The highly anticipated Overall Plan for the Reform and Development of Football in China (hereinafter referred to as the Plan) was officially announced on March 16th. It is not only a programmatic document for the reform and development of football in China, but also a landmark event in the history of sports in China. Taking the overall requirements and main objectives as the general direction, the Plan points out the direction for the future development of football in China through the specific deployment of all levels involved in football, such as the redesign of management institutions, the construction of professional clubs, the improvement of competition system, campus football, social football, personnel training, the construction of national teams, the management of venue construction, and the improvement of investment mechanism.
Our reporter extracted ten key words and the corresponding original text from this eleven-aspect and fifty-specific content plan, and interpreted the main contents of the Plan respectively.
A dream of strengthening the country through sports
At present, China’s football is still backward in all directions. Revitalizing football is an inevitable requirement for building a sports power and is also the ardent expectation of the people.
Revitalizing football is a practical action to enhance the image of China as a sports power and realize its dream.
Two "three steps"
In addition to the short-term goal, the medium-term goal is that the national men’s soccer team ranks among the top in Asia and the women’s soccer team returns to the top in the world, while the long-term goal is to actively bid for the men’s soccer World Cup and make the national men’s soccer team rank among the top teams in the world.
This goal is one of the highlights in the Plan, because in the past, China football lacked long-term planning, and often only aimed at reaching the next World Cup or Olympic Games. It is precisely because of the lack of long-term planning that the direction of football in China is very blind. Usually, it only prepares for a big competition periodically. In the reform plan, a single competition is no longer the goal, but more attention is paid to long-term development. Improving the development environment, forming a pattern of coordinated development, increasing the youth football population, and reaching the first-class level in Asia and the advanced level in the world in the organization and competition of professional leagues are the key and foundation for improving the overall level of football in China. It is believed that after China football has made great progress, it will be a natural thing to bid for the World Cup.
Three decoupling
Adjust and form the Chinese Football Association according to the principles of separation of politics and society, clear rights and responsibilities, and autonomy according to law, and change the organizational structure of the Chinese Football Association and the Football Management Center of the General Administration of Sports with two brands and one team. China Football Association is decoupled from the General Administration of Sports, and has autonomy in internal organization setting, work plan formulation, financial and salary management, personnel management and international professional exchanges. The Chinese Football Association has no administrative level.
Separation of management and operation is the slogan of China football for many years, but the football reform has not been completely solved for more than 20 years. China Football Association and the Football Management Center of the General Administration of Sports have two brands and a set of organizational structure, which also makes all aspects of decision-making extremely cumbersome. Football Association is often constrained by the General Administration of Sports, and there are endless disputes. The China Football Association has no autonomy in organizational setup, financial remuneration, talent recruitment and foreign affairs activities. The decoupling of the Football Association from the General Administration of Sports is also aimed at breaking down institutional barriers, stimulating market vitality, and establishing a management system with efficient management and suitable for modern football operation.
Four football culture
Strict access and standardized management of professional football clubs. Optimize the ownership structure of the club. Promote the regionalization of clubs and encourage qualified clubs to gradually realize the non-enterprise name. Improve the corporate governance structure of the club, speed up the construction of modern enterprise system, base on long-term and systematic planning, strive to build a century-old club, and actively cultivate stable fans and urban football culture.
This article can enhance the autonomy of the club and further promote the professionalization of football in China. Looking at the five European leagues with the highest level of football in the world, all clubs have great autonomy, which can enhance the enthusiasm of investors and improve the overall level of the leagues, which is of great benefit to the rise of competitive level and attention. Improve the league Council, become an independent social legal person, realize the real separation of management and management, and guide the club’s diversified shareholding structure.
At the same time, at present, all football clubs in China adopt corporate titles. Once the investors change owners, the names of the teams will change, and even they will face the situation of wandering to other places. On the other hand, in the five major leagues in Europe, clubs all adopt neutral names, and at the same time, they will not migrate for no reason. In contrast, our Super League is too unprofessional. Encouraging clubs to become enterprises, take root in their cities and avoid following investors’ migration have created conditions for the sound development of professional leagues, and are also an indispensable and important part of actively cultivating stable fans and urban football culture.
Five characteristic schools
There are more than 5,000 characteristic schools for campus football in primary and secondary schools in China, reaching 20,000 in 2020 and 50,000 in 2025, which will relieve the worries of students, parents and schools, thus completely opening up the growth channels for football talents and cultivating high-level football talents.
For a long time, funds and venues have become two mountains between children and football. The influence of social factors such as schools and some parents is also preventing children from going to the pitch. The State Council recently put forward the "Campus Football 2.0" program, saying that it is necessary to form a league and training system that organically connects universities, primary and secondary schools, open up the channel for the continuous growth of talents, and cultivate high-level football talents. However, with the separation of sports and education in China, many students are faced with the problem of learning or playing football as they grow older. For the sake of safety and further education, children who like playing football often face many difficulties that they have to face. "Program" makes more people realize that the school is a place to educate people, and campus football should gradually dilute the performance factors and become an effective way to cultivate students’ sound personality, improve their physical fitness and create a football culture.
Social football
Constantly expand the size of the football population and promote the popularization of football. Encourage organs, institutions, people’s organizations, troops and enterprises to form or jointly form football teams and carry out colorful social football activities. Trade unions, the Communist Youth League, women’s federations and other people’s organizations should join them. In particular, we should pay attention to the organic connection of professional leagues, regional level events, youth level events and campus football events to realize the scientific competition structure. Gradually establish and improve the youth league system. Actively advocate and organize industry, community, enterprise, army, middle-aged and elderly people, five-a-side system, beach football and other events.
It should be emphasized that from now on, a platform for the re-employment and re-development of football players will be set up. After necessary training and assessment, they will have a variety of career choices: football coaches, referees, lecturers, or become the backbone of mass football activities in enterprises, institutions and troops, or enter football associations and football clubs to engage in football management and service. Improve policies and measures, strengthen professional education, and create conditions for retired athletes to become physical education teachers.
Seven football colleges
Smooth the growth channel of excellent young talents from campus football, social football to professional football. Encourage football clubs, enterprises and other social forces to send professional players and young players to receive training in developed football countries, and strive to become a high-level professional league abroad. Establish football professional colleges and schools.
For a long time, the football talents in China are basically from sports schools at all levels or from the reserve team of professional clubs. It is certain that in the near future, there will be more football talents from schools and from all walks of life. In particular, the establishment of the Football Academy will open up a brand-new world for the cultivation of football talents under the new situation of close integration of culture, education and football.
Eight carefully crafted
Steadily improve the level of the national team and form a technical route that conforms to the physical and mental characteristics of players and the development trend of contemporary football; Give priority to selecting outstanding players with strong desire to serve the country and first-class will quality to enter the national team; Implement the head coach responsibility system; The club should focus on the overall situation and fully support the construction of the national team. Increase investment in funds, incentive policies and base construction for the national football team.
The national team represents the overall image of a national football, and it is also the most direct response to the level of a national football. If there is only a booming league and there is no strong national team support, it is still difficult to be called a football power. The achievements and mental outlook of the national team are also the most concerned by the fans. In recent ten years, China men’s soccer team has failed to satisfy the Chinese people in terms of performance and image. With the overall policy inclination and care, in the future, the national football team will be able to compete in future world preliminaries, Asian Cup and other major competitions in the best environment and conditions, which will help the national football team achieve good results.
Nine-site construction
Clarify the rigid requirements, build football fields according to local conditions, build a large number of simple and practical non-standard football fields, and give policy support to the construction of football venues.
In recent years, the level of football in China has declined, and the football population has become less and less. The main reason is the decrease of stadiums. With the increase of football fields, national football can be really implemented. At that time, the football population in China will also increase, and there will be more football talents. The plan is intended to lay a solid foundation for football in China and enhance the popularity of student football in the whole society.
Ten football industry
Increase financial input, set up the China Football Development Foundation, increase the lottery public welfare fund, increase the development of the football industry, and establish a market competition mechanism for TV broadcasting rights of football matches …
This series of dazzling measures indicates that football will definitely become a "money-making" industry, and the organizers and contestants of football matches will be the main beneficiaries.
It is worth noting that maybe soon, we will see the appearance of football lottery with China Football Professional League as the quiz object. In the past, the focus of Football Lottery was the five major leagues in Europe and the Champions League, and the attention paid to China football was obviously insufficient. If the China League Lottery is issued, it will make the lottery people pay more attention to China football.
(Reporter Wang Dong)
