China's soccer governing body, the Football Association, has traditionally loomed large over the Chinese soccer world with its puzzling moves. Recently, Portuguese manager and Roma coach Jose Mourinho broke the news in a media interview that he had received an invitation from China to not only take charge of the Chinese national soccer team, but also to take charge of a Chinese Super League (CSL) team made up entirely of foreign players. Mourinho's statement instantly triggered a scandal involving the Football Association (FA) and Guangzhou Evergrande, who are allegedly working together to manipulate the "national team".
Back at the end of 2018, it was rumored that the Football Association (FA) intended to set up a "national team training squad" to join the Chinese Super League and work with Guangzhou Evergrande. After obtaining the authorization of the Football Association and the senior management, Evergrande began to follow the map, with a very low market price to buy international players. It is reported that Evergrande's list of reinforcements at that time included Yan Junling and Wu Lei of Shanghai SIPG, Artemisia Junmin and Wu Xinghan of Shandong Luneng, Wu Xi of Jiangsu Suning and other top local players in the Chinese Super League. However, after encountering the collective boycott of other clubs in the Chinese Super League, the Football Association's "national team training team" program came to an abrupt end.
At the same time, Shanghai media people have hinted that after the 2019 Asian Cup, Wu Lei quickly went to Spain for further study, behind which may also imply the avoidance of the "national team training team" factor. If Wu Lei continues to stay in the Chinese Super League, he is likely to be forced to join Evergrande under the pressure of the Football Association, which poses a great challenge to the player's personal will and Shanghai SIPG. For this reason, Shanghai SIPG quickly transferred Wu Lei to Espanyol after the Asian Cup, successfully avoiding this risk.
However, for a long time, the Football Association and Evergrande conspired with the "national team" is nothing more than an urban legend, because of the many bizarre details have always been closely guarded by the relevant personnel. Now, Mourinho's confirmation makes this national team plan planned by the Football Association, Guangzhou Evergrande specific implementation of the national team plan, finally made public. In fact, the European media has long reported that Evergrande invited Mourinho to coach with 30 million euros in early 2019, which coincides with the launch of the "national team" program.
Fortunately, the determined resistance of the Chinese Super League teams killed the plan. Had it not been for this, it could have become one of the biggest scandals and jokes in the history of professional leagues. The collusion of interests behind this incident is unimaginable. The investigation of Du Zhaocai, the former leader of the Football Association, has exposed many doubts behind the plan.
