team leader came to me for the size of the clothes. I was very excited at that time and felt that my efforts were recognized.
Oriental Sports: During the two hours or so on the road from Suzhou to Shanghai, did the season play back in your mind like a movie?
Liu Ruofan: After the game, I received a lot of concern from people, so I was replying to messages along the way. But looking back at the season afterward, it's still very emotional and I think I made the right choice at the beginning of the season. I'm really happy to have accomplished this year's goal.
Oriental Sports: You played two more high-intensity games than other internationals, how does your body feel now?
Liu Ruofan: To be honest, there will be some fatigue, because I came here right after the extra game, and the next day after jogging, I joined the training. But now I'm slowly adjusting to it.
Oriental Sports: When you arrived at the team, you shook hands and greeted director Li, who smiled a lot. Did you have any individual communication with each other? What kind of feeling did he give you?
Liu Ruofan: I haven't talked to him individually yet. The feeling he gives me is that he is so handsome when he smiles!
EASTERN SPORTS: What is the atmosphere like as the team prepares for the Big 12?
Liu Ruofan: Everyone is actively preparing for the game, everyone is working hard and attentive and the team atmosphere is very united.
Oriental Sports: What is the difference between the national team training and the previous "U series" training?
Liu Ruofan: I was still relatively confident during the youth national training. Now there are a lot of big brothers in the team, they are all very capable, and there are also a lot of players who performed well and were in good form last season. So the main thing on this side is to try to learn from them, and at the same time show myself well.
Oriental Sports: Did your family say anything special about your jumping up to the national soccer team?
Liu Ruofan: They are happy for me, and also let me cherish the opportunity and work hard. Entering the national team is a brand new start, and it is also the dream of every player, so I must work hard.
EASTERN SPORT: Did the dream of making the national team arrive a little earlier than you expected?
Liu Ruofan: Actually, this is just the right time. I started playing league football in 2017 and also jumped into the national team in 2019, but after that it took a long time to recover and re-adapt to the rhythm of the game because of injuries. It wasn't until this season that I had a good performance in Chengdu and was selected for the national team. Of course, I still have shortcomings now, need more games to hone and improve, so this time I can enter the national team I cherish, can only say to be more hardworking, improve the ability to deserve the title of the national team.
Oriental Sports: There aren't many spots available to go with the team to the World Qualifying Asian Zone 12, and there's a saying out there that a lot of them are here to accompany the trainers. How do you think about the role of the accompanying coach?
Liu Ruowan Vanadium: The term "coach" is not accurate, but when you are in the national team, you are a member of the national team. What I want to do is to show my ability so that the head coach can see me and try my best in the process. At the same time, it is important to learn from the more experienced big brothers who are doing well in the league and improve myself. Even if I don't end up on the traveling roster, it's still a good opportunity to work out.
"Never forget your beginnings and move forward."
In those five years, he's been through ups and downs, falling from the top and rising again, as if he's experienced the biggest moments of his pro career ahead of time.
EASTERN SPORTS: It's been seven months since we last spoke to you, do you feel you've changed significantly from that time?
Liu Ruofan: I think this season has made me grow a lot. Two injuries led to ups and downs in my form, and I didn't play well in a few games. After a year, I feel it's not easy to maintain good play. Overall, the first and second stages were more of a surprise and I felt I played okay, but there will be a change in my mindset and I won't be complacent about so one or two good plays. It's more about summarizing and adjusting, the real game is always the next one, and it's always about preparing for the next one.
Oriental Sports: In a previous interview with Wang Haijian, he said after scoring a goal that he appreciated the tactical freedom given to him by Mr. Mao. Did your ability to score so many goals in Chengdu Hibiscus also have the help of tactical freedom?
Liu Ruofan: Yes, at the same time confidence is also very important. Maybe I used to be a little bit afraid to play soccer, as a young player I would worry about missing one or two goals and then I would be replaced. Now I'm a lot more confident compared to before, my big brothers and teammates encourage each other on the field, which gives me a certain amount of confidence. Even if I make a mistake, it doesn't matter, we are always united.
Oriental Sports: You once said that young players have to be good supporting players on the field, but just one year later in Chengdu Rongcheng, you have been labeled as the "core of the field". Do you feel you've made the transition from supporting role to leading role?
Liu Ruofan: Although there are more appearances and ball control now, the main character still can't be talked about. I can't play well without the mutual support and trust between my teammates. So I don't think there's any such thing as who's the main character or who's the supporting character, it's the cooperation of the 11 people on the field that makes up the complete team, and we're all working hard for the sake of the team.
Oriental Sports: This AFC Cup final was played at the Phoenix Hill Stadium in Chengdu, and many people have praised the professionalism of the stadium, have you ever been there?
Liu Ruofan: I haven't been there yet, but Mr. Koo (Koo Jianming, the chairman of the Chengdu Football Association), who is my father's coach and my senior, told me that the Phoenix Hill Stadium is really good, and I also saw the photos and I really think it's good. After the AFC Cup final, the players from Taishan and Harbor also exclaimed to me that the Phoenix Hill is really good!
Oriental Sports: Assuming the home-and-away system is restored for the new season, are you looking forward to playing in Chengdu's Phoenix Hill Stadium or going back to Hongkou Football Stadium to show everyone the new you?
Liu Ruofan: If home and away is reinstated, both stadiums I think I should be able to play on.
Oriental Sports: This year is 2022, it will be your last year as a U23 player, what kind of mentality will you have to greet the season after that?
Liu Ruowan Vanadium: In fact, whether it is U23 or not does not have too much impact on me, it is just an appearance policy. I now believe that it is more important to focus on the improvement of their own ability, to be confident and hard work, actively play their own ability on the field, and meet the future in a practical way.
