Wu Lei, a veteran of the soccer scene, returned after a year and a half absence to the
national soccer team
The embrace of the world's most famous soccer player is not only the joy and praise, but also the love and persistence of soccer. What is not well known is that he has not had a complete vacation to recuperate his body and mind for three and a half years since his overseas career. It is this persistence that has forged his cherish for soccer.
-- Liu Wenchao, Chief Correspondent
Late afternoon, June 17th.
national soccer team
The flight landed at Pudong International Airport, Wu Lei returned to Shanghai after a month. However, as usual, he was not able to return home immediately. According to the plan, the whole team will go to Suzhou for quarantine. Under the leadership of Li Tie, the Chinese team has won four consecutive matches in the past 30 days and has successfully advanced to the Asian Zone Round of 12. The progress of the team and the atmosphere of the team has given people hope and expectation. Wu Lei, on the other hand, is undoubtedly the brightest star among them.
"We're really screwed together."
Wu Lei broke through in each of his four matches in the second phase of the World Qualifying 40, and almost from the first minute against Guam, concerns about whether he would have enough time to gel with the team lost their significance. For professional players, to play well on the field, ability is important, but good team security and atmosphere is also indispensable. This time, Wu Lei's biggest feeling comes from this.
EASTERN SPORTS: As we look back at the tournament in flashbacks and the team enters the Big 12 on a four-game winning streak, how do you feel you personally, and the team as a whole, embodied that?
Wu Lei: To be able to enter the Top 12 with four consecutive victories, I think it is considered a successful completion of the task of the Top 40. There were many difficult parts of this, originally we were playing at home and we had a higher mentality and morale. In the first match against Guam, the Suzhou home fans created a good atmosphere for us and everyone was full of confidence. However, when the game was transferred to the United Arab Emirates, the whole team was more or less affected, so the coaching team tried their best to reduce the pressure on us and help us adjust. After arriving in West Asia, although the climate and other conditions there are different from those in China, with the efforts of all the people, we adjusted our mentality better, since we are here, we should face it, and I think it is still very successful that we can get consecutive victories under such an objective situation, which is inseparable from the contribution of all the people, including the logistic support team, who did a lot of behind-the-scenes work.
EASTERN SPORTS: You said before the race that this was your return after 18 months to the
national soccer team
Training and playing, from the condition of the field, you've integrated into the team very quickly, what do you think is the reason for such a manifestation?
Wu Lei: It's true that it's been a year and a half since I've been back to my country, let alone participating in the national team's training. Although this is the first time I returned to the national team after director Li took office, but most of the players in the team I am very familiar with, before they have played in the Chinese Super League, there are a lot of people have been in the national team, so there is certainly no problem with the integration. In fact, I have a very good idea in my own heart, have been playing in Europe like that rhythm, do not have to worry at all, for me, do not have to think about such work (break-in).
EASTERN SPORTS: In the eyes of outsiders, you're the most important member of the current team of
national soccer team
Mr. Key, so in your eyes, what kind of feeling does this team give you right now?
Wu Lei: I said after the first game that we are a team, not relying on a single person, everyone is the best player. This time back to the biggest feeling is that the team atmosphere is completely different, the whole national team's sense of belonging is also different, under the stadium, the logistics team behind the scenes to do a lot of work, each training feel more ceremonial, such as the production of a lot of commemorative T-shirts, such as our room is placed in the image of the cartoon of each person and photo albums, which are all made to feel close to each other, so that a sense of ceremony so that everyone has a more sense of belonging to the team. Such a sense of ceremony makes everyone feel more belonging to the team. More importantly, I can clearly feel that the team is very united, everyone's ideas and goals are common, this unity is not only reflected in the field players, but also reflected in the bench players, staff, etc. This is the most profound change in my feelings and deepest impression. Now, we are really screwed together, which is the most necessary and basic atmosphere of a good team, only with a good team atmosphere, we can do a good job behind.
"The mentality is completely different after staying in the ocean."
The Chinese team successfully entered the 12 strong, but the Chinese team up and down the results to maintain a clear understanding. Victory is not proud, defeat is not discouraged is the basis of achievement, and from the overall results of the other groups in the Asian region, the strength and weakness of Asian soccer, is not as obvious as in the past. Lebanon can force South Korea into danger, Australia kick a Jordan is not easy ...... All these realities, are forcing the Chinese team to constantly do better.
Oriental Sports: Are you confident in facing those stronger teams in the upcoming Round of 12?
Wu Lei: I feel that the pattern of soccer in Asia has been completely different from previous years, in the past we heard the Philippines, Maldives, etc., are like the traditional weak team, but in fact, from the process of view, including from the score of several other groups and the process of the competition to see, are revealing a message, that is, the Asian soccer may also be the same as the European soccer, there are not too many obvious strong and weak points, even if it is on some traditional weak team to win is not much easier, so it is still to be rational. Even against some traditional weak teams, the strong team to win is not about how easy, so it is still necessary to look at it rationally. Even though we won 5-0 against Maldives, I said after the game that if they continue to work hard to improve according to the current method, they will surely have a good performance and results in a few years. Every team is improving and working hard in the direction that suits them, including Vietnam, Lebanon, etc. This has caused some traditionally strong teams to be prone to dropping points against weaker teams as well. Therefore, after entering the Top 12, I feel that everything is possible, although we can not be considered a first-class team in Asia, but as long as we do our best to play at their own level, within Asia, any team to win us, it is not so simple.
Oriental Sports: Throughout the four games, many people's eyes Wu Lei, embodied a certain degree of self-confidence and calm, do you think the reason for bringing you these changes, is it from staying in the ocean to accumulate the improvement?
Wu Lei: two and a half years abroad, more or less there will be a certain improvement, this is in fact all-round, not only on the field, I will actually go to observe how foreign clubs operate, big clubs have big clubs of the mode of operation, small clubs have small clubs of the mode of survival, so I equivalent to an all-round way to learn and understand, in fact, a lot of aspects on the Chinese
national soccer team
The ball is a great reference for all of us. As for the pitch is more important, or European soccer practice rhythm and the rhythm of the competition, we can see, indeed to be much faster than the Chinese super, I went out to do a lot of preparation to face the difficulties, I also encountered a trough, but still insisted on, as far as possible to stand firm, to adapt. After these two and a half years, I think the most important improvement is in self-confidence, through the usual practice, competition accumulation, and then back to the national team to play the Asian level competition, the heart will be more confident. After I went out, I understood why we couldn't beat Japan and South Korea in the previous years, and why it was hard for us to beat them even though we were both Asian teams. When I went out to feel the answer, the answer will be clear at a glance, in Europe this kind of high level, fast-paced competition training, and then come back to play Asian competition, the mentality will be completely different. Japan can now form two lineups to play in Asian competitions, South Korea may be less, but if a team can have six or seven players to play in Europe, even if it's a second division, the team's overall self-confidence and temperament will be different from other teams. So also like I said before, I hope more people go out, but of course the most important thing is to stand firm with their own abilities.
"Thank you, Director Lee, for your trust and help."
After the first game in Guam.
national soccer team
Manager Li Tie took the microphone to support Wu Lei's comments, once became the focus of the topic after the win. At that time, also some of the surprise of Wu Lei, but more is to thank, thank the head coach this empathy trust. Next season, Wu Lei will return to the La Liga stage with Spaniards, the challenge and competition will only be greater, of course, Wu Lei has become more and more accustomed to these jobs.
Oriental Sports: after the first match against Guam, as well as after the fourth win over Syria, Li Tie talked about the topic of you, expressed his support for you, sitting next to you at that time (after the match against Guam Wu Lei was named the best player to participate in the conference), what kind of feelings?
Wu Lei: To be honest, I was a bit surprised, after all, I did not expect him to face the media when he said so. I am indeed very touched, thanks to Li can understand me so much, he also stayed in Europe, know in Europe that environment is not easy, after his own personal experience, more empathetic. I am very grateful to him for his trust and help, and I am also very touched that he can understand my situation so empathetically.
Oriental Sports: Spaniards are going back to La Liga next year, what kind of expectation do you have for this?
Wu Lei: La Liga is definitely a more difficult league, but for me, I still have the determination to accept the challenge and face the competition. At the soccer level, I am from a relatively undeveloped place, to the developed areas, to play on the game or rely on their own efforts to fight, but also hope that we can relax the mindset, after all, our level and the European level is still a big gap, at this stage, you can stand firm there has been very difficult.
Oriental Sports: After you play a wonderful embodiment, many young players are bound to see you as a role model, and may even provoke a wave of fever to stay in the ocean, about them, you have any "come from the past" story or advice to bring them?
Wu Lei: Definitely still hope that more people go out. In fact, before I went out, I think we have a lot of players, have the ability to play in Europe, even if it is the second league, so it is still necessary to insist on going out of this step, if you have not been able to go out, with the increase in age, in the Chinese
China Super League (soccer league)
Under the influence of various environments and rhythms, players who originally had hopes of playing in Europe may have fewer and fewer opportunities. From a positive point of view, go out to let me feel the European soccer atmosphere, I cherish their own career; the bad side of course, there are, in that environment, my age, once a little injury, if you choose to adhere to, over time the career life than in the domestic slowly recovered under the condition of the situation to be a little shorter, no one would like to play with injuries and illnesses, even if it is just a little bit of small defects, but this is the reality! In Europe, there is no way, the competition is so fierce, behind you there is a constant stream of young people waiting, this is a world of difference with the domestic, even if the age of the domestic a little bit more, a little more injuries, do not have to worry too much, because most of the cases, behind the young players do not come on, the young players do not come on, the sense of crisis is not so heavy, in such an environment, it is naturally easy not to pay attention to, not to cherish, and not to cherish, and not to cherish. In such an environment, it is easy not to pay attention to, not to cherish, anyway, the main position is still mine. But in Europe is different, the cake is so big, the meal is so much, everyone is staring at, this is to play football abroad need to face, we see more or on the field of the adaptation problem, under the stadium in fact there are a variety of factors will affect the mentality, at this time it depends on everyone's own ideas. We go out to play soccer, unlike foreign aid to the Chinese Super League, they have the capital, we go out to compete for position, if you do not work hard, do not adhere to, based on what foothold? This is why director Li can empathize with the reason, he has felt so especially understand.
EASTERN SPORTS: What are your plans after you return home to spend the quarantine period, it's been a while since you've had a proper break, hasn't it?
Wu Lei: Indeed a whole year and a half did not return home, I also miss everyone. If the full reckoning, equal to three and a half years without much rest, the first season (Europe) of the winter break did not rest, after playing the Asian Cup went directly to Spain, and then did surgery, rehabilitation, last season is due to the epidemic, so in the spirit and psychology, need to relax. By the second half of the year, starting in September, the national team will have a Top 12 competition. At that time I will come back to be with you, in fact, there is such a journey arrangement, so that I come back every one or two months to meet with you is also quite good, a change of environment on my mental condition, psychological condition will also be good.
