"Strange, I have asked the first team and the reserve team to train together. It stands to reason that there are more people than usual, but why do they always feel deserted?" Chen Mo frowned as he watched the team members leaving the training ground one after another.
When these players finished training and left the training ground, they gathered together in twos and threes, chatting and walking to the locker room. It was indeed different from the usual atmosphere of laughter and laughter.
“That’s because a few key people responsible for the atmosphere are missing, ha!” Zhao Kangming laughed next to him.
“Oh, right!” Chen Mo patted his forehead, “Those young people are gone.”
Another weekend has passed since the Stars won their first win in the AFC Champions League at home. During this weekend, the Stars welcomed an "old rival" Haihe Shuanggang at home, which they met in the Football Association Cup last season.
Considering that in order to make way for the international match day, there will be a one-week truce period in club competitions, this time Zhao Kangming did not make a major rotation of the lineup after playing in the AFC Champions League, but only made fine adjustments in individual positions.
For example, Qin Lin, who was in the AFC Champions League match in midweek, was placed on the bench, and Xia Xiaoyu, who was not in the AFC Champions League, took his place, partnering with Junpei Morikawa to form a double midfielder.
At the same time, Hu Lai, Chen Xingyi and Zhang Qinghuan all have the "trident".
This arrangement also takes into account the difficulty of relegation this season. The team should go all out to win as much as possible and try to gain enough points if there is a chance to win.
In the end, the team's performance did not disappoint Zhao Kangming. Flashing Stars, who played almost all the main players, defeated Haihe Shuanggang 3:1 at home.
Each member of the Trident scored one goal, their performance was very average, and no one suffered a loss.
After playing this league, many players, including Trident, left the club to participate in their respective international competitions.
Zhang Qinghuan and Ding Yuanhai went to participate in the national team’s Asian second-stage qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in the United States and Canada (co-hosted by the United States and Canada), also known as the “Top Forty Tournament.”
Hu Lai, Chen Xingyi, and Wang Guangwei went to participate in the warm-up match between the National Olympic Team and the Serbian Olympic Team.
Junpei Morikawa was also called up by the head coach of the Japanese Olympic team, Koichi Sato, and returned to China to represent the Japanese Olympic team to participate in the warm-up match with the Portuguese Olympic team. This kid seemed very excited when he received a call from Koichi Sato. He was still in
In the team's locker room, according to what other players later described, Morikawa Junpei was holding a phone and bowing to a wall, which felt almost like Sato Koichi kneeling in the distance...
"Sigh... Six people are missing all of a sudden. It feels like our international match day team of Flash Star is getting stronger and stronger. Although this is a good thing, it shows that our strength is getting stronger. But every international match day, we are taken away.
Half of the main force is still under a lot of pressure..." Chen Mo sighed, "This time it's okay for just one warm-up match, but in July and August they train for the Olympics and are absent for two months. Who can bear this?"
“There’s no way, Lao Chen. In an event like the Olympics, which is of national concern, club interests must give way to national interests. This is completely non-negotiable.”
"Hu Lai, Chen Xingyi, Wang Guangwei, plus Morikawa Junpei, who represented Japan in the Olympics... Four people will be absent from the game for two months... Oh, by the way, there are also overage players. Zhang Qinghuan is
He is over one year old, what if Shi Wuyuan plans to recruit him as an over-age player to participate in the Olympics? Will you let him go? Lao Zhao?"
Zhao Kangming spread his hands: "Is this what I have the final say? If the Olympic team needs it? Then I will let it go."
“What about the club?”
“Let’s bite the bullet...what else can we do?” Zhao Kangming’s tone also showed helplessness. But there is no way. This is the disadvantage of the Stars mainly focusing on young players? It is the inevitable price of setting off a youth storm in the new season.
※※※
“Xiao Shi? How do you think about the issue of over-age players?” Ran Jiachang, the head coach of the Olympic team, knocked on the door of Shi Wuyin’s office and asked as soon as he came in.
Shi Wuyin shifted his gaze from the computer screen to Ran Jiachang's face, and said with a smile: "What? A club is looking for you privately to get someone in?"
Ran Jiachang waved his hand quickly: "Look what you said...some players may want to participate in the Olympics? But you must know the club's position. No one is willing to send their main players to us for training for a month before going to the Olympics."
If it weren’t for the main force... I guess you wouldn’t look down on it either? Right?”
Shi Wuyuan’s smile became brighter: “Old Ran, you understand me. So what goals or expectations does the Football Association have for our Olympic Games?”
Ran Jiachang shook his head: "No, no goals, no pressure. This was clearly stated at the Olympic work meeting."
"That's just a scene..." Shi Wuyin suddenly lowered his voice and asked: "Lao Ran, please explain to me? Is it true that the Football Association has no expectations at all for results?"
Ran Jiachang's expression was a little awkward: "To say that you have no expectations at all? Of course it's impossible. Just talk about me. I personally have expectations for our performance in the Olympics... But when it comes to setting a bottom line in my heart in advance, if
If we don’t reach this bottom line, we will do whatever we want. I believe that no one in the Football Association has this idea. If you do not do well, you will definitely regret it. If you do well, everyone will be happy... Isn’t this human nature?”
Shi Wuyuan nodded after hearing this.
Seeing him like this, Ran Jiachang quickly added: "But don't think there will be any pressure on you? I have already said it, can we enter the Olympics this time? It is already a breakthrough. When the Football Association asked you to coach this
As a team, the only goal set is to participate in the Olympics. Now that you have achieved your goal? Should you put down the burden? Just try your best. The key is to let people see the spirit of this team? For example, in U23
In the Asian Cup, when faced with the Iranian referee's difficulties, the team did not lose their minds, but resolutely fought back with more goals... This is good."
“Lao Ran, I feel relieved if you say this. I also want to talk to you about over-age players. To be honest, I plan not to bring any over-age players.”
“Ah? No?” Ran Jiachang was surprised.
Before he came, he was still thinking that if Shi Wuyin asked for any over-age players and the club was resistant, he would do the work one by one... Who would have thought that Shi Wuyin would choose not to take any over-age players, so he asked again:
"Are you worried that the club will be unhappy with you? You don't have to worry about this. As long as you confirm the list, I will do the work and be the bad guy..."
Shi Wuyin waved his hand quickly: "That's not what you mean, Lao Ran. I'm not worried about this. What I'm worried about is that when those over-age players come to the team, they will break the existing good atmosphere and tacit understanding of the team. You are also following this team
The team has gone all the way from the youth team to the present, and I know the composition of the players in these teams and their relationship with them. If we find three over-age players who are older than them and have more seniority than them, it will inevitably create a gap, which will have an impact on the team.
As for the team's combat effectiveness. Moreover, football is a collective sport, and the team is a whole. Our training arrangements are based on the current team as a whole. If three strangers suddenly come in, how can we integrate them into the team?
Is a month of training time enough? What do the players who have been robbed of their positions by over-age players think? Will they worsen the relationship in the locker room? Will their friends be dissatisfied with the over-age players? "
Facing Shi Wuyuan’s series of rhetorical questions, Ran Jiachang frowned and fell into deep thought.
He admitted that what Shi Wuyin said made sense, because he thought of the first Olympic Games in 2012, when Qin Lin entered the Olympic team as an overage player. With Qin Lin's ability and level at the time, he was said to be the strongest in China.
The player is not excessive at all, so naturally people have high hopes for him.
As a result, the addition of such a powerful foreign player did not improve the team's strength. The Chinese Olympic team left a shameful record of "no win, no goal, no point" in that Olympic Games.
So as to whether over-age players can improve the performance of the Olympic team in the Olympics, many people actually know the answer.
A football match is a sport in which eleven or even twenty-three people train together and then play together. It is not a simple card game. You can choose the eleven strongest players on paper to be invincible.
"So I thought, instead of recruiting three time bombs like this, I might as well not recruit any at all. At the same time, this Olympic Games is a rare opportunity for young players. It is a very important training opportunity. By interacting with high-level foreign young players,
In the competition, they can also score more goals. But what's the point of those over-age players who have already been stereotyped to play in the Olympics? Apart from adding a beautiful touch to their personal resumes..." Shi Wuyin spread his hands and shrugged.
"The Football Association has not set any goals for the Olympics, but I personally have a goal. That is, if the players of the National Olympic team can learn something and grow by participating in this Olympics, it will be good for themselves and our national football team.
It’s a good thing for everyone’s future. I hope that participating in the Olympics can achieve such a goal and have such an effect. How can such an important opportunity for training, learning and growth be given to over-age players?”
"What about Zhang Qinghuan? He is only one year older...he is still a young player." Ran Jiachang asked again. When everyone thinks of over-age players participating in the Olympics, Zhang Qinghuan will be the first to think of him. Although he is now
Because of the rise of young players such as Hu Lai, he is no longer the one who pinned the hopes of fans across the country. However, he performed well and is only one year older. People always think that he should participate in the Olympics.
Otherwise it would be a pity.
"Zhang Qinghuan... Guo Junfu is the captain of our team and the core midfield organizer. If Zhang Qinghuan comes, Guo Junfu will have to go to the bench. Guo Junfu played a great role in the team's qualifying process.
In the end, he was forced to sit on the bench for the Olympics. I personally think this is very unfair to Guo Junfu. Secondly, Lao Ran, have you considered another issue?"
"what is the problem?"
"The current three main players of the Olympic team are all from Flash Star. If they go to play in the Olympics, these three people will have to leave the team for two months and miss at least seven league games. This is very fatal for the team's relegation... and then
Let's select Zhang Qinghuan to the National Olympic team as an over-age player to play in the Olympics. Almost half of the main lineup of Flash Star is gone... Although Zhao Kangming is famous for his good temper, we can't catch him alone.
Come on! I told you that rabbits bite people when they are anxious. Aren’t you afraid that Lao Zhao will come to block the door?”
Ran Jiachang was amused by Shi Wuyuan's words. He nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay, if you don't want to be recruited, you won't be recruited. What you said is terrible. I'm really afraid that Lao Zhao will come to my house and block the door..."
Shi Wuyin said sternly: "From the perspective of being good for Chinese football, I don't want Flash Star to be relegated. I hope that Lao Zhao can fully demonstrate his football philosophy on Flash Star, and maybe it can bring a better future to our Chinese football."
There is no guarantee of a bright future..."
Ran Jiachang was a little surprised: "Are you exaggerating? Can a team of shining stars shoulder the future of Chinese football?"
“Lao Ran, Hu Lai, Chen Xingyi, Wang Guangwei, and Zhang Qinghuan are all in Flash Star now. Which one of them do you think will not be able to join the national team in the future?”
Faced with this problem, Ran Jiachang was stunned.
“So can they shoulder the future of Chinese football? If they can’t, who should we put our hope in?”
Ran Jiachang remained silent.
"I have been paying attention to this team since the Chinese Super League. They have brought something different to our country's football. Although the Chinese Super League has just begun, I dare to say that this team will also be the first in the Chinese Super League.
If they can successfully avoid relegation, I think it will prove to some extent that Zhao Kangming's method is effective, right? Maybe more teams will be willing to give young people a chance? When the entire football environment tends to
Young people, there will definitely be more talented young people emerging, right? Then maybe our league can cancel the U23 protection policy..."
As Shi Wuyuan spoke to the end, his voice became lighter and lighter, as if he was flying to the distant future along with his thoughts.