The Chinese Football League Super League has always been one of the highlights of Asian football, attracting enthusiastic support and attention from fans. However, the recent serious crisis facing the Chinese Super League, especially the possible dissolution of four teams including Beijing Guoan, Wuhan Three Towns, Shanghai Port and Shenzhen, has attracted widespread attention and discussion. These teams used to be the powerhouses of the Chinese Super League, with their own unique characteristics and styles, but for various reasons, they all fell into operational crisis, their shares were frozen, they faced the risk of being divested, and they could even be dissolved. The issue has already caught the attention of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), especially the poor performance of four Chinese Super League AFC Champions League teams in the 2021 AFC Champions League, sparking the displeasure of AFC president Salman, who has threatened to impose severe penalties on Chinese Super League teams and even ban them from participating in the next AFC Champions League.
The rise of the Chinese Super League dates back to 1994, when Chinese football was moving towards professionalization. The introduction of the Chinese Super League has brought new hopes and opportunities for Chinese football, attracting international stars and foreign coaches. Over the past few decades, the Chinese Super League has witnessed a series of highs and lows. At one point, Chinese Super League teams achieved remarkable results in Asia, such as Guangzhou Evergrande and Shanghai SIPG, which won the AFC Champions League. However, in recent years, the performance of Chinese Super League teams in international competitions has gradually declined, causing concern among fans and the AFC.
Beijing Guoan, the most traditional and influential team in the Chinese Super League, has won the Chinese Super League championship and the Asian Champions League and runner-up many times. For Chinese football fans, this team is important, not only because of its brilliant record, but also because of its attacking football and loyal fans. However, just before the resumption of the Chinese Super League this season, Beijing Guoan suffered an operational crisis that worried fans. According to reports, the team faces difficulties such as arrears of foreign salaries, frozen equity and the risk of divestment, and may even be disbanded. This sudden crisis threatens the future of Beijing's national security, causing widespread concern and discussion.
It is understood that Taikang Insurance Group, one of Beijing Guoan's shareholders, was investigated and punished by the regulatory authorities for suspected illegal operations, and its 40% equity in Beijing Guoan was judicially frozen. This blow caused Beijing Guoan to be unable to operate normally, unable to pay foreign salaries and bonuses, which brought serious problems to the stable operation of the team. As the core force on the team stage, the foreign players expressed great dissatisfaction with this and threatened to leave the team.
This operational crisis has left the team in an unprecedented predicament. On the one hand, the team cannot carry out normal training and matches, resulting in a decline in player condition and low morale; On the other hand, the departure of foreign aid will directly affect the competitiveness and image of the team, further exacerbating the fans' concerns. If Beijing Guoan fails to resolve these issues soon, the team could be disbanded at the end of the season and the Chinese Super League landscape would change dramatically.
Faced with this dilemma, Beijing Guoan and Taikang Insurance Group must work together to find the best solution. First of all, Taikang Insurance Group should proactively cooperate with the regulatory authorities, deal with violations impartially, and strive to unfreeze the frozen shares. At the same time, Taikang Insurance Group should also assume its responsibilities and obligations to Beijing Guoan, actively assist the team to tide over the difficulties, and ensure the normal operation of the team. This is not only the due responsibility of Taikang Insurance Group, but also the responsibility and responsibility for the development of Chinese football.
For Beijing Guoan, they cannot only hope for the support and help of shareholders, but also need to make their own efforts to get out of the predicament. Teams should actively seek sponsors and partners and seek more financial support to ensure that players' salaries and bonuses are paid. In addition, the team should strengthen internal management and financial supervision to ensure transparency and regulation of operations and avoid falling into similar difficulties again.
Wuhan Three Towns, this team from Wuhan once brought hope and dreams to Chinese football. They have attracted attention and praise for their energetic young faces and local team building philosophy. However, now they have taken a sharp turn and have to announce their withdrawal in advance, falling into a similar fate to Jiangsu Suning.
Looking back over the past few seasons, Wuhan Three Towns is one of the most promising and dynamic teams in the Chinese Super League. Especially in the 2019 Chinese Super League, they reached the sixth place with their outstanding performance, which brought endless surprises and joy to the fans. In the 2020 AFC Champions League, they reached the quarter-finals, showing their strength and potential. All this has injected endless hope into the future of the three towns in Wuhan. However, ahead of the resumption of the Chinese Super League this season, Wuhan Three Towns released a shocking news: they will withdraw their investment and withdraw from the Chinese Super League. For the fans, this is undoubtedly a heavy blow and an unacceptable fact. Their idols, who are about to be dissolved, leave their lives. But what is even more distressing is that the reason for the divestment is related to a scandal suspected of illegal fundraising.
Li Zhijiang, the owner of Wuhan's Three Towns, was taken away by the police for investigation on suspicion of illegal fundraising, and his Three Towns Group was also shut down. This sudden news shocked and disappointed the fans. Their previous expectations and support for the team instantly paled in comparison, like a nightmare repeated. The exposure of this fundraising scandal reveals the undercurrent behind Chinese football. In the football industry, whether it is player recruitment or club operation, financial support and guarantee are required. However, relatively speaking, the Chinese football industry has serious funding problems. Teams often face various dilemmas and challenges when raising funds, so they are more likely to fall prey to some outlaws.
This is not the first fundraising scandal in Chinese football, and each time it has caused huge harm to fans. There are countless similar cases, all of which make people sigh: the development of Chinese football still has a long way to go, and more strict supervision and regulation are needed. For the three towns of Wuhan, this fundraising scandal is undoubtedly a huge blow. The team could no longer receive financial support and pay player salaries and bonuses, which was one of the reasons they had to withdraw from the Chinese Super League. Although the team has applied to the Chinese Football Association to withdraw from the Chinese Super League and will be disbanded at the end of the season, all this is still difficult to soothe the regret and pain of fans.
Shanghai Port, as a giant in the history of the Chinese Super League, has always attracted attention and respect for its luxurious lineup and high-level performance. The team won the championship in the 2020 Chinese Super League, bringing endless joy and pride to the fans. In the 2021 AFC Champions League, Shanghai Port showed strong strength and successfully reached the final four, further consolidating the team's position in Asian football.
At the glory moment of the team, Shanghai Port faced an unprecedented dilemma. The occurrence of the Chen Jiayuan incident put SIPG at risk of digging deep into the problem, which had a huge impact on the team's operations. Shanghai Port's president, Yan Yan, was fired on suspicion of violating party discipline and state law, and his concerns involved senior officials of the General Administration of Sports and the Football Association, which made it impossible for the team to manage normally. Once the Football Association no longer shelters the team, Shanghai Port may face the fate of dissolution.
Although Shanghai Port is currently in a stormy moment, the team and its fans have not lost confidence. In the face of a potential crisis, the Port of Shanghai must act quickly to rebuild confidence and find a way out of its predicament. Shanghai Port needs to restructure the team's leadership. The president's tough double opening has severely affected the team's operations, and the team needs a competent and experienced leader to lead the team through this difficult time. Shanghai Port needs to strengthen its management system and governance structure. By establishing a standardized and scientific management model, we will promote the efficiency and transparency of the team's internal operations, prevent similar incidents from happening again, and lay a solid foundation for the sustainable development of the team. Shanghai Port should also continue to strengthen the construction of the youth training system and cultivate more young players with potential. By focusing on youth training and cultivating more local stars, it can not only enhance the competitiveness of the team, but also win more support and recognition for the team.
With its steady playing style and tenacious spirit, the Shenzhen team has won the recognition and praise of the majority of fans. Looking back at the 2020 Chinese Super League, Shenzhen won the fourth place in the league with excellent team cooperation and tactical skills, creating a brilliant record in the club's history. This not only allowed the team to improve at the competitive level, but also added a touch of football to the modern city of Shenzhen.
The reason why the Shenzhen team can achieve great progress is inseparable from the unremitting efforts of the team management and coaching team. They adhere to scientific management, improve the team's training and competition level, and strengthen their investment in the team. In addition, the Shenzhen team also pays attention to team cooperation and tacit understanding, creating a strong and cohesive team. These efforts and changes have allowed the Shenzhen team to show their mark on the field.
However, just as Shenzhen made progress, the team faced an uncertain future. It is reported that the owner of the Shenzhen team, Jack Ma, was investigated by the regulatory authorities for suspected monopoly operation, and Alibaba Group was also fined tens of billions. This series of events caused problems in the capital chain of the Shenzhen team, which could not continue to support the normal operation of the team. If Shenzhen is unable to find a new investor, the team will most likely disband at the end of the season.
In the 2021 AFC Champions League, four Chinese Super League teams did not perform well in the group stage, and none of them were able to advance to the knockout stage. The performance drew displeasure and anger from AFC president Salman, who threatened to take drastic measures against the Chinese Super League team. The incident exposed the decline in the competitive status of Chinese Super League teams in international competitions, which may have a negative impact on the reputation and development of Chinese football.
Financial stability is the foundation of the sustainable development of Chinese Super League teams. To ensure financial stability, Chinese Super League teams need to establish a healthy financial management system and attract reliable sponsors and investors. By partnering with sponsors, teams can receive more financial support for team operations, player training and match preparation. At the same time, the team also needs to develop a reasonable financial budget and expenditure plan to ensure financial balance and avoid financial instability or sudden financial difficulties.
Management stability is an important guarantee to ensure the good functioning of Chinese Super League teams. The management of the team needs to be stable and avoid internal strife and instability. The success of a team is inseparable from the stable and efficient operation of the management. The management needs to have professional management skills and rich football experience, and be able to formulate scientific strategic planning and long-term development goals. At the same time, the team management also needs to maintain good communication and cooperation with the coaching staff, players and other staff to jointly promote the development and progress of the team.
In order to be better competitive in international competitions, Chinese Super League teams need to constantly improve their competitive level. This requires increased training and recruitment. The team should invest more resources to develop young players and establish a sound youth training system to provide a steady stream of reserve strength for the team. At the same time, the team also needs to bring in some excellent players at home and abroad to make up for its own shortcomings. In this way, Chinese Super League teams can compete with other top teams in international competitions and enhance the visibility and influence of Chinese football around the world.
Cooperation and coordination are key to the development of Chinese football. Chinese football leagues, clubs, football associations and the government need to better cooperate and coordinate to jointly promote the development of Chinese football and improve international competitiveness. The Chinese Football League should strengthen cooperation with clubs, jointly formulate development plans and policies, and provide necessary support and assistance. The Football Association and the government should provide more resources and support for Chinese football, and formulate corresponding policies and measures to encourage and promote the popularization and development of football. Through the joint efforts of all parties, Chinese football can rise on the international stage and become a global football power.
The crisis facing the Chinese Football League is a complex issue involving finance, management, competition and other aspects. Solving these problems will require joint efforts and cooperation from all parties to ensure the sustainable and healthy development of the Chinese Super League and restore its competitiveness and reputation in Asian football. Chinese football has great potential and by overcoming current challenges, it can return to the top of international football.