The Chinese men's national football team and the Chinese Football Association working delegation landed at Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 13:38 on October 14, and I don't know who said: "Finally home!" "Although there were no responders around, at that moment, I believed that everyone on the plane had an indescribable sense of happiness. After being away from the motherland 49, the national football team can finally relax its mind. Although all the soldiers of the national team and all members of the football association work team need to be tested in accordance with the relevant epidemic prevention regulations, and they also need to be isolated in Shanghai after the results are released, however, I am afraid that that feeling cannot be expressed clearly in one or two sentences. Remember those eight words that the Chinese football delegation put forward before the march in August? "Safe return, all-out efforts to grab points", it can be said that this western expedition at least successfully completed the first task and goal. As for the "all-out grab points", although there are regrets, at least there is no empty-handed return.
The 2-3 loss to Saudi Arabia made the national football team regret it, but no one complained to each other. After playing the match against Saudi Arabia, the only overseas player, Wu Lei, rushed directly from the stadium to Jeddah Airport. Before leaving, Wu Lei had already brought a small suitcase with him. After the game, after taking a shower in the locker room and changing into civilian clothes, Wu Lei went to the airport accompanied by the staff. Since there were no direct flights from Jeddah to Barcelona, Wu Lei needed to transfer to Turkey, take a night flight back to Spain, and then report to the team the next day. The rest of the national team returned to the hotel, rested in place, waited for the next night's flight, and returned to China for adjustment.
After playing against saudi Arabia, the national team coaching staff let the players rest in place and arrange their own schedule. Since they were going to return to China that night, they only asked the team members to send the checked luggage to the hotel lobby before noon, and the work team would check it and load it into the car and transport it to the airport. While the players were resting, the entire coaching staff continued to gather, on the one hand, to summarize the battle between China and Saudi Arabia, and on the other hand, to watch the video of the other two games in the same group, with a particular focus on Oman's home match against Vietnam, because the national team would prepare for the match against Oman next. An afternoon passed. At 19:30 local time in Saudi Arabia, all members of the national team and the football association working team took a bus to the airport.
The home country adjustment was finalized in the final stages of the UAE, before the competition against Vietnam. Although the national team and the FA team have made various preparations for staying in West Asia for three months, and even now, it is still uncertain whether the two home games in November will be played in China, but due to the team's long stay in West Asia, and it is "two points and one line", the mentality of the players does not need to be said, and everyone can imagine. Therefore, the Football Association and the coaching staff decided to return to China to rest after playing against Saudi Arabia. After the end of the quarantine, at least let the players meet their families, even if they still can't continue to play at home, after the quarantine is over, the players see their families, and then fly abroad again (most likely, they will still choose Sharjah, UAE) to participate in the two matches in November. This adjustment is also more effective than more ideological work.
From leaving Suzhou on the evening of August 25, taking off from Shanghai Pudong Airport to Doha in the early morning of August 26, and then departing at 22:00 local time in Saudi Arabia on October 13 and landing in Shanghai on the afternoon of August 14, it took 49 days. In the river of human growth, 49 days is almost a blink of an eye, but for the national football team that played in the round of 12, it may be the most difficult 49 days of their careers. People who have not experienced or experienced it have a hard time understanding what these 49 days really mean. But for the Chinese men's national football team and the Chinese Football Association delegation, everyone was relieved with the landing in Shanghai. Because during these 49 days, everyone returned home safely and healthily, which is a victory in itself! Throughout the process, no accident occurred to everyone in the delegation. To achieve this, without the cooperation of everyone and the strict implementation of relevant epidemic prevention policies, I am afraid it will be difficult to achieve. Because if one person is lost during this period, the entire men's football team and the FA delegation will probably be affected, and it will be difficult to return to China as planned.
From the perspective of "safe return", this trip to West Asia was undoubtedly a success!
The bus taken by the Chinese men's national football team and the Chinese Football Association delegation departed from the hotel at 19:30 local time on the 13th, and after a 45-minute drive, arrived at the Saudi private business airport instead of taking a flight back to The international airport when it arrived in Jeddah.
Jeddah's international airport is a new airport opened at the end of 2019, and this Saudi private business airport is the original Jeddah old airport remodeled, Saudi private business flights, private planes, etc., all from the airport. Originally, the Chinese men's national football team and the FOOTBALL Association delegation were going to the new airport to take a flight, but the Saudi Football Association came to the hotel where the Chinese team was staying on the day of the Battle of China and Saudi Arabia and signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Chinese Football Association. During the period, The president of the Saudi Football Association, Mayshar, inquired about the return of the president of the Chinese Football Association, Chen Shuyuan, after the game, and learned that Chairman Chen and the entire team took a flight back to China, so they called and arranged for Chairman Chen and the entire national team to come to the private business airport to take a charter flight back to China. This also gives internationals the opportunity to experience the services of Saudi Arabia's private business airport.
In contrast, because when the national team departs for boarding, only more than 80 people from the Chinese football delegation take flights in the entire private business airport, so the procedures such as customs clearance are relatively simple and faster. The international footballers took a bus to the Hainan Airlines flight that the Chinese Football Association had contacted with the domestic flight company in advance, and by 21:10, all members had boarded the plane, and according to the plan, it should be taking off on time at 22:00 local time in Saudi Arabia. Due to luggage loading problems, there was some delay, but it was not long.
Hainan Airlines has temporarily opened a route from Jeddah to Pudong, Shanghai, and the captain of this HU456 flight is from Heze, Shandong Province, claiming to be a veteran fan with more than 30 years of experience. And many flight attendants also know that they are taking the Chinese men's national football team home, although wearing protective clothing, many flight attendants have written words such as "Welcome the national football team home" and "national football refueling" on the protective clothing. Before the departure, the captain of the flight delivered a welcome speech welcoming the national team to board the plane, thanking the international footballers on behalf of the fans for all the efforts they have made in the past 49 days. Then, he said emotionally that the current Chinese football is like being shuttled through the tunnel, to adhere to their dreams, firm their beliefs, believe that the dawn is ahead, and firmly believe that Chinese football can see that "light". Finally, he said that he would definitely send the national football players home safely!
Although the captain's welcome speech is not long, but to the reporter feels like a real fan, although there is no mention of the achievements of the national football team in this 12-round match, but the metaphor of "Chinese football is like shuttling in the tunnel, you will see that light", for today's Chinese football is really very appropriate, adhere to the dream, firm faith, this is the only choice that Chinese football can make in the trough! Although there is no criticism, no accusations, and no mention of the results of the national football team in the top 12 matches, 1 win and 3 losses, these few simple words believe that they can impress the international football team more than the overwhelming accusations and insults from the outside world.
After the charter flight of the national football team and the Chinese Football Association delegation landed in Pudong, Shanghai, all personnel underwent nucleic acid testing according to the relevant epidemic prevention regulations and requirements. Two hours later, the whole team went to a hotel near Pudong Airport to rest and wait for the results of the nucleic acid test, which took about six hours. After all the results are negative, all the people plan to take a bus at 21:00 p.m. to transfer from Shanghai to the Xiangguli Hotel in Suzhou for a 14-day quarantine.
According to the national team's plan, the team will continue to take a two-day holiday after arriving at the Xiangguli Hotel, allowing the international players to rest on their own. The team will then resume training in preparation for the two matches in November. The Chinese Football Association will continue to coordinate with relevant parties on home issues and strive to place two home stadiums in China in November.
It is understood that taking into account the entry and exit management policies and venue arrangements, the initial idea of the Chinese Football Association and the national team is to put them in Suzhou for two home matches in November. However, under the current epidemic situation, the home field matters need the approval of higher relevant departments, and it also involves a series of epidemic prevention requirements. Therefore, hosting the round of 12 at home is not an easy task. From the team's point of view, of course, I hope that the next two home games can be played in the country. Moreover, the national team is currently in four rounds of fighting, 1 win and 3 losses, although the results are not as expected by the outside world, but the 3 games lost, the overall strength of the opponent is above the Chinese team, and it is almost all away. If you can go back to the home field, seize the opportunity, and get 4 or even 6 points, the national football team still has a chance. In particular, the loss of the first round of the first game against Australia was, to some extent, an "accident", and although there was a gap with the Australian team in terms of strength, it was not as the score showed. Therefore, there is still a chance to return to the home field to fight against the opponent.
The first four games for the national football team, on the one hand, is to compete in the top 12 and go all out to grab points; on the other hand, to some extent, it is like a "warm-up game", whether players or coaches need to try continuously, in order to better find the best combination of teams and achieve the best results. This is determined by the current epidemic and is the biggest difference from the last Round of 12. After the first four games, both players and coaches believe that they have a deeper feeling, which may also make the goals of all parties more clear and the preparation will be more targeted.
Ma Dexing, a reporter from sports weekly newspaper, reported in Suzhou