CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Wednesday, July 28, 2021 | 19 SPORTS OLYMPICS Thorny issues abound for Steel Roses Dutch demolition condemns women’s team to humiliating exit in Tokyo as inquest begins into squad’s sharp decline By SHI FUTIAN Team China star Wang Shuang, [email protected] once dubbed ‘Lady Messi’, made global headlines in 2018 when she Team China’s humiliating elimi- transferred to French giant Paris nation from the Olympic women’s Saint-Germain. soccer tournament on Tuesday Wang showed she belonged at the proved the squad’s reliance on its highest level by becoming the first old-school hard-work ethic is Chinese to score in the UEFA Wom- nowhere near enough to cut it at the en’s Champions League. highest level anymore. However, after a year-long stint in A shocking 8-2 thrashing at the Europe, she returned to the Chinese hands of the Netherlands sent the Women’s Super League with Wuhan ‘Steel Roses’ crashing out of Tokyo Chedu Jiangda, whom she helped to 2020, and underlined just how far the domestic title last year. Chinese women’s soccer has fallen She remains Team China’s stand- behind the game’s elite nations. out performer, as illustrated by the Fans reacted to the team’s capitu- 26-year-old’s four-goal haul in the lation with dismay online, with the draw with Zambia last weekend. hashtag “Feel sad for Wang Shuang” “During the match with Zambia, trending on social media, referring Wang Shuang only needed 17 min- to China’s star playmaker. utes to deliver a hat-trick, and she A powerhouse on the pitch not so alone scored all four goals,” read a long ago, China could only manage a Beijing Youth Daily commentary. point from its three group games, “In such a tough match for Team and conceded a whopping 17 goals. China, Wang Shuang’s individual China lost its opener to Brazil 5-0, performance was hugely superior to and then drew 4-4 with Zambia, the rest of the team. And in that before Tuesday’s blowout loss to the draw, Wang appeared to be so Dutch. lonely.” Head coach Jia Xiuquan has come Chinese Football Association in for heavy criticism, and he admit- (CFA) president Chen Xuyuan last ted the performances have fallen month outlined plans to encourage well below his team’s standards. more homegrown stars to play in “We didn’t meet our expectations foreign leagues. Last week, Shang- or achieve our goals. It has nothing hai Women’s Football Club to do with the players, and I take full announced China international responsibility. We will review this Tang Jiali will join English giant Tot- experience. The players have given tenham Hotspur. their all on the pitch,” said Jia. The 26-year-old Tang missed the “They tried very hard and I just chance to play at the Tokyo Olym- want to thank them. The mistakes Despite still looking like a world-class talent at the Olympics, playmaker Wang Shuang — who scored four goals against Zambia in Tokyo — pics due to a knee injury. She played we made were connected to the could not save Team China from elimination. XINHUA a vital role in China’s Olympic play- players’ mentality. As the head off triumph over South Korea, and coach, I’m responsible for every mis- was sorely missed in Tokyo. take that a player makes. I cannot “I’m very honored and proud to pass the buck to anyone. But I still join Tottenham Hotspur. Playing want the players to be brave in the with a European club has always future.” been my dream. I hope I can fit into Xinhua reported that, before the new club as soon as possible, Tuesday’s game, Jia held a team and show my potential there,” said meeting during which the usually Tang, who was among the 10 nomi- good-tempered 58-year-old didn’t nees for the Asian Football Confed- hold back. eration’s Best Women’s Player award “Come on, girls! This is the Olym- in 2020. pics, once every four years, it’s not Looking to the longer term, a easy for everyone. If you want to fresh approach to the country’s play in the Olympics again, it will youth training system would also take a huge effort to even earn a tick- appear to be necessary. et through Asian qualification,” Jia “The priority is to select future tal- was quoted by Xinhua. ent for Chinese women’s soccer. And “Now we have qualified and we we need to level up our efficiency in are on the stage. So how will you youth training work, so that we will respond? You need to have a perfect Jia Xiuquan looks set to step down as head coach of China’s wom- Lineth Beerensteyn of the Netherlands watches her shot hit the net live up to the kids’ efforts and expec- performance. You need to have en’s soccer team after failing to steer his squad into the knockout past Team China goalkeeper Peng Shimeng during Tuesday’s tations,” said legendary Team China quicker passes and play in a more stage at the Tokyo Olympic Games. AFP Tokyo 2020 group-stage game in Yokohama, Japan. REUTERS player Sun Wen, currently the CFA’s open way… The veterans and the vice-president. new players can all make mistakes, live up to past glories, including run- nation was cheering. And during “If you take a look at the Brazil so now you need to think how you ner-up finishes at the 1996 Olympics the qualifiers, we saw signs of the team this year, you would notice can relieve the pressure and fight and 1999 World Cup. old Steel Roses and their unbending that the team’s average age is also the best you can!” Now, reaching a major final is The priority now is to select future talent will in the current generation of almost 30 years old, which shows Before arriving in Japan, Jia had almost unthinkable for the Steel for Chinese women’s soccer. And we players. that their youth training work is not already faced criticism for his squad Roses, who have dropped to 15th in “It’s mixed feelings for everyone. that good. We still have many chan- selection. Several key players who the world rankings and will surely need to level up our efficiency in youth On the one hand, the current crop ces, and our main rivals in the future helped Team China qualify for the slip further after their Olympic flop. training work, so that we will live up to still has the team’s tradition. But on will also come from Europe. Games were not included in the “Many people are blaming the the other hand, 20 years ago we “The key is to level up the skills of Olympic roster, such as Ma Jun and head coach for his choice of players the kids’ efforts and expectations... The were discussing if the Steel Roses our young players. If kids don’t Lou Jiahui. He has also been blamed and many other reasons. But we key is to level up the skills of our young can win the Olympic gold medal. receive quality coaching at an early for the team’s weak defense and tac- have to be fair. There is a very limit- Right now, the national team is cele- age, it’s hard for them in the future tics, which some fans have ridiculed ed choice of players for Jia Xiuquan, players. If kids don’t receive quality brated just for a successful qualifica- to make up for what they failed to as “outdated”. so how can he produce a great coaching at an early age, it’s hard for tion campaign.” learn as youngsters. Some observers, however, believe result?” read a commentary by Sina “Also there’s a gap between our that Jia alone should not shoulder Sports. them in the future to make up for what Next-gen thinking grassroots coaches and those of the the blame. They cite deficiencies in “Three months ago, the Steel they failed to learn as youngsters.” Some contend that ensuring elite nations. There are also prob- the development of the domestic Roses had a tough win against more Chinese players ply their trade lems related to schools and academ- women’s game over the years as rea- South Korea to earn a ticket to the Sun Wen, Chinese women’s soccer great abroad is key to reviving the team’s ic studies. We need to keep moving sons why Team China is unable to Olympics. At that time the whole fortunes. forward.” Flora’s flourish gives Bermuda first-ever Olympic gold TOKYO — Triathlete Flora Duffy “I think I can get used to being ing the finishing straight gave way to heard ‘tzzzssss’ and I thought, ‘fan- reveled in a “cool moment” after called Olympic champion for the tears at the realization of what she tastic’,” said the 27-year-old. delivering the tiny island’s first rest of my life.” had achieved as she crossed the line. “I decided not to stop and change Olympic gold medal in Tokyo on Bermuda’s only previous Olympic “I tried to just keep my compo- my wheel. I just tried to see what Tuesday. medalist was boxer Clarence Hill, sure and not allow my mind to drift could have happened as I had The 33-year-old crossed the line who won a bronze in 1976. to the fact that this was really hap- already lost time, but only 15 sec- in the women’s race in 1 hour 55 For Duffy, it was a welcome pening until about the last kilome- onds so it wasn’t all too bad.