With the Chinese Olympic team losing 0-1 to Japan and 0-2 to South Korea in the group stage of the U23 Asian Cup, they announced that they would not qualify for the Olympic Games in advance. Although head coach Cheng Yaodong insisted after the game that the team showed a good demeanor on a mental level, two key factors gradually surfaced behind the consecutive defeats in the National Olympic Games - the impact of the Chinese Super League's foreign aid policy on the development of local young players, and the luck component that is difficult to ignore in the game. However, blaming the losses on external factors, rather than taking the blame, has sparked a lot of discussion about the lack of accountability on the part of the coaching staff and the players.
Foreign aid squeezes the growth space, and local talents urgently need to break through
In recent years, the Chinese Super League's reliance on foreign aid has continued to deepen, and clubs have brought in world-class stars to enhance their competitiveness and market influence. However, this phenomenon has had a significant impact on the development of young homegrown players. Footballers of Olympic age, in particular, face serious challenges in the competition for playing time in the club's first-team squad, often having to hone their skills in limited appearances, or looking more for opportunities to work in the development squad or lower leagues.
As a result of this situation, the gap between the actual combat experience and technical ability of the national Olympic team members when facing top Asian opponents in international competitions is obvious. In stark contrast to the fact that players of the same age in countries such as Japan and South Korea frequently confronted high-level foreign players in their home leagues and quickly improved themselves, the shortcomings of the Chinese Olympic team members in terms of technical use in key positions, control of game rhythm and ability to read the game were exposed in the games against Japan and South Korea. Although Cheng Yaodong had hoped that the team could impress the outside world in this competition, the growth plight of local players under the foreign aid policy was undoubtedly an important factor hindering the breakthrough of the National Olympic Games.
Luck played tricks, and failed to turn things around at critical moments
In competitive sports, luck is often an uncontrollable variable that determines the direction of a match. In these two key matchups, the Chinese Olympic team did suffer a moment of bad luck. Whether it is the missed opportunity in front of the goal, or the help of the opposing goalkeeper, or the inadvertent mistake of the own defense line into the opponent's goal, a series of accidental events that are not conducive to the national Olympic team are superimposed, exacerbating its passive situation on the field.
Although Cheng Yaodong emphasized the team's mental tenacity when summing up the game, it is undeniable that the balance of luck did not tilt in favor of the Chinese team. Against a strong Japanese and South Korean opposition, the Olympic team will need to capitalize on the few scoring opportunities to hopefully change the tide of the game, but the reality is that even with the best of the players, the lack of luck at the crucial moment will keep them from knocking on the door of their opponents and avoiding fatal mistakes in the defensive end.
The attribution of responsibility is controversial, and reflection and reform are imperative
Although Cheng Yaodong and his team members mentioned the impact of foreign aid and bad luck after the game, this emphasis on external conditions seems to have become an excuse to shirk responsibility in the eyes of the public. Fans and media generally believe that true competitive sportsmanship should include a frank acceptance of failure, deep reflection, and a sincere analysis of one's own shortcomings. Blaming the defeat entirely on the external environment, rather than digging into internal issues such as tactical arrangements, player status, and training quality, will not help the team grow, nor will it be difficult to win the respect and understanding of the society.
In the face of the defeat of the Olympic team in the Olympic qualifying round, the Chinese football community needs to carry out a deep reflection. How to adjust the foreign aid policy to ensure the cultivation and development of local young talents, how to optimize the competition system to provide sufficient platforms for practical training, how to improve the coaching level and tactical literacy of coaches, and how to cultivate players' sense of responsibility and ability to withstand pressure are all key issues that need to be solved urgently. Only through systematic reform and long-term cultivation can the overall competitiveness of the Chinese Olympic Games and even Chinese football be expected to achieve a qualitative leap, truly get out of the embarrassing situation of "looking up and out", and move towards a new stage of development.