Guangzhou Evergrande FC and Dalian Wanda Group's soccer teams have each chosen very different trajectories.
Dalian Wanda was invincible in the domestic league in the past, the power of money should not be underestimated. Rumor has it that Wang Jianlin showed up at the game with a cash box. Although the exact purpose is unknown, it certainly inspired the team.
In a league match in 1997, Dalian Wanda fell behind by two goals when facing Yanbian away from home. Wang Jianlin then announced that if the team could equalize, the bonus would be doubled. As a result, the team fought hard for the equalizer and eventually escaped with a full victory.
However, Dalian Wanda was not the only one relying on bonuses to motivate the team, and almost all of the 12 teams in the A-League were giving out bonuses. 1994 A-League's first game, Sichuan Quanxing drew with Liaoning, and defender Wei Qun gave out 3,000 yuan in cash, an unimaginable feat for the players.
Funding is only one part of Dalian Wanda's dominance in the A-League, not the whole story.
First of all, Dalian, as a major town of Chinese soccer, has been delivering excellent players to the league for a long time, which is the result of the accumulation of Dalian soccer for many years. after the end of the 1995 season, Dalian Wanda quickly renewed its players, and a number of young players rose to prominence, such as Sun Jihai and Wang Peng, laying the foundation for the team's stable development. When Dalian Wanda withdrew from Chinese soccer, it also handed over the complete ladder team of 1981 and 1985 age groups to Dalian Shide, which ensured the continuous prosperity of Dalian soccer.
Secondly, the management level of Dalian soccer is in the leading position in China. At the beginning of the establishment of Dalian Football Salon, the team enjoyed superior accommodation, which is still rare in Chinese soccer. In addition, the rules and regulations of Dalian soccer were also put forward earlier in China, attracting many teams to come and learn from them.
Many of Dalian Wanda's practices are still positive today. Before the start of the season, the team would gather players and their families to learn about family difficulties and to address players' concerns. after losing the 1995 league, the Wanda Salon and the Dalian Football Association organized a three-day soccer conference aimed at regaining the title.
During the Dalian Wanda period, the team was so cohesive that many foreign players returned to Dalian to meet their old teammates after retirement, which also reflects the deep heritage of Dalian soccer. Dalian people are broad-minded, the first national league championship is in Shanghai under the guidance of the old coach Zhang Honggen, Chi Shangbin coaching period, he also returned to Dalian to guide the work.
Guangzhou Evergrande, on the other hand, has chosen a different path of development and has been hailed as China's Real Madrid. They have fully utilized the power of money, but not by relying on home-grown players, but more by bringing them in through the transfer market. Professional leagues can't prosper without teams like Real Madrid, but they also need teams like Barcelona, which complement each other.
