By IANS,
The Hague : The arrival of renowned foreign players like Nicolas Anelka will hardly benefit the growth of Chinese football, some Dutch coaches working in China feel, while others think it is a step forward.
The arrival of international stars like gives the Chinese league a new impulse.
However, will the arrival of big new names be good for Chinese soccer? The Dutch coaches are divided on that issue, Xinhua reports.
“The signing of Anelka is good for Chinese soccer,” said Theo de Jong, a member of the 1974 World Cup finalist Dutch team. “The young players will look up to them, imitate them. I had done the same when I saw Pele. This is important for the Chinese youth. Hopefully they can learn from him. Nevertheless, Anelka and others need to really show it on the pitch.”
“It seems the right direction to continue to invest in big names,” added Versleijen. “We saw the same development a while ago in Japan’s J-League. It is a way of increasing the popularity of football.”
However, in Japan it was a tactic of the entire J-League organisation, but that is not the case in China. It is more a matter of the whim of individual owners, more like what happens in the Middle East.
Schans and Jo Bonfrere wondered if Chinese soccer will really benefit from an influx of foreigners.
“Actually, foreigners contribute little to Chinese soccer,” said Bonfrere.
“The young players get less chances when clubs continue to buy players. These players have an obligation to supporters. Just ask a coach who they need. Anelka has played in Europe and I doubt he still has the right mentality. He gets paid much more than Chinese players, but contributes little. It is not a good thing for the Chinese team.”
“Chinese soccer is going through a major change,” concluded Schans. “On one hand, it is good that major sponsors are coming back, but the Chinese team is still missing a good defensive midfielder, a good attacking midfielder and a good striker. These positions are occupied by foreigners at the club. So how could you expect a decent national team?”