As the prelude to the new season kicked off in Chengdu, Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic began the first phase of their crucial winter training. The new head coach, Wang Baoshan, is full of confidence and ready to take on the challenge with a new look.
Known as the "relegation hero" and the "Super League expert", Wang Baoshan has been selected by Shaanxi to target the Chinese Super League. The coach, who coached in the place where the players started their careers, hopes to bring a visual feast to Shaanxi fans with the purest soccer spirit.
He was once the favorite to be the national team's head coach, and as a member of the technical committee of the National Football Association, he has deep insights into the current situation of domestic soccer. In this interview, Wang Baoshan shares his insights and thoughts.
Soccer Reporter: What was the process like for you to join the Shaanxi team and what was that experience like?
Wang Baoshan: I was in Xi'an last year, coinciding with the club's shareholding reform and the National Games, and I had in-depth contact with the Sports Bureau and all circles in Shaanxi, generating the idea of contributing to my hometown team.
Soccer Reporter: Being called "Shaanxi's first international footballer", what does this mean for your career?
Wang Baoshan: For me, this has only one meaning and that is that Shaanxi has trained me, and with gratitude to my hometown, I want to do my part for the development of soccer here.
Soccer Reporter: You go back to Shaanxi every year to visit your family, and you have been paying attention to the development of soccer here.
Wang Baoshan: Shaanxi soccer has a deep fan base, the ball market is hot, and the fans are very enthusiastic about soccer. Restricted by objective factors, Shaanxi soccer has not been able to make a difference in the high-level league. I hope that after the epidemic is over, the fans will be there to cheer for their team, and I am looking forward to showing a new direction for this team.
FOOTBALL REPORTER: What are your thoughts on Shaanxi's time in the Second Division?
Wang Baoshan: It's not just because it's a Shaanxi team, the club was founded just 6 years ago and every time I come back I see the fans and the local interest in the team. There's a reason why the club is still supported and loved by many fans despite being plagued by funding in the past.
The deeper reason is that I saw the management of Chang'an Athletic Club's unique insights in soccer, such as their new understanding of soccer and their understanding of soccer management. Five or six managers in the club have returned from studying in the UK and have professional backgrounds in sports planning and sports marketing, which is lacking in many clubs in China.
Soccer Reporter: What is your judgment on the future of the Shaanxi team?
Wang Baoshan: Judging from the team's performance in the Second Division, I am confident about the club's future.
Soccer Reporter: As the first international footballer to go out from Shaanxi, what are your expectations for the development of Shaanxi soccer?
Wang Baoshan: Everyone wants their hometown to be good in all aspects, and as a soccer player, I also want my hometown to prosper in soccer. Although Shaanxi is a big cultural province, the soccer results in the past were not good, and I think there are some shortcomings. So I came back here because I want to help the club and help Shaanxi soccer accomplish some goals.
FOOTBALL REPORTER: You've been coaching the first team for over a year, what have you done in that time?
Wang Baoshan: In the past year, due to contractual reasons with TEDA, I coached in the first team, and during this time I went deep into various places and participated in many activities. I am worried about the future development of the national soccer team, especially the roots of youth soccer. I think practitioners, including myself, should reflect on what we have done badly and how we can improve.
FOOTBALL REPORTER: What do you feel is the most important task before the start of the new season?
Wang Baoshan: I think the most important task is to understand the team, build a reasonable team, and strive for a more reasonable team structure, as well as improve the overall technical and tactical ability through training.
Soccer Reporter: You have been coaching in the Chinese Super League for many years, known as the "relegation king", and also have the experience of consecutive successes in the Super League, some people call you the "Super League Master", which title do you prefer?
Wang Baoshan: It doesn't really matter which one I like more, as long as it's related to soccer, I like it. I think soccer itself is a challenge, and every game is a new challenge.
Soccer Reporter: You led Chengdu to the Super League in those years, and later led Chongqing Lifan, which did not invest much, to the Super League, what are the differences and similarities between the Super League at that time and the Super League now?
Wang Baoshan: The difference is the amount of material input. In the past, the input for the Super League was lower, while now the input is much higher. Despite the changes in players' income and prices, we should still pursue the essence of soccer.
FOOTBALL REPORTER: How different is your state of mind at the helm of the first team again?
Wang Baoshan: If anything, it's that this is my hometown team. The work and the state of mind will not change, I strive to present the essence of soccer.
FOOTBALL REPORTER: How would you define your coaching phase?
Wang Baoshan: I think I will continue to learn and pursue improvement no matter what stage of life I am in, and this is my attitude towards soccer.
Soccer Reporter: The Central League teams are doing well in the play-offs, how do you see this phenomenon?
Wang Baoshan: I think this is mainly because the Central League teams have a stronger desire and motivation for the Chinese Super League.
FOOTBALL REPORTER: Do you think the competitiveness of Super League teams has decreased compared to the earlier two years?
Wang Baoshan: The main reason is the reduction of high-level foreign aid and the failure to improve the level of domestic players. The original intention of foreign aid is to improve the team's competitiveness and performance, while we should pay more attention to the growth of players.
Soccer Reporter: How do you bridge the gap in a league without big-name foreigners?
Wang Baoshan: I think we should return to the essence of soccer, strengthen the basic training and improve the physical fitness and skills of the players.
FOOTBALL REPORTER: The technical side of the game is reflected in the young players, does this indicate a big problem with the quality and foundation of youth training?
Wang Baoshan: There is indeed a big problem. The 19-23 year old players in the European league are already the main players, while our young players are still in the training stage, which shows that our youth soccer level and technical ability lags behind.
Soccer Reporter: In terms of league operations, many clubs are undergoing shareholding reforms, do you think this can really help the league get out of its predicament?
Wang Baoshan: It remains to be seen. It is true that our investment in soccer was not standardized in the past, but the low level of the league and the difficulty of survival are not due to the high income of the players. Our soccer market is not like Europe's, where there is a lot of unfair input and competition.
Soccer Reporter: In the future, there may be more state-owned capital and state-owned enterprises in professional soccer, what should the dominant players pay attention to in the process of share reform?
Wang Baoshan: The reform will bring pain and the final result is unknown. I have a positive attitude towards the participation of state-owned enterprises in soccer, but in the process of operating and managing the club, the laws of the sport of soccer need to be respected.
Soccer Reporter: China's women's soccer team's performance at the top of Asia has sparked heated debate.
Wang Baoshan: I applaud the women's soccer girls, the men's soccer team should learn from the women's soccer team, learn their spirit and hard training attitude.
Soccer Reporter: The Chinese Super League has made way for the national team, but the men's soccer team has failed to achieve good results, what are your thoughts on this?
Wang Baoshan: the league gives way to certainly help the national team, but the epidemic is difficult to find warm-up opportunities, which may lead to players in poor condition.
Soccer Reporter: How do you feel as an older international player when the men's soccer team was defeated by Vietnam?
Wang Baoshan: I am pained by the loss to Vietnam, but we may have overlooked one thing, which is the development of Vietnamese soccer in the past few years. We are not as good as our opponents in terms of technology and game content.
Soccer Reporter: Have you watched the matches between the Chinese women's soccer team and Japan and South Korea? What do you think is the reason why the women's soccer team can go to the end?
Wang Baoshan: I think on the one hand, the gap between the Japanese men's soccer team and the Chinese men's soccer team is greater than the gap between the Japanese women's soccer team and the Chinese women's soccer team, and on the other hand, the Chinese women's soccer team's physical condition and mental level are better.
Soccer Reporter: After the women's soccer team won the championship, some people think that women's soccer should have more capital involvement.
Wang Baoshan: I think women's soccer should receive capital support, especially to improve training facilities and material security.
Soccer Reporter: As a member of the FA Technical Committee, how do you see the results achieved by the men's soccer team?
Wang Baoshan: I think the problem of the men's soccer team lies in the lack of technical ability, which has nothing to do with the coach.
Soccer Reporter: When the national team selected the coach, you competed with Li Xiaopeng and Li Tie, and the current national team manager is Li Xiaopeng, if you are allowed to take the national team, what will be the result?
Wang Baoshan: I don't think I have the ability to do this, at the same time I know the technical ability and position of the existing players, but also understand the strength level of the Asian opponents, I don't think our players have the technical ability to compete with them.
