The tragic defeat of the Chinese women's football team at the Tokyo Olympics has broken the hearts of countless fans. This sonorous rose that once stood out on the world stage is now a third-tier team in Asia, unable even by African powerhouse Zambia. Such results make people have to wonder, what is wrong with the Chinese women's football team? Is it a decline in the strength of the players? Or is the coaching level not good? Or is the management of the Football Association chaotic?
In fact, the problems of Chinese women's football did not form overnight, but the result of long-term accumulation. Starting from Jia Xiuquan, to Shui Qingxia taking over, and then to Sun Wen as vice president of the Football Association, there is serious corruption and shady within the Chinese women's football, which has greatly reduced the team's combat effectiveness and cohesion. These issues have been ignored and covered up, until this humiliating defeat of the World Cup made the People's Daily pay attention to the "shady scene" in the field of women's football for the first time.
So, what are the problems with Chinese women's football? Let's break it down in detail.
Jia Xiuquan suppressed the main players
Jia Xiuquan was appointed as the head coach of the Chinese women's football team at the end of 2018, and under his leadership, the Chinese women's team barely reached the round of 16 at the 2019 World Cup, narrowly eliminated by South Korea in the 2020 Olympic qualifiers, and was eliminated from the group at the 2021 Olympic Games. During his coaching period, Jia Xiuquan did not bring any progress and breakthroughs to the team, but caused the team to fall into a trough.
Jia Xiuquan's biggest problem is to suppress the main players, which greatly affects the strength and morale of the team. His most typical example is Wang Shuang, the heart and soul of the Chinese women's football team, who once played for Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 and was known as the "Asian Messi". Wang Shuang was snubbed and marginalized in Jia Xiuquan's system, and was even put on the bench. Jia Xiuquan's suppression of Wang Shuang made the team lose its strongest offensive weapon, and also caused Wang Shuang's state and confidence to decline significantly.
In addition to Wang Shuang, Jia Xiuquan also suppressed Tang Jiali, Zhang Linyan and other main players, making them unable to play their level. Jia Xiuquan's suppression of the main players caused rifts and dissatisfaction within the team, and also made fans lose trust and support for him.
Shui Qingxia is crony
Shui Qingxia is the head coach of the Chinese women's football team appointed in early 2021, and under her leadership, the Chinese women's team suffered a historic defeat at the Tokyo Olympics, losing 5-0 to Brazil and the Netherlands in two consecutive games, and drawing 4-4 with Zambia in the final match. During her coaching period, Shui Qingxia did not bring any changes and improvements to the team, but made the team more chaotic and powerless.
Shui Qingxia's biggest problem is cronyism, which has caused the team's lineup and tactics to lose rationality and effectiveness. Her most typical example is Wang Shanshan, the Chinese women's football striker who was changed to a defender in Shui Qingxia's system. Wang Shanshan has no experience and ability in the back line, not only can not bring stability and security to the team, but has become a breakthrough for the opponent's attack. Shui Qingxia's cronyism towards Wang Shanshan made the team lose the most effective scorer and put Wang Shanshan in an embarrassment and dilemma.
In addition to Wang Shanshan, Shui Qingxia also arranged some players with insufficient strength or poor condition to play, such as Yang Li, Liu Jie, Li Ying, etc. Shui Qingxia's cronyism caused unfairness and imbalance within the team, and also made fans lose confidence and expectations of her.
Sun Wen shielded corruption
Sun Wen is a legend of the Chinese women's football team and reached the world wave in the 2003 World Cup. Sun Wen became vice president of the Football Association and head of women's football after her retirement, but during her tenure, the Chinese women's football team experienced serious decline and regression. During the management period, Sun Wen did not bring any support and guarantee to the team, but left the team in a difficult situation and crisis.
Sun Wen's biggest problem is covering up corruption, which leads to the team's funds and equipment being misappropriated and wasted. Her most typical example is the Qiongzhong women's football team, a Hainan provincial women's football team that received a huge equipment fund of 15 million yuan with the support of Sun Wen. This fund should have been used to improve the training conditions and equipment level of the women's team, but it was stolen and squandered by the women's football team in Qiongzhong. Sun Wen's cover-up and corruption of the Qiongzhong women's football team has deprived other provincial women's football teams of the opportunity to compete fairly, and also caused losses to the national finances.
In addition to the Qiongzhong women's football team, Sun Wen also shielded and corruptly supported some people or institutions with whom she had connections or exchanged interests, such as Jia Xiuquan, Shui Qingxia, Beijing Sport University, etc. Sun Wen's cover-up and corruption has caused power and money transactions and profit transmission within the women's football team, and also made the public lose respect and trust in her. Therefore, the Chinese women's football team needs a complete reform.