On March 25, Football Daily revealed that Qingdao West Coast investor Xu Shang revealed that the team's top priority is to secure a league spot while also facing any challenges that may arise.
Talking about the team's goal, Seo said firmly, "Even though my good friends advised me to reduce the pressure, I still feel a great responsibility. When West Coast was promoted to the Premier League, I was determined to put down roots here. I was asked what I thought of the results, and I was blunt: just to stay in the competition and make sure we stay in the competition, but at the same time we must prepare for all potential difficulties."
Xu Shang admits that both he and the club are still in the process of figuring out the Chinese Super League: "The pace of development has been rapid in recent years. 2021, we were still in the China B League, followed by two years of playing in the China A League. In 2021, we will be in China B, then China A for the next two years. We entered the Chinese Super League by accident, before we built our Chinese Super League squad. It's a fast pace, but we can't afford to back down from the opportunities we have."
Xu Shang added: "Today, all our initiatives are in line with Super League standards. Investment is not limited to the transfer market, but the club's staff structure has also been optimized. Last year, it was common for our staff to work part-time, while today we have full-time staff in the areas of business, media, fans and volunteers. As for the youth training system, the coaching team is constantly being strengthened."
It is reported that Qingdao West Coast has a solid financial backing: according to the policy of Qingdao Municipality and West Coast New District, the club can get 20 million RMB from the city, and 10 million RMB for the 2023 season's overtaking incentive is also included in the new season's budget. Although it is widely believed that the group does not need to invest too much to achieve relegation, Xu Shang insisted on increasing investment, which needs to be borne by CCTC Hengtai Group.
Seo-Sang said, "I have a love for soccer and have always been actively involved. If not for the club, I could not be so involved. Qingdao West Coast Football Club carries the honor of Qingdao soccer and even West Coast New District, and this sense of responsibility puts me under pressure."
For the new season, Qingdao West Coast hired Hisashi Kurosaki, former chief assistant coach of Shandong Taishan and Wuhan Sanzhen, as head coach. Xu Shang believes that Hisashi Kurosaki's tactical philosophy fits with the team and expects him to play an active role in building the club and the team. Currently, it will take time for the team to gel. Once the foreign aid and more internal aid are integrated, Qingdao West Coast is expected to realize a qualitative leap.
