Super Marshal

"If you came here specifically to accuse me today, then I'm sorry, I'm not in the mood."

In the office of the Chinatown training base in BJDX District, Gao Han met Deputy Director Cai who came here specially.

Visiting during a sensitive period will inevitably arouse suspicion.

Deputy Director Cai was also embarrassed because it was indeed him and the Football Association people who failed to handle this matter.

Gao Han first heard about the invitational tournament a few months ago, but he didn't know the specific arrangements for the tournament at that time. He only vaguely knew that it was during winter training. At that time, he made two requirements. First, it must be a strong team. It is best to have stronger offensive capabilities, which will help the national team develop defensive counterattack tactics.

As for the second point, it cannot affect the club's pre-season preparations.

The Football Association also told the investors about these two requirements at the time, and the latter assured them with confidence. However, as a result, the opponents who came were not strong, and the schedule seriously affected the club's pre-season preparations.

After learning the real situation, Gao Han repeatedly reported the situation to the Football Association and called Deputy Director Cai many times. Later, Deputy Director Cai had a headache when he saw Gao Han's calls and refused to answer them several times.

It is obvious that all parties are adopting the procrastination strategy, which is to delay the time as much as possible until the event is imminent, forcing all parties to submit. By then, they will do whatever they want. At worst, they will be promoted to the second team. Well.

But what no one expected was that Gao Han would pierce the window paper at this time.

Therefore, at this moment, hearing Gao Han's unkind tone, Deputy Director Cai felt embarrassed, helpless and ashamed.

"Old brother, I came here today with absolutely no intention of raising any charges." Deputy Director Cai sighed helplessly, "To tell you the truth, I was scolded several times just now, and I was caught in the middle of some things. It's not good. Let’s do it.”

Gao Han looked at Deputy Director Cai who was sighing and crying in front of him, and shook his head, feeling helpless.

If he didn't know much about the situation when he took over the national team, then of course he knows it better than anyone else now.

No matter who takes the position of head of the Football Association, it will be difficult.

"I know you have resentment in your heart and feel that we are joking with your life-long honor and disgrace, but we really have no choice. This time the investors went directly to the top, and with the support of FIFA and AFC, we Even if you want to object, you can’t.”

"You are wrong, Lao Cai." Gao Han then raised his head, "From the moment I agreed to take over the coaching position of the national team, I no longer took the so-called personal honor and disgrace seriously. I knew in my heart that losing The ball will come sooner or later, it is inevitable, and being able to reach this point in the top 12 games is far beyond my expectation."

Gao Han also spoke frankly and sincerely.

"Even if we qualify in the next qualifiers, how far can we go in the World Cup with our level? Qualifying in the group?" Gao Han shook his head and smiled, "Don't be kidding, if we can really qualify from the qualifiers, my World Cup goal is One goal, one point, if you can achieve this goal, it’s already pretty good.”

Deputy Director Cai also understands the situation of the national team and of course believes what Gao Han said.

Although the Chinese team has won consecutive games in the top 12, how much weight can these Asian teams have in the World Cup?

Gao Han's goal is the most realistic.

"The reason why I am angry is because I have great doubts about why such an unprofessional decision can be passed in the Football Association? Doesn't anyone within the Football Association dare to raise objections?"

But as soon as Gao Han said these words, he was speechless.

When the opinions come from within the Football Association, effective discussions may still be possible, but if they come from above, or even from above, can discussions still be possible? Who dares to object?

Suddenly, he felt a sense of powerlessness.

He felt that no matter how much he did, he would never be able to change all of this. He was unwilling to do so, but he was helpless.

But at this moment, he suddenly remembered that not long ago, the team ended the first round-robin with five consecutive victories. When he returned to BJ, he received a call from the chief. On the phone, he fully affirmed Gao Han's contribution to the national team. Contribution, but at the same time, he also hopes that he can do more, and for the first time proposed the special position of general counsel of the football reform group.

This reform group was established more than a year ago. The leadership level is very high, but the general consultant is a position tailor-made for Gao Han. He is not within the system, but he can take care of everything and ask questions about everything.

Gao Han didn't understand the leader's intention at the time, and he didn't agree on the spot because he was very resistant to it.

Now when I look back and think about it, I can’t help but understand a lot and think more deeply.

"Lao Cai, even if this matter is over, I hope that all such matters in the future can inform me in advance. Football does need investment and welcomes investment, but as a leading organization, it should do a good job in top-level design. , grasp the sense of proportion, only in this way, when capital comes in, it will be smooth, otherwise, if the flood comes, everything will be in chaos."

Gao Han's words were also very serious.

Deputy Director Cai seemed to have known some news for a long time. After hearing this, instead of feeling overly embarrassed, he kept nodding his head.

"I know that too, but you should understand that our Football Association simply lacks this type of talent. How many years have we been playing professional football? To put it bluntly, we can't even use tricks to make money."

This is quite true.

Let alone the Chinese Football Association, which country's football association in the world can outplay capital?

Is the European League good enough?

But among European countries, who can have a football association that can outplay capital? Even UEFA themselves often make fools of themselves in front of capital, but you must know that their system has been developed and improved for decades.

It can be said that this is a contradiction that is common all over the world.

"You are right, so we need to standardize and guide. Since the existing personnel within the Football Association cannot play, then we should replace them and introduce world-leading talents from Europe into the Football Association to help us formulate and improve systems and guide capital. "

After a pause, Gao Han added: "We want to pay attention to youth training, but we don't have experience in this area. There is no problem. We will go to Germany, France, Spain and other countries to learn from other countries and learn from other people's advanced experience. Welcome." People came to offer us suggestions and even hired high-level experts to conduct long-term inspections to help us tailor our youth training development plan."

Deputy Director Cai was stunned when he heard this, "Is this... is this okay?"

"Why not?" Gao Han asked back, "As the saying goes, the sea is open to all rivers and is inclusive. We have had this tradition since ancient times. Since it was possible during the prosperous Tang Dynasty, why can't it be done now?"

Deputy Director Cai was speechless, but he found it difficult, very difficult, but also very attractive.

"What you say makes sense, but you think too simplistically. If nothing else, even within the Football Association, it is not monolithic. Everyone has their own interests and calculations, including me."

Gao Han was not surprised, because he knew.

The most direct example is, why did Deputy Director Cai wait until the last moment, when he was cornered, to launch Gao Han, and only after the chief minister came forward?

In the final analysis, it is also based on his own interests.

This is normal, whether it is as large as the Football Association or as small as the club, it is the same internally.

The key is how to form a synergy through effective systems.

"Let's just talk about recent times. We lost miserably in the U16 Asian Cup, but Iraq won the championship. The result was good. Many people began to propose that we should pay attention to youth training, so recently some people began to propose that we should introduce a youth training system for the league. The terms of player attendance are also recognized by many people at the top and bottom.”

"Isn't this nonsense?" Gao Han got angry on the spot, "The league is the foundation, the league is the foundation, how many years have you been saying this?"

"What is league-based?"

"The league is a stage. It operates commercially, introduces stars, attracts more fans to watch, sells broadcast rights, tickets, and sponsorships... The higher the level of the league, the more money it makes and the number of fans it attracts. The more money we have, the wealth continuously created will be reinvested into the football industry, thus forming a virtuous cycle.”

"You must know that cultivating young players has never been the obligation of the top league. It is the youth training camp, the youth league, and what the echelon league should do. This is two different business models from the commercial operation of the top league itself. , how can they be confused?"

"Take La Liga, which I am most familiar with, as an example. Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, the three traditional giants, invest huge sums of money in the transfer market every year, introducing Messi, Suarez, Neymar, Gareth Bale, Top stars such as Aguero and Sanchez have brought together La Liga stars, making it the best league in the world."

"But behind this first league, La Liga will allocate part of its revenue to the Football Association every year, and then the Football Association will invest in youth training, youth leagues and community football, etc., plus the club's own echelon league, this can provide the top league with Cultivate an endless supply of talent.”

"A country's top league should never be the main battlefield for cultivating young players. Youth leagues and echelon leagues are. The most important task of the league is to play more exciting events, attract more fans, and make more money. Money, but if we put the cart before the horse and force the league to cultivate young players, not only destroying the talent but destroying the league, then the gain will outweigh the loss."

"We are still in a period of rapid economic development, and all walks of life are developing very quickly. The recovery momentum of the Chinese Super League has also been very obvious in the past few years. It has high exposure and high attention, which allows investors to benefit from it, so there is still a very big opportunity. Attractiveness, it’s still too late for reform, but if we wait until later, the Chinese Super League will become a stagnant water, and it will be too late to change it.”

Gao Han's frank remarks made Deputy Director Cai think deeply.

That he would take over this heavy responsibility at a critical moment proved his responsibility and convinced Gao Han that he could work together with Chinese football. However, the situation he faced now was very complicated, even far beyond Gao Han's original expectations.

It was only now that Gao Han began to truly realize that, as many people once said, Chinese football has never been just a problem within the industry, but a microcosm of the entire society.

But retreating when faced with difficulties has never been Gao Han's style. Now that he has walked in, he must fight to the end.

Now that he has taken over the coaching position of the Chinese national team, he will not give up easily, nor will he back down.

Knowing that there are tigers in the mountains, you prefer to go to the tiger mountains. This is the style of Gaohan.

As the saying goes, there must be a road before the car reaches the mountain, and it will be straight when the boat reaches the bridge.

Even if there is really no way by then, Gao Han will still have to find a way even if he walks slowly alone.

He has always believed that there is no way that China, a great country, cannot do well in football.

However, for the time being, his most important task is the World Cup qualifiers in March.

Play well in South Korea and Iran, bring the team back to the World Cup, and use this enthusiasm to keep this fire burning stronger and longer!