On February 3, in the springtime, an intense video of a youth soccer game quickly festered on the Internet. In the video, the words and actions of a youth camp coach were more like a simple and crude brainwashing of the young players than technical instruction: skills and tactics were abandoned, and the emphasis was only on attacking the opponents once they were free.
This kind of teaching method has angered countless players' parents and soccer fans. In my anger, I once said that this coach is like a gravedigger of the foundation of Chinese soccer. Once the video was exposed, it created a furor in the Chinese soccer world, triggering extensive reflection and heated debate among industry insiders.
Just yesterday, the CFA gave a serious response to this incident. Wu Gaojun (head coach of Shenyang Aosa Qixing, a retired player of the former Chinese Super League (CSL) team Liaoning) was officially banned for one year for abetting players to kick, and the club was disqualified from participating in national competitions for the next three months.
Coincidentally, Lin Lin, the head coach of Chongqing Tongliang Dragons FC, who has just been promoted to China's first division, was also sentenced by the court to three years' imprisonment on the charge of causing death by negligence for physically punishing youth players. However, Linlin did not give up after his release from prison, he continued to devote himself to youth soccer training and led Chongqing's U18 all-conference team to a 3rd place finish in the 14th (2021) National Games soccer tournament.
In the face of the development path of Chinese soccer, this strict, simple and brutal teaching method seems to achieve quick success, but in reality, it is only a short-lived glory at the domestic level. This requires careful consideration by all soccer practitioners. Returning to the origin of the incident, we can't help but ask: Is the FA's punishment enough to quell the anger of the fans?
