Schlapner, the first foreign coach of an international footballer in his 80s, fondly recalled his coaching years in Huaxia soccer in an interview with Xinhua News Agency and offered insights into the path of progress for the country's soccer.
In '92, the Football Association extended an olive branch, and in the same year, he shouldered the responsibility of becoming the head coach of the Chinese men's soccer team. This fire of curiosity drove him to set foot on this soil, and although he had the opportunity to travel to countries or clubs with which he was more familiar, he was eager to explore the country's culture in depth and wanted to leave a positive mark on his departure. Some of his strategies were recognized, but others were not understood at the time, such as the 11-on-9 formation he used in warm-up matches to strengthen the team, a move that some mistook for humiliation of the opponents.
After losing to Japan in the semi-finals of the 92nd Asian Cup and finishing third, Schlapner's name became known at the 93rd Spring Festival Gala for his comic strip "Auctioning off Uncle Swann's Hair". The following year, China lost key matches to Yemen and Iraq and missed out on a place in the '94 World Cup. Schlapner officially stepped down in 1994.
After leaving his post, Schlapner became a bridge for many Chinese players such as Yang Chen and Xie Hui to stay in China, and helped Chinese coaches to further their studies in Germany. He recalled that Yang Chen trained in Mannheim before being picked up by Eintracht Frankfurt FC for a friendly match, while Xie Hui joined Aachen before moving on to Fürth. Their language skills proved the strength of our players in Europe.
Schlapner is convinced that if the national soccer team can continue to develop based on the foundation of 92 years, it will become the top force in Asian soccer and take its place in the world soccer world. He is willing to offer advice on women's and youth soccer, emphasizing the need to think holistically and long term about the development of soccer.
Schlapner emphasized that he wanted to bring an international perspective to Chinese soccer, providing guidance to his Chinese counterparts and focusing more on overall and long-term development. He said that his Chinese counterparts could always talk to him about whatever problems they encountered, including the operation of professional clubs, which were still fresh territory in China at the time.
Over the years, Schlapner has gained an in-depth understanding of China's soccer infrastructure through various means, such as the maturity of amateur leagues and the development of school soccer. He believes that Chinese soccer had taken a detour, pursuing too much economic interests and neglecting the grassroots construction.
Schlapner has been involved in a number of school soccer programs in China, giving presentations and lectures, as well as editing manuals and books. He called for the establishment and improvement of a school league system, not just tournaments. He encouraged young players to set up ambitious ideals, learn self-discipline, and examine their lives every day. He emphasized that players should have a strong sense of national honor and patriotism and that Chinese soccer should not bring in foreign players just for the sake of money. Over the years, he has kept in touch with many of his Chinese counterparts, reminiscing about times when they worked together under difficult conditions.
