An experienced foreign coach like Guus Hiddink could save the nation blushes and get China into the 2018 World Cup in Russia, according to former Liverpool striker Ian Rush.
"I genuinely believe that, because the ability is here," said Rush, who was visiting Shanghai this week to promote a soon-to-debut Chinese version of Liverpool's official website. Rush serves as the English Premier League club's global ambassador.
In a bid to bolster Liverpool's presence and revenue in the region, he oversaw the launch of Liverpool's first full-time training center in China last month, the Guilin International Football Academy in the Guangxi Autonomous Region.
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Former Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen vies for the ball with a local player in a five-a-side friendly match in Shanghai on Tuesday. Dong Jun / For China Daily |
"The Chinese are very respectful, they will do what you tell them to, but in a game sometimes you have to be off the cuff, you have to think football," said the 52-year-old.
He still ranks as Liverpool's most prolific goalscorer with almost 350 goals in two stints at the club.
"You can give them two or three options, like go out to beat the goalkeeper, but they have got to make the right choice at the time," he said.
"They need to see the situation change and adapt to it, and that is what they will learn when they get foreign people coming in, and most probably they will learn a bit quicker."
Hiddink famously led South Korea to the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup, which it co-hosted with Japan. Rush served as a commentator for several of China's matches during the tournament, when he was stationed in Beijing. He also gave coaching clinics at the time in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu.
It remains China's only appearance at a World Cup.
"I think Chinese football then was at quite a high level," he said, recalling how centerhalf Fan Zhiyi went on to play for Cardiff later that year, when the club was still in England's second-tier league .
"But whenever I came back, it seemed to be dropping all the time. I think over the last year or so it seems to be getting stronger again."
China failed to qualify for Brazil 2014 and was handed a 5-1 drubbing at home this year by a second-string Thailand team, a country more famous for its kickboxing than pinpoint passing.
Meanwhile, Rush's belief in foreign coaches may not be so clear-cut.
Although the winning Thai team may have retained some of the influence of former England manager Bryan Robson, who coached Thailand from 2009-11, the losing Chinese side also had a seasoned Spanish coach in the form of Jose Antonio Camacho. He was sacked shortly after the loss.
On the flip side, Italian World Cup winner Marcello Lippi has done wonders for Guangzhou Evergrande this season. Earlier this month, it became the first Chinese side to win the AFC Champions League after beating Korea's FC Seoul 3-3 on aggregate thanks to the away-goal rule. The second leg drew record TV ratings in China.
The club will get to perform on an even bigger stage next month when it competes at the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco as Asia's representative.
"The chance to play against Bayern Munich, probably the best team in the world at the moment, it just goes to show how well Guangzhou have done," said the Welshman.
He flew to China on Monday and was joined by a host of retired foreign stars in Shanghai, including former Liverpool strikers Michael Owen and Stan Collymore, ex-Manchester United stalwarts Paul Scholes, Andy Cole and Lee Sharpe, and rightback Michel Selgado, who spent a decade with Real Madrid.
They have been in China over the past week as part of the Shining Legends five-a-side soccer tour. It culminated in a friendly game on Tuesday night against a leading local grassroots team at Shanghai Indoor Stadium.
matthodges@chinadaily.com.cn
(China Daily 11/22/2013 page23)
