Special correspondent Liu Zhun reported that in the 2021 FA Cup, Changchun, as one of the host areas, gave players who had played in Changchun Yatai a chance to go home and see.
Before the first match of the FA Cup Changchun Division, Shanghai Shenhua, Shenzhen, Zibo Keju and Sichuan Minfa have a number of former Yatai players who appeared as coaches or as players, such as Shanghai Shenhua's players Yang Xu, Zhao Mingjian and Adrian, Shenzhen's Pei Shuai, Zibo Keju's assistant coaches Wang Dong, Han Deming and captain Dong Yifan, Sichuan Minzu's head coach Cao Tianbao, player Ma Xiaolei and so on. On October 14, Cao Tianbao made his coaching debut as head coach where his dream began.
After the game, Cao Tianbao accepted an exclusive interview with this newspaper, expressing his sense of cordiality at home, "I am Cao Tianbao, an old friend of Changchun fans, and I feel very kind when I return to the place where my dream began after 7 years. ”
On October 14, the second match day of the first round of the 2021 FA Cup Changchun Division, the Chinese Second Division team Sichuan Minzu Football Team lost 0-3 to Shanghai Shenhua in the Chinese Super League in "Nanling". 'It was my first game as a manager after the transition and despite the strong Shanghai Shenhua, I and my team went all out to take the most solid step of my coaching career where I have ever fought. Cao Tianbao said.
◆ "Football": At the end of 2014, you left Changchun Yatai to join Meizhou, and it has been 7 years now. Have you ever returned to Changchun during this period?
Cao Tianbao: This is my second time back in Changchun, the first time was to attend Liu Weidong's wedding. I could have returned to Changchun twice this year, but my previous plan was to attend Zhang Xiaofei's wedding, but his wedding was postponed to September 20, and we gathered on September 18 to prepare for the FA Cup, and I served as the acting head coach, so I did not participate.
◆ Back to changchun Yatai's newly built base, do you feel like home?
As soon as I got off the plane, I felt like I was home. I came to Changchun to play football at the age of 14, step by step from Changchun Yatai second team to Yatai first team, and Changchun Yatai experienced many historical moments, I am grateful for the days of growing up in Changchun, which is the wealth of my life. Back to the place where the dream began, I myself took a Chinese Second Division team and a Chinese Super League team to play the FA Cup, which is very memorable. Because my football career started in Changchun, my coaching debut was also in Changchun, whether it was coincidence or fate, I felt like I was home. In fact, when the FA Cup was drawn, I hoped to draw to the Changchun Division, because I hadn't been back for a long time, and I really wanted to come back to see, see my teammates, see my former colleagues, and reminisce with old friends.
◆How did you feel when you returned to yatai Jingyue base for the first time? Will you remember the Yatai Yangjiadian base you once fought?
The first time I came to Changchun Yatai's newly built Jingyue base, I felt that the club had changed too much, and I really envied the players who trained here, they were so happy. The venue conditions are good, the food is good, the living is good, the times are progressing, and it is different. If I have time, I still want to go to the Yangjiadian base to have a look. Back then, I planted a row of poplar trees there with my teammates, and I don't know if there are any more.
◆ The day you first came to Changchun, you donated a robe that had followed you for many years to the honor room that the club was building, and there was a photo of you when you were a child in the old club, talk about ideas.
The jersey I donated should be from 2010, and this shirt has a star above the logo, which is the symbol of the Chinese Super League championship. As I get older, I like to reminisce, and now everyone mentions the 2007 champion, this honor has followed me all my life, and it is really a lifetime of happiness to wear the jersey of the championship team.
◆ Since you like memories, let's say your name. Until now, there are still fans who like to call you Cao Ming, but there are also fans who call you Cao Tianbao, can you tell the story of your name change?
A lot of people are interested in my name change. I flipped through the diary I wrote when I was a child, I have long been called Cao Tianbao, as early as 1997 when I wrote my diary. My impression is that the "Cao Ming" of the ID card was changed to "Cao Tianbao" in 2005 or 2006. My dad told me before that he wanted me to explain the name, but in fact, "Timbo" is to add strength, to break through the fortress, which has a good meaning for me to play forward, that is, to score more goals.
After the end of the 2014 season, Cao Tianbao left Changchun Yatai and played in Meizhou Wuhua, Shenzhen Phoenix, Chengdu Qianbao, Chengdu Xingcheng, Sichuan Minzu and other teams to continue his football career. Starting his coaching debut at the beginning of his football career, Cao Tianbao was very excited: "It is a pleasure to return to Changchun, this is where my football dream began, and it is also the place where I have fought. I just became a professional team coach and led the team back to Changchun to play, this is my home stadium, I hope to give the fans a wonderful game, but also hope that Changchun fans to give me support. ”
◆ "Football": You are bringing a Chinese Second Division team, and there is definitely a gap between the strength of Shanghai Shenhua. It was your coaching debut, and I didn't see you wearing a suit and shoes, but you were confident before the game and you could see that you were very eager to play against a strong team. As a head coach and player, did you ever think of putting yourself on the pitch?
Cao Tianbao: In the first game as a head coach, I have not prepared a suit, leather shoes, to be honest, I have not yet reached the stage of driving them, or wear sportswear comfortably. When the lottery came to Shanghai Shenhua, I was very excited. A Chinese Second Division team can have the opportunity to play against the veteran powerhouses of the Chinese Super League, which is a rare learning opportunity in itself, especially since we are still a young team, and the value of exercise is very large. I have just returned to Changchun as the head coach and I definitely have my own ideas, I want to show my level of coaching in front of the fans, and I also hope that the players will play their own level and give a wonderful game to the fans. As for putting myself on the pitch, I don't have that idea, I want to leave the opportunity to the young players.
◆ In Changchun Yatai, there are many players who come to play here to find a sense of belonging, they have married Changchun's daughter-in-law, becoming Changchun's son-in-law, such as Zhang Xiaofei, Tan Long, Jiang Zhe, Jiang Pengxiang, Wu Yake, Yang Haibo, etc., but you married a Sichuan daughter-in-law and settled in Chengdu. Can you tell me your love story?
That's fate. I met my lover in 2010, when I was on loan to Shenzhen Phoenix, and in the second half of the year I arrived in Guangzhou, where I met my lover, a native of Sichuan. In 2012, when I returned to Changchun Yatai, she came to Changchun with me. It was as simple as that, later, we got married and had children, and she wanted me to go back to Chengdu with her to develop, and went to Chengdu for the sake of the children, where the education and medical conditions were good.
◆ In the history of Changchun Yatai, have you ever counted your own data? For example, how many games have you played for Yatai and how many goals have you scored?
I have a big heart, and I have not paid attention to this aspect since I was a child. I remember at that time, everyone called me "Super Substitute" and said that I scored as soon as I came on as soon as I came on as a substitute. At the time, there was still some idea of this nickname, but looking back now, it is very important to be recognized by the fans, as long as you can contribute to the team, the main player and the substitute are equally important.
◆ You are now a coach, what are your criteria for selecting materials? Ever wanted to go back to Changchun Yatai to coach?
The first point of selecting players after I became a coach is to look at the attitude, the second is the character, the third is the ability, if the first two things are not good, the ability is good I will not choose, it is better to find a player who is not as capable as you, but can fight with you 100%. I think my old friend Zhang Xiaofei is such a player, down-to-earth, diligent, silently dedicated to the team, he can play in the Chinese Super League for so many years, there are his advantages and reasons. As for whether I want to go back to Yatai, I think it is certain, after all, Yatai has cultivated me, if Yatai needs me, I will once again contribute to Yatai with a grateful heart.
◆ What are your plans for your coaching career?
I only started planning my own path for the next 5 years from last year, since I chose to be a coach, I will build my own team, I will think about my shortcomings, I want to find team members who can make up for my shortcomings.
For the first time, the FA Cup was settled in Changchun in the form of a tournament system, attracting Shanghai Shenhua, Shenzhen, Cangzhou Lions, Zhejiang, Sichuan Minzu, Zibo Keju and Shaanxi Warriors to surpass 7 Chinese Super League, Chinese First Division and Chinese Second Division teams to Changchun Yatai Jingyue Base. Cao Tianbao and Wang Dong returned to Changchun after many years, but they only found the opportunity to meet with Zhang Xiaofei and Jiang Pengxiang, assistant coaches of the Yatai first team in the base, and take a group photo together. When asked how long it had been since their last time, they all pulled their minds back to 2012...
◆Soccer: What did you talk about at this short gathering?
Cao Tianbao: This small gathering is accidental and inevitable. It is said that by chance, Wang Dong and I both live in the Yatai Jingyue Base, and Zhang Xiaofei and Jiang Pengxiang also live here, so after the 14th, we went to Zhang Xiaofei's room, and there was You Long, who was coaching in the Yatai echelon, and he was also our batch of children from Shenyang. To say inevitably, it is really a long time gone, the content of the chat is also the feeling of being a coach, we are all just starting, talking about how to improve the content.
◆ Transition from player to coach, what do you feel?
Being a coach and being a player are really two different things, and now looking back on being a player, it's so much fun, there are so many things to think about when coaching, everything starts from scratch. I'm a player and coach now and I need to take the time to learn and get into the coaching role faster. I want young players to cherish every kick, every training session, every game. The competitive sport of football requires a long period of accumulation to slowly improve.
To be honest, I am a player with not very good conditions, no body, no speed, and my position is a brilliant position, I can only use my brain, prejudgment, grab points, with these can score goals, can be brilliant. Children with ordinary conditions like me and Xiaofei kicked out, and I think only the hard training and down-to-earth training at that time had the later improvement.
◆ Now that the three-child policy has been liberalized, are you planning to have another child? Do you want him to be a boy or a girl, and if it's a boy, will you let him play football?
If it is a girl, I will not let her play football, but if it is a boy, I will definitely let him play football, because I have experienced it since I was a child, and this kind of hard-working spirit and will is very important for the growth of children.