Shandong Taishan defeated Hebei, led by seven U23 players, 2-0 to win their 10th consecutive Chinese Super League (CSL) title and maintain their 16th consecutive win in all competitions, with a brilliant record of 15 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss in 19 matches, locking up the CSL title three rounds ahead of schedule, their first since 2011, and the fifth top-flight title in the team's history.
From the point of view of strength, history and deep heritage, Shandong Taishan team deserved this championship, its significance is extraordinary.
The gold content of the championship
There are various ways of interpreting the gold content of a championship. Typically, it reflects the technical and tactical level of the teams and the intensity of the competition.
In terms of the technical and tactical level of the Chinese Super League alone, the 2016 to 2019 seasons can be considered as four seasons of a higher level, with the championships of these seasons having a high gold content, or at least the matches in the process of winning the championships were all very exciting. Although some of the weaker teams chose to give up voluntarily, this is a common occurrence in the history of the Chinese Super League.
From a competitive standpoint, Guangzhou's 18-point lead over second-place Shandong Taishan and 26 points over third-place Beijing Guoan in the 2013 season doesn't seem like a lot of gold. However, the fact that Guangzhou won the title in the 2014 season only 3 points ahead of Guoan, and in the 2015 season only 2 points ahead of Harbor, seems to have a lot of gold in it.
Therefore, the discussion on gold content will be interpreted differently from different perspectives.
Many Chinese Super League fans understand the gold, its "gold" to some extent equivalent to the money invested, the more investment, the stronger the team, the higher the technical and tactical level, the higher the gold.
But we must admit that we used to cheer for those high-level leagues, and nowadays the Chinese Super League is in trouble, also closely related to the bubble of the golden dollar soccer.
Therefore, the topic on gold content is actually a pseudo-proposition, as disagreements and even disputes are inevitable due to interpretations from different perspectives.
fame follows merit
Let's revisit this championship for Shandong Taishan.
The Terriers met strong resistance against their rivals.
In the first phase of the Chinese Super League, Taishan and Guangzhou played two games that were very close, with each team winning one game, and Taishan's victory was a tough one with a last-minute kill by Fellaini.
In addition, Taishan's matches with Shenzhen Xingui, Henan, and Guangzhou City were all just 1 win and 1 draw, and all of these teams were tenacious in stopping Taishan.
When it came to the second phase of the Chinese Super League, apart from Hebei's predicament, the other three matches were equally intense: the battle of Heavenly Kings with Seaport was needless to say, and even against Beijing Guoan and Changchun Yatai, both Guoan and Yatai showed good spirit. Taishan had a high probability of losing in these two matches, but Taishan won in the end with the thickness of their lineup and the spirit of not giving up.
The thickness of Taishan's squad is due to foreign and internal reinforcements, but more from their own youth training system, for example, the killer goal against Changchun Yatai was scored by Guo Tianyu.
Even in the two games against Guoan and Harbor, two of the four goals came from Sun Junho and Jadason, the former being an Asian foreigner and the latter being a foreigner loaned by Taishan from Central League A. Neither of them cost much, but in this team, they both showed their full energy.
Tarzan's well-deserved title win stems from the following:
For one thing, Taishan was the first soccer club to complete its shareholding reform, and many clubs in the current Chinese Super League are still struggling with shareholding reform.
Secondly, after the equity reform, the management of Taishan team also experienced great changes, but in the process of forming the management team, Taishan team always insisted on the principle of specialization, which laid a solid foundation for Taishan team to win the championship.
Third, Taishan head coach Hao Wei is a 15-year veteran of coaching, having started his coaching career in 2007 at the age of 31, and the 2021 season will be his fifth year in charge.
Fourth, in the introduction of foreign aid, Taishan's foreign aid can be said to be value for money, whether it is Asian foreign aid Sun Junho or loaned center back Jadason, this kind of solid and efficient reinforcement is exactly what the Chinese Super League needs.
Fifth, in terms of the introduction of internal reinforcements, Taishan team introduced Xu Xin, Shi Ke and Ji Xiang, and did not pay the transfer fee or give a high salary. Being able to attract three high-level domestic helpers to join is a reflection of Taishan's stability, heritage and good reputation.
Of course, there are the more important youth system players.
training for young people
The tide goes out so we know who's swimming naked.
As the tide recedes, Tarzan remains firm.
Shandong Taishan scored 43 goals in the first 19 rounds of the season, with 22 goals scored by local players, 18 of which came from Taishan's own youth training system.
To be more precise, 5 generations of Taishan's youth players contributed 18 goals: 1 goal by Zheng Zheng of the 1989 generation, 3 goals by Wu Xinghan and 1 goal by Qi Tianyu of the 1993 generation, 1 goal by Liu Yang of the 1995 generation, 2 goals by Duan Liuyu (1998 age group) of the 1997 generation, and 10 goals by Guo Tianyu of the 1999 generation.
This season, Taishan has contributed seven international players, namely Zheng Zheng, Wang Dalei, Jin Jingdao, Wu Xinghan, Liu Binbin, Xu Xin and Guo Tianyu, four of which are from Taishan's youth training system, namely Zheng Zheng in 1989, Wu Xinghan and Liu Binbin in 1993, and Guo Tianyu in 1999.
What is persistence? Persistence is not just about staying in the Premier League, it's about always sticking to your ideals and dreams and always maintaining stability.
The 28-year journey of the Terriers can be broadly categorized into seven phases:
The first stage: 1994 to 1998, the beginning stage, during which 1 FA Cup was won;
The second stage: 1999, the moment of glory, winning the Double Crown;
The third stage: 2000 to 2003, the adjustment stage, the strength has not yet reached the top, but the team's mentality became proud after the double championship, so it entered the adjustment period, this stage without a crown;
The fourth stage: 2004 to 2010, this is an era, Luneng era or Taishan era, 7 years won 3 Super League titles, 2 AFC Cup titles and 1 Super League Cup title, Taishan team stepped into the ranks of the Super League giants and gained universal recognition.
Fifth stage: 2011 to 2015, adjustment and adaptation stage, Evergrande strong rise, Taishan heart is not willing, so this stage Taishan team coaching staff change frequently, this stage Taishan team won 1 AFC Cup champion.
The sixth stage: from 2016 to 2020, the stabilization stage, Taishan team adhere to the stable investment, waiting for the time, during which Taishan team won 1 AFC Cup title, two times to play in the AFC Champions League have gained the right to get out of the group, and in 2016, it also killed the AFC Champions League quarterfinals.
Stage 7: Starting in 2021, Taishan return to the top tier of the Super League with the fifth league title in the team's history.
And this is not the most important thing, the most important thing is that the Taishan team has always insisted on youth training for so many years.
The 1985 and 1987 age group generation of players created the dynasty era of the Taishan team, and there is still Zhang Qi holding out.
The eight generations of players in the 1989 to 2001 age group, all of whom fought their way into the Taishan team, contributed 18 of the 22 goals scored by local players, as well as four international players.
After the 2001 age group, Taishan's ladder remained strong, and in the last full season of youth training, the 2019 season, for example, that season's Youth Premier League, FA Cup matches and Champions Cup matches, a total of 15 champions were decided, and Taishan's ladder team got 9 of them.
You know, this is in the green city, the root of the base adhere to the youth training, Evergrande youth training and R&F youth training surged, Shenhua, Yatai and other youth training in full force, Chengdu, Wuhan and other football association youth training is also very strong situation to get.
And that's the ultimate meaning of this championship for the Terriers.
