In the late afternoon, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) unveiled a piece of heavy news, officially announcing the appointment of former international footballer Yang Chen as the head coach of China's U16 men's football team.
The official website of the Football Association (FA) revealed that after layers of selection and strict examination, Yang Chen stood out from the many candidates with his excellent qualifications and rich experience. After registration, qualification review and open competition, Yang Chen's name was finally considered and approved by the FA Chairman's Office.
Dating back to 1993, as the pace of professionalization of Chinese soccer accelerated, Beijing Guoan FC came into being and made its mark in the 1994 A-League. In his early years at Guoan, Yang Chen became the team's central striker with his outstanding goal-scoring ability, scoring his first league goal for Guoan since professionalization.
In May 1998, Yang Chen received a loan offer from German Bundesliga side Mannheim, where he was already the main striker for Guoan, and his strong impact and shooting skills made him highly regarded in the league. In the summer of that year, Yang Chen began his overseas career.
In 2000, Yang Chen was honored as China's Footballer of the Year, known for his "speedy and comprehensive skills". On July 1 of the same year, he joined Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Bundesliga for a transfer fee of about 3.75 million RMB, becoming the first Chinese footballer to land in the top five leagues. In his four seasons at Eintracht Frankfurt, Yang Chen scored 23 goals, and was honored as the team's top scorer in the 98-99 season.
Yang Chen, who currently serves as a professional-level coach of the AFC, has served as the leader and assistant coach of Jiangsu Suning, Guizhou Renhe and Beijing Beijin, as well as the leader and assistant coach of China's U22 men's national soccer team. His arrival will undoubtedly bring new vigor to the U16 national football team.
As an overseas pioneer of Chinese soccer, Yang Chen's successful experience of staying abroad and the advanced training methods he learned in the Bundesliga will help promote the growth of our young players. This decision by the FA has taken the road of professionalization of Chinese soccer a big step forward.
