As the former director of the Liaoning Sports Bureau, Song Kai has clearly expressed his love for Taishan, and such a statement is undoubtedly a message to Shandong fans: the Football Association and Taishan, belong to the same family. In other words, if Tarzan suffers injustice on the field, Shandong fans will not point their fingers at Song Kai, who has long been openly claiming to be a Luneng fan, and the impartiality of the referees in the Chinese Super League is not under his control.
However, Song Kai's public status may also bring hidden worries to Taishan. In today's football world, once a problem arises, it will often be seized by the opponents, which in turn may trigger unfair public opinion against Taishan and even lead to refereeing decisions in favor of the other side. Against this background, the FA may also tend to take a more neutral stance when dealing with problems.
Therefore, there is no need to be surprised if Taishan fails to win the league in the next four years. Song Kai's support for Luneng does not mean that Taishan will be able to secure the title. Looking back at Chen Xuyuan's tenure, Shanghai Harbor has never tasted the title either.
As you can see, Song Kai's status as a Luneng fan does not substantially benefit Taishan. Such a choice may only make Taishan face more challenges in the future, both from the rivalry and the pressure of outside public opinion. It begs the question, does this cast a shadow over Taishan's future?
