20 | Thursday, January 21, 2021 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY SPORTS SOCCER Zhu: China’s stars can make Euro grade Coach urges nation’s best homegrown For a very long time, last week named a 27-man squad for ized players, with Brazil-born pair a training camp in Haikou, Hainan Ai Kesen (aka Elkeson) and Alan talents to follow in Wu Lei’s footsteps we have believed province, starting Friday and con- featuring in Li’s latest training our players should grow in tinuing until early February. Wu was squad. By SHI FUTIAN from La Liga last season, Wu had omitted due to his club commit- However, Zhu believes the Chi- [email protected] been the only China international foreign leagues. We hope ments in Spain, with the squad nese Football Association’s plans to playing in a major European league to see many promising mostly made up of players from CSL improve youth training are more Despite Wu Lei’s current strug- following his transfer to the Barcelo- giants Guangzhou FC and Beijing important to the nation’s soccer gles in Spain, former Team China na-based club from Shanghai SIPG domestic players step out Guo’an. future than persuading foreign head coach Zhu Guanghu has urged in early 2019. of our own league.” Because of the pandemic’s disrup- imports to change nationality and more young Chinese players to try However, after a debut campaign tion to the schedule, the Maldives pull on the red jersey. and emulate the Espanyol forward packed full of standout performan- Zhu Guanghu, former Team China coach match will be Li’s first game in “We need more pitches in our by forging a career in Europe. ces and milestones — including charge since being appointed in schools — seven-a-side, five-a-side or “For a very long time, we have becoming the first Chinese player to early 2020. even smaller pitches just for three-a- believed our players should grow in score in La Liga — Wu now finds would have been better off seeking a has maintained that his stint abroad Zhu is confident his former side,” Zhu added. “Smaller pitches foreign leagues. We hope to see himself struggling for game time move away from Espanyol — either will improve not only his own game charge has what it takes to reinvig- allow more young kids to get access many promising domestic players and goals in Spain’s second tier. to another European club or a Chi- but also the fortunes of Team China orate China’s qualifying campaign. to soccer, and they can improve their step out of our own league,” the Typical of his frustrating 2020-21 nese Super League team. as it bids to qualify for the 2022 “I know the personality of Li Tie. touch and pace of play. 71-year-old Zhu told zhibo8.cc on season, Wu was unable to make an Throughout his time in Spain, Wu World Cup finals. He is a man who never gives up. He “We also need more quality soccer Tuesday. impact in a rare start on Sunday has kept fans informed via a person- The Chinese squad, which is due likes challenges and has very high youth training coaches. Meanwhile, “There are many players who against Osasuna and was substitut- al blog, with his most recent entries to face the Maldives in its next 2022 standards on details,” said Zhu. we should create more opportuni- have the potential, such as ed in the 75th minute of the 2-0 indicating he is determined to ride qualifier on March 25, currently sits “Both his pre- and post-match anal- ties and different competition for- (Guangzhou FC striker) Wei Shihao Copa Del Rey defeat. out the tough times and fight his second in the Asian zone’s Group A, ysis is very thorough. mats for the young players. They and some young players of Shand- The 29-year-old has only man- way back into favor at Espanyol. ahead of the third-place Philippines “Most importantly, he has an should learn to compete — particu- ong Luneng (now called Shandong aged three goals in all competitions “We are still running on the right on goal difference. Advancing to the indomitable spirit. I’m sure he will larly how to do so physically — from Taishan). As long as there are chan- this season and started only 10 of track chasing our dreams and we second phase as one of the four best pass on his ideas, tactics and philos- an early age. Throughout the ces, they should ply their trade in Espanyol’s 20 games so far. are the same young boys as we second-place finishers is, therefore, ophy of soccer to the players.” reforms, our priority has always foreign leagues.” That has led some voices on social were,” he wrote earlier this month. far from certain for China. China has been bolstered by the been to increase kids’ participation Prior to Espanyol’s relegation media to question whether Wu Throughout his time in Spain, Wu National team head coach Li Tie introduction of a number of natural- in the game.” Lampard fears Chelsea chop as Blues’ woes continue LEICESTER, England — Frank his eighth goal of the season. Lampard admitted he is unsure if he Lampard responded by turning to can hang on to his job as Chelsea $120 million worth of talent on the manager after his expensively bench as Werner and Ziyech were assembled Blues side crashed to a introduced for the final 25 minutes. fifth defeat in eight games at Leices- Werner has now gone 11 Premier ter City on Tuesday. League games without a goal and The result lifted Leicester to top even when the Germany interna- spot in the Premier League and tional did find the net to flick home increased the heat on Lampard after a late freekick, the offside flag res- last weekend’s win at Fulham had cued Leicester, which leapfrogged afforded him a little respite. Manchester United into first place After spending nearly $300 mil- in the standings. lion in the transfer market in the off- “It sounds nice — ‘top of the Pre- season, an expected Chelsea title mier League’,” said Maddison. “It’s a challenge has failed to materialize, good one psychologically because with reports suggesting Blues own- we’ve worked really hard. It’s a great er Roman Ambramovich is consid- achievement halfway through the ering axing the relatively season.” inexperienced Lampard, who The Foxes are exceeding even arrived at Stamford Bridge from sec- their own expectations by going for ond-tier Derby County in July 2019. a second title in five years. “It intensified for me a while ago,” “There might be teams able to said Lampard of the growing scruti- spend a lot more money than us and ny on his position. “Because the bring in quality from abroad and expectations at this club, whether pay big wages, but our team spirit they are right or wrong, are always and togetherness will continue to high. try and keep us up there,” added “I know we are in a different posi- Maddison. tion with our squad — if you look at Chelsea manager Frank Lampard cuts a concerned figure as he watches the action during his team’s 2­0 English Premier League defeat at “We’re not up there by a fluke, our squad today and the age in our Leicester City on Tuesday. REUTERS we’re up there because we work squad and look at the composition of hard. People might talk about (Man- our squad, it’s a mixture of a young chester) United, Liverpool, Totten- squad, a lot of players, some new play- club can buy him more time with played in all departments by the from a team playing well and we The Blues showed signs of life ham or whatever but let them talk. ers. I keep talking about a transition Russian owner Ambramovich. Foxes. were that team a month ago.” when Callum Hudson-Odoi fired We’ll do our business in the back- but when you perform like that, it’s Asked whether he was confident “From the form we were in, to get “There are moments,” Lampard into the side-netting and the visitor ground and hopefully come the end normal people will ask questions.” Abramovich would show patience so quickly into the form we’re now added, “you have to dig in and do the thought it had won a penalty when of the season it will give us a chance Lampard is revered by Chelsea with him, Lampard replied: “It’s not in … we should be better than that. basics, and the bare minimum is to Christian Pulisic was upended by of being right up there.” fans as one of the club’s greatest-ever my decision. That’s something that Five losses in eight isn’t where we run and cover ground. Many of our Jonny Evans. A VAR review, though, Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers — players and its all-time top scorer. will always be there. want to be,” the 42-year-old said. players didn’t do it.” judged the foul had taken place out- who has previously worked at Stam- However, with the former England “When I came into this job, the “It takes character to turn from side the box, and four minutes ford Bridge as a youth and reserve international failing to get the best job of management, you understand that — I went with quite a young Flying Foxes before the break it was 2-0.