On November 8, Gao Hong, the training director of Evergrande Soccer School, was in front of the media and talked about the school's tournament layout and the way to nurture talent.
Hello, Director Gao Hong. Since you took over the position of Director of Competition at Evergrande Soccer Schools, there has been a tidal wave of reforms in soccer. How has it worked out? Which reforms have been the most significant and of which you are most proud?
Over the past 12 years, Evergrande Football School has gathered the wisdom of experts from Real Madrid of Spain, Brazil, England and domestic soccer, and accumulated rich "soccer wealth". Under the youth training system, many outstanding athletes have stood out and become the backbone of professional matches and national teams.
When I first became Director, I was deeply disturbed by the challenges I faced. The reform is not simply a matter of adding or subtracting, but of optimizing the choice of materials from the original. We focused on improving the players' understanding of the game and their decision-making ability, while examining their learning ability, curiosity and receptiveness to new knowledge.
Why Evergrande Soccer Schools chose the U17A team to participate in the CYCL U19 tournament?
Last year, the U19s did well in the Youth Premier League. According to the FA schedule, we had the opportunity to compete as a full team. After a careful selection process, we assembled a team of players born in 2006 and 2007 with the aim of developing their practical skills. The team started in Group C and managed to advance to Group B thanks to Salvador's excellent coaching and the young players' fighting spirit.
In May, Salvador moved on to become the head coach of another team. After discussion, Mr. Zhu Liwei took over the baton and became the head coach of the U17B team. Mr. Zhu brought the team from B level to the championship group, and I was involved in some of the work. in October, Mr. Zhu attended the coach training, and I was temporarily in charge of the U17A team's trainings and matches.
Are there any players in this team that stand out to you? Do they have the potential and qualifications to break into the first team? When can they expect to be in the first team according to the promotion mechanism?
Our selection mechanism focuses on a player's drive, desire to win in the face of adversity, as well as his understanding and use of tactics. Currently, most of the U17A team players have grown through the U19 league and are expected to become the backbone of the club in the future. It is expected that 6 to 7 players have the potential to break into the first team.
Whether it is the club or the school, our footballing philosophy is to adhere to passing, control, aggressive defending, as well as promoting aggressiveness, encouraging progress and confidence on a spiritual level.
What is your outlook and vision for youth training for the U17A team and Evergrande Soccer Schools? What are the expected development models and scenarios for the future?
Our vision is to develop athletes in all aspects - technical, tactical, physical and mental. These four aspects should be developed in a balanced manner, with the focus of development adjusted according to age. Younger players focus more on skills and tactics, while players over 15 years old should strengthen tactical and mental development. The development of players in key positions is crucial and this is the most important task for the school at the moment.
In addition, high-quality matches and content are crucial. We hope that the school can organize more high-level matches at home and abroad to provide more growth platforms for children with soccer dreams and contribute to Chinese soccer.
