Once upon a time, the former international footballer Fan Zhiyi's words stirred up a furor in the football world. His words were like a sharp blade, hitting the pain in the process of professionalization of Chinese soccer. Fan Zhiyi unabashedly blasted the soccer management, pointing out their laziness and powerlessness in solving problems. He even said that Chen Xuyuan is using soccer for personal gain, which has become the fatal wound that hinders the progress of Chinese soccer.
Fan Zhiyi's comments are not empty, even if Chen Xuyuan is the chairman of the Football Association, its management level and soccer insights have been questioned. His soccer philosophy is lagging behind and he lacks deep insight into the nature of the soccer industry. Under his leadership, the professional development of Chinese soccer is stumbling and drifting away from the world's top level.
Fan's critique also points to the central crux of China's professional soccer: the immaturity of the soccer economy. Restricted by backward management thinking, clubs have few avenues for profitability, leading to soaring player wages while player athleticism continues to decline. In addition, the lack of soccer stadiums and soccer culture in the promotion of the soccer industry has severely restricted the long-term development of the industry.
Fan Zhiyi's critique is not a mere criticism, but an expectation for the management of Chinese soccer. He hopes that the management can reflect deeply and realize the professionalization and modernization of soccer management. Only in this way can the soccer industry be cultivated into a new driving force for the growth of the country's economy and help China's soccer rise on the international stage.
