Nantong Zhiyun, a small-letter promotion team fighting for relegation, seems to be low-key in the league. Apart from some highlights in the FA Cup, Wuhan Sanzhen seems to have few outstanding performances.
Off the field, however, Nantong Zhiyun stood out with its unique personality, especially owner Fan Bing, who was in the media spotlight for a while for his refereeing controversy that sparked the ire of the Football Association in early July.
In the eyes of the public, Fan Bing's anger at the FA stems from the damage to the club's interests, and he seems to be on the side of justice. But will Nantong Zhiyun be treated equally when the scandal erupts? This is reminiscent of the clashes between fans during the match between Shandong Taishan and Nantong Zhiyun.
Nantong Zhiyun's official announcement seems to be carefully worded, but the organization is rigorous, did not avoid the facts, can be called frank. But unfortunately, the unfortunate fate of the two players is thought-provoking.
Shi Xiaodong, the goalkeeper who joined the team in 2020 and vowed to make 100 appearances for the team, achieved this "small goal" on July 21st in the Chinese Super League match against Henan. On the way to the promotion of Nantong Zhiyun, he contributed to the miraculous performance of nine consecutive games. Now, his departure is both absurd and ironic.
Xu Junmin, another player implicated, played for Shanghai Shenhua. He chose to leave due to positional discomfort and exposure of his shortcomings. Considering what happened to other players taken away from Shanghai Shenhua, this accident of Xu Junmin may also be a historical legacy.
Chinese soccer had a brief period of calm when soccer's anti-corruption and mafia cleaned out many big names. Nantong Zhiyun's statement seems to be a reminder that Chinese soccer still has a long way to go.
The ball can not help but think of the Women's World Cup under the news, someone asked: "China's women's soccer team before the game to play loud roses, the national football game should play what song?" Someone replied, "Tears at the Iron Window." For a while, the comment section was filled with laughter. Ball was speechless, but could not refute it.
Respect needs to be earned. Chinese soccer, please fight for more.
