By Xu Yi, Special Correspondent
March 23 was supposed to be the moment when the access list for the Chinese Super League (CSL) was announced, however, the possibility of Zhejiang making up the CSL is looking dicey. Since October 30, 2016 since the relegation, Zhejiang in the journey has gone through 1605 days, if you can return to the Premier League, this will be the team since 2010 because of the Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals and into the foot of the fake football was forced to relegate, once again ushered in the "pie in the sky", to become the only two times "to be replaced! "back to the Chinese Super League club - however, the list was not published as scheduled, Zhejiang team for this year is to play in the Chinese Super League or Chinese A, is still at a loss.
Nevertheless, the Zhejiang team, which is currently operating in a stable manner, is still a dream club for many players. Even if you can't play in the Chinese Super League this year, the future is still full of hope.
Song Weiping, the founder of Greentown soccer, sat alone on the podium at the Huanglong Sports Center on Oct. 30, 2016, when he was still the owner of Greentown. It was a memorable day for Song Weiping, as Greentown drew 2-2 with Yanbian at home and were eventually relegated.
This scene, Song Weiping seems to have experienced. 2009 October 31, Beijing cold wind, Greentown away 0-4 loss to Guoan, the team was relegated to the Central A. At that time, Song Weiping sat on the team's bench, "sitting here, you will feel that time flies quickly. At that time, Song Weiping sat on the team's bench, "sitting here, you will feel that time flies, a moment of time a game is gone. Choose to sit on the bench, you can feel everything more closely, where you can hear the ball hit the sound of the leg guards, hear the players shouting on the field. As chairman of the board, the primary responsibility for this bad play lies with me, I can't avoid it, and at this moment, I have to sit here." Song Weiping said at the time.
In the end, Song Weiping witnessed another team with green as the dominant color of their home jerseys stepping on Greentown's shoulders to ascend to the Chinese Super League title, while his own team, unfortunately, was relegated.
When interviewed after the match, Song Weiping said that his heart was actually very calm when he walked out of the Workers' Complex, "It can be said that it is a kind of relief."
Regarding the relegation, Song believes that it is not the game that was lost, but the day-to-day operations and training, "which accounted for 70 to 80 percent of it."
At that time, the leading coach was Wu Jingui, but he failed to save the team in 7 rounds of matches. At that time, some media had asked Song Weiping to evaluate Wu Jingui, and he said, "Chinese coaches are good or bad, they need a complete process to prove it."
As a result of playing fake football, Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals and Chengzheng football relegated, and Green City, recruited to return to the Chinese Super League, Wu Jingui had a perfect season, he led the Green City to get the 4th place, qualifying for the AFC Champions League, however, for the result, Song Weiping has not been how to comment, only said, "this result is normal, do not chat."
Unlike six years ago at the Gongti Stadium, this time at Huanglong, Song Weiping didn't last until the end, he left the podium after the first half, perhaps, he had already foreseen the end of his team's relegation.
Fans held banners saying "Start over", a farewell that could almost be expected in advance, however, no one knew at the time that they were, for once, in the Central League for four years of silence.
When the team was relegated in 2016, the head coach was Hong Myung-bo. Whether he coached the South Korean national Olympic team in the past or is now returning to Ulsan, it has been proven that this former idol of the South Korean national soccer team is a good coach. Greentown 2016 relegation, on the one hand, because Chinese soccer has entered the era of burning money, rational investment in the transfer market, they do not have any capital, and even a lot of the main force, are other clubs poaching; on the other hand, Greentown has always insisted on reuse of young people's policy, and sometimes it seems that "the Games is more important than the league" way to use people, it is difficult to understand. The way, it is difficult for people to understand.
Hong Mingfu stayed on as head coach after the team was relegated, but even in the Central League, Greentown had a tough go of it.
In addition to the league in 2017, Greentown soccer has another important task - representing Zhejiang in the National Games. Song Weiping has a goal, is to get the first National Games soccer championship in Zhejiang. Therefore, the controversial "league for the Games training" policy was introduced, a number of players born in 1997-1998 were promoted to the first team to play in the Central League, Greentown also became the smallest average age of the Chinese professional league team.
Young always have to pay the price, down to the first year of the Central League, Greentown once 6 rounds of the embarrassing record of not winning extended to 12 rounds, in the face of such a situation, Greentown still chose to save up to operate the youth training, and Hong Mingfu, but in May dismissed.
As executive coach is the green city 1997-98 age group team creator, known as the green city "godfather of youth training" of the hometown coach Xu Lei.
Xu Lei took office, is a sign of Greentown continue to focus on youth training, 1998 to Greentown football, 10 years after retirement, coincided with the formation of Greentown u11 (1997-1998 age group) team, Song Weiping let him as a coach. With young players out of the Central League, the first time to face the professional league Xu Lei, the difficulties are great, good thing Song Weiping and the club, have given him great support, he also stood up, early completion of the relegation mission.
If 2017 was a practice run after relegation, then in 2018, Green City's 20th anniversary, the club has plans for a return to the Premier League.
January 14, 2018, Greentown held a celebration at the base of Zhongtai to celebrate the 20th birthday, the video, Greentown a team of players, with a childish voice to send a blessing, under the field of Song Weiping, has been smiling, 20 years ago, Greentown soccer took root in Zhejiang, 20 years later, these seedlings, has become his trust and hope.
At that time, to see so many Greentown soccer people reunited, Song Weiping said: "These days, I have also contacted some other coaches, like Wu Jingui and others, they can not come due to various reasons, Greentown soccer thanks to all the support and pay people, it is their help, Greentown soccer has come to today."
However, at that time Song Weiping, there is a regret, "the team in the Central League over the 20th birthday, I still feel not too happy, Greentown to do things, that is, to do the best, to do the first brand, and now the most regrettable, is that the team is still in the second level (league)."
In Song Weiping's opinion, Greentown's youth training is passable or good, but the results are just passable. Regarding the team's future, Song Weiping said, "I hope that in the next 10 years, we will not only be in the top league, and be in the top team. Playing in the AFC Champions League is fine, as is winning the AFC Cup and the Chinese Super League, which are all things to strive for. That's all we, the Post-50s, do in soccer, and in the future it will be up to the Post-60s to take the Post-80s to manage the club and the team, and hopefully do better than we did."
That year, Barcelona star Sergi became the head coach of Greentown, and the team was still 2 points ahead of 3rd place Shenzhen Football in the final round, which meant that they only needed to beat Meizhou Hakka on the road in the final round, and they would surely be able to break through to the Super League as the 2nd place.
Less than six minutes into the game, there were two skirmishes on the field, Hakka does not look like a team that has no hope of promotion, no worries about relegation, "no desire", in the 30th minute, the hosts opened the record, Martins equalized at the end of the half, and in the 60th minute, after Hakka overtook the game again, even the goalkeeper was so excited that he rushed to the front to participate in the celebration. ......
When the final whistle blew, Greentown lost the game away from home 1-2, many players fell to the ground, Dino walked to the bench could not hold on any longer, sat on his butt on the chair, picked up a towel over his face and sobbed, a few staff members could not be persuaded, and many players also cried, Dong Yu was even helped by teammates to participate in the side, because the whole team has to go to thank the more than 400 fans who have come a long way to the game, and it is they who, over the years, give the The team's motivation to move forward.
On that night when sadness spread, the players' hard work, nonetheless, won them recognition, and as the bus slowly drove away in the chilly evening, the fans collectively chanted, "Greentown doesn't cry, come back next year!"
It may be the greatest pain in the world to be defeated at the last moment and be left to cry, but even though the world leaves one bruised and battered, the scars will eventually become the hardest part of the body.
In the middle of 2019, Serge stepped down, the hometown coach, the former leader of the team Zheng Xiong took over the coaching whip. Zheng Xiong is "old Greentown", in the position of assistant coach and team leader, dry for many years, in the case of foreign coaches to lead the team to the Super League without results, Greentown put their hopes in the hometown coach, but due to halfway to take over, that year, Greentown in the Central League only won the 6th place, no chance of Super League.
In 2020, due to the epidemic, the Central League also became a conference system.
Greentown ended up finishing second, qualifying for the Chinese Super League playoff with Wuhan. The first round of the play-offs was one of the most energizing games Greentown has played in recent years. With more than 1,000 Zhejiang fans cheering them on, they trailed 0-2 at half-time and eventually equalized 2-2, with the second goal coming in stoppage time. The game boosted the team's morale and made the fans expect Greentown to make it to the Super League - no matter what, they didn't want to miss the chance again.
But the reality is cruel, the second round of the Super League playoffs to the 25th minute, Wuhan was awarded a penalty kick opportunity, captain Li Xing penalty shot, and this, the only goal of the match, Wuhan to two rounds of 3-2 total score of relegation success.
After the match, Greentown collected relevant information and appealed against the referee's decision, especially the penalty kick. Greentown believes that it is intolerable for a club that has continued to make steady investment in soccer for more than 20 years, and a club that has been focusing on youth training to make silent dedication to the future of Chinese soccer, to lose the chance to reach the Super League due to the referee's decision - but the result, cannot be changed.
After the failure of the Super League, Greentown "3 years back to the Super League" plan is broken, the club once again to re-tell the dream, "Although we left regrets in Suzhou, but this is by no means the end of the road, but the starting point for us to take off again. We firmly believe that the spring of Zhejiang soccer is coming, Greentown will become the glory of Zhejiang."
Last September, Zhejiang Energy Group took over Song Weiping Greentown 50% shares, they and Greentown Real Estate Group, together, become the club's two major shareholders, the club, "not bad money".
Song Weiping, who still holds part of Greentown Real Estate Group, has lost absolute control over the club. But as the founder of the club, the investors will certainly not ignore Song Weiping's opinion, and he has not forgotten the team, which he kept an eye on during the play-offs at the end of last year.
Before, Song Weiping to the staff put forward one of his expectations, "before I retire, I hope you can get a championship". Zhejiang rational and standardized operation, many players want to come, Gu Chao this return, is a very good example, the future, rational investment will become the main theme, Zhejiang soccer, it is possible to complete Song Weiping's dream of the championship?
Just now, Zhejiang also have to wait, because they do not know, their own this season is to play the Chinese Super League, or the Central League ......
