One of the most important decisions in China's football reform was the introduction of the Premier League system in the early 1990s. This allowed football clubs to manage their teams as a business and allowed them to hire players from overseas. Foreign and Chinese players are now side by side on pitches throughout the country. These overseas imports have brought different styles of football as well as a lot of joy to Chinese fans.
Football is one of the most popular sports in China. And over the years, football fans have tasted bitter and sweetness during China's long and hard road to the World Cup. China's repeated defeats have caused much anger and frustration among fans. But on the other hand, their attitudes have also had an impact on the psychology of players. In tomorrow's World Cup special report we'll talk about the changing attitudes of fans toward the triumphs and defeats of the Chinese team.
On their home turf the players of the Beijing Guo'an Football Club are going through their routine training under the watchful eyes of the head coach, the Yugoslavian Ljubo Petrovic. He took up his position at the helm of one of China's best football clubs earlier this year. With him he brought four Yugoslav players to the club. Pazin Predrag is one of them, he says playing football in China was no walk in the park.
Pazin Predrag of Guo'an Club said:" Many people believe that to play football in China is easy. In fact, that's just not true. I dare say that 50％ of players in Yugoslvia or Bulgaria are not qualified to play in China's A league."
Currently there are about a dozen Yugoslavians playing in Chinese clubs. Dozens more are from Africa, Europe and South America. The introduction of foreign players was one of the key moves in China's football reform policy that started a decade ago. These players have brought with them high professional skills so that home grown talent can have direct experience of world class football.
Zhang Lu, Vice－Chairman of Guo'an Club said:"Over the years, Guo'an has invited about 20 overseas professional players to play for the club. It cost us a lot of money. But we think it was worth it. They have brought many good things to Guo'an and great joy to football fans."
The introduction of overseas players has pumped fresh blood into Chinese football. By directly experiencing foreign football, the Chinese players are no longer so far away from world football. 7 or 8 years ago, there was a big gap between Chinese football and European football. But, with the arrival of European players and coaches, this gap is quickly narrowing.
Pazin Predrag of Guo'an Club said:"I don't see any big difference between Chinese and European players. China's debut in the World Cup finals is proof that they are among the world's elite."
Only five months in China, Pazin and his countrymen have found no difficulty in communicating with their Chinese colleagues. In fact, they are enjoying playing in China. Currently, few big names in world football are playing for Chinese clubs. But as Chinese football improves and Chinese clubs become financially capable, the super stars of world football may, one day, come to play in China. And when that day comes China will be another big step closer to the World Cup.
Editor: May CCTV.COM
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