The choice of a new head coach for China's women's soccer team has attracted a lot of attention. Shui Qingxia, one of the iconic figures of the "Clanging Roses" era, at 55 years old, has finally welcomed this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. From her playing days to her coaching career, Shui has been weaving a fascinating saga in her own unique way.
Soccer Charms, Halfway to the Top
Shui Qingxia's love affair with soccer is quite a coincidence.
She initially studied track and field at Hongkou Junior Sports School, specializing in long jump and pentathlon. However, the coaches thought that her body condition was average and it would be difficult for her to continue practicing, so they suggested that she try other sports.
It was at the age of 17 that Shui Qingxia first came into contact with soccer when the junior gymnasium underwent a diversion. Incredibly, this 17-year-old girl, who knew nothing about the rules of soccer, later became a member of the national team and a first-class player.
At first, Shui Qingxia's basic skills and ball sense were lacking. After a period of training, the coach conducted a bobble test, she could only bobble over 10. "Maybe there is an unyielding energy in my bones, plus good physical quality, eventually I was selected by the coach to join the Shanghai team. Later, the more I played, the more I felt, and my self-confidence gradually increased."
Engaging in many things does require talent and comprehension. Just over a year after her transition, the national team released its training roster, and Shui Qingxia became the first Shanghai-born player in the history of Chinese women's soccer to be called up.
Shui Qingxia favors the midfield position, but is capable of playing any position on the field, and is known as the most versatile player in the history of Shanghai women's soccer, capable of playing any position on the field except goalkeeper, and reaching the national team level in all positions. In fact, she started out as a left back in the national team.
Shui Qingxia on the field is a famous "three men of desperation", fight simply do not want to die. 1993, in Japan during the stay in the ocean, a common training game, injured in a training match fell to the ground, the right tibia was kicked off, resulting in a serious fracture, the steel nails were fixed within the operation, 7 years before the removal of this piece of steel plate. Until now, every cloudy and rainy weather, Shui Qingxia's injured leg will still react from time to time.
"My noggin doesn't look like anything is wrong with it now, but it's actually been broken twice and then reconstructed. In addition to the time I broke my leg in Japan, I also broke the cruciate ligament in my knee." Shui Qingxia recalled, "I think it doesn't matter, after all, being born as a human being, God will always have to give you some small trials and tribulations for you to overcome."
In the view of unimaginable serious injuries, Shui Qingxia just lightly said "small trials and tribulations". From this, we can feel her inner strength.
But it is by virtue of this "do not want to die" ruthlessness, water Qingxia completed the "bend in the road to overtake", kicked out of the Hall of Fame. 1986, 1993, two Asian Championships, the 1996 Olympic Games runner-up, water Qingxia are China's women's national football team important members. In April 2000, the 34-year-old water Qingxia again selected Chinese women's football team to fight in the Sydney Olympics, creating a national team players the oldest.
At the end of 2001, after the Shanghai women's soccer team defended its title at the National Games, Shui Qingxia finally made the decision:
demobilize
. She was 35 years old that year.
A gentle coach, a hardcore head coach
During her playing days, Shui Qingxia had already started to participate in coaching training, taking coaching certificates while playing soccer. Therefore, after retiring and transitioning, she had a high starting point, coming up as an assistant coach of the Shanghai women's soccer team, and then being moved up to the national youth team.
And the reason why she chose to stay in soccer was initially simple. "The two coaches I met when I was at Little League were exceptionally nice to me, so I thought being a coach would give care and help to many people, I guess, and I was looking forward to doing that."
After she took charge of the Shanghai women's soccer team, the team has remained among the strongest teams in the country for many years. National Women's Soccer League Champion, Championship Champion, AFC Cup Champion ...... Water Qingxia led the team to know how many times, "the best coaches" name even her own can not count, fully described as a meritorious head coach. Moreover, for a long time, the Shanghai women's soccer team does not use foreign aid, which also produces a batch of excellent young players selected for the national team.
Outsiders seem to be serious water Qingxia is a strict coach, sometimes launching a fire to make people some "trembling", but in addition to the strict, as a female coach, water Qingxia also has a different tenderness. "Many people have asked me what is the secret of success, I think the most important or team cohesion, it is like a family, I and the players sometimes call each other sister sister sister sister what, we are willing to go together in order to unify the approach to pay, less some calculation." Outside cold, inside hot, this is more real water Qingxia.
At 55 years old, Shui Qingxia should have reached the age of retirement. But now, she's off again to take on new challenges.
