Sports Yearender: International Coaches Prevail in Chinese Soccer

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, December 24, 2001

Sports Yearender: International Coaches Prevail in Chinese Soccer

The year of 2001 has been a rewarding 12 months for international soccer coaches in China. Spearheaded by "Wonder Worker" Bora Milutinovic, they prevailed in the most popular sport in the most populous country.

Since German Klaus Schlappner became the first foreign coach with the Chinese men's national team in 1992, more and more international coaches came from abroad to "relieve poverty" in low-standard Chinese soccer.

Although they have brought rich experience to the national side or club teams, their contribution to Chinese soccer has not been really validated due to the country's continuous heartbreaking near-misses with the World Cup finals, until the arrival of Bora Milutinovic. As the third foreign coach of Team China, Milutinovic fulfilled the unfinished mission of Schlappner and Briton Bobby Houghton by steering the soccer-crazy nation to its first ever finals appearance in October, ending its 44 years of World Cup heartbreak.

Despite a dazzling record of 12 victories, one draw and one defeat throughout the Asian qualifiers, the road to South Korea and Japan was more bumpy than it seemed for Milutinovic and his team.

After a short honeymoon with the Chinese fans and media following his takeover last January, Milutinovic was soon thrown into the center of controversy. His loose training regimen branded "happy soccer" and large-scale player-selecting aroused furious debate in the state media. Reporters also blasted the 57-year-old "Milu", as he was called in China, for his late arrival at news conference and customary absence from the pitch during the playing of the Chinese national anthem.

However, no doubt and criticism shook the headstrong Serb, the only coach in history to take four countries to the second round of the World Cup finals, even when his side displayed a sloppy form with one win and two draws in nine friendly matches prior to the start of the Asian qualifying tournament.

"Results for me right now don't matter," Milutinovic said after his side lost to Egypt, Iran and the United States in a row in January. "Right now, I am looking for the right players, trying to play as many games as possible, getting the team more experience."

China eased through the first round of the qualifying tournament with a 100 percent record, but the voice of critics increased because the Asian powerhouse failed to rout the lowly Maldives and Cambodia.

What made Milutinovic's position more shaky, his friendship with a Chinese female sportswriter Li Xiang was questioned and challenged by tabloids. Able to provide abundant exclusive and detailed stories about Milutinovic, Li was lured to the mass circulation Sports Weekly from another tabloid by a three-month-contract reportedly worth from 1.6 to three million yuan (1 dollar=8.276 yuan), setting up the "transfer record" for a Chinese sportswriter.

Facing pouring criticism from the media before the second and decisive round of the qualifying campaign, Milutinovic vowed: "If this time China can't make the finals, I will jump off from the Great Wall."

Fortunately, both for Milutinovic and China, Chinese soccer officials stood firmly with "The Miracle Worker" at the crucial point so that he had the chance to justify himself.

"Milutinovic has the final say in everything in coaching," said Yan Shiduo, vice president of the Chinese Football Association (CFA). "We must be absolutely subject to him in training and competition arrangements."

Thanks to the rare hands-off attitude of CFA, Milutinovic successfully transformed the team according to his will and shut the critics up as the newly-born Chinese team displayed consistency and confidence sorely lacking in the past to secure the World Cup finals berth with two matches left to play.

As Milutinovic enjoyed success with the national side, fellow international coaches dominated the Chinese first division soccer league, which provided most of the Chinese internationals and was widely considered as the foundation of China's victory in the qualifying tournament.

Led by title winners Dalian Shide, teams with international coaches clinched four out of the top six places on the final standings.

Dalian Shide's head coach Milorad Kosanovic was only second to Milutinovic in terms of importance to Chinese soccer in 2001. Steering the Liaoning provincial team to triumph at the Ninth Chinese National Games, the Yugoslav became the first international coach in history to win a Chinese national championship.

"I am very much honored and proud of being the first foreign coach to lead a Chinese provincial team in the national games," said Kosanovic. "To win the national championship is much more difficult than taking the league title."

Under the guidance of the former Yugoslavia head coach, Dalian Shide successfully defended their league title in 2001 and cruised into the final of the Chinese FA Cup and Eastern semi-finals of the Asian Club Championship.

"The league is virtually finished for us," said Kosanovic as Shide drew Yunnan Hongta on December 6 to secure the 2001 league title with two rounds left. "FA Cup and Asian Club Championship are our next goals."

Late this month, the Dalian team will vie for the FA Cup title,the only one missed from their trophy package, with Beijing Guo'an.Whatever the result will be, Kosanovic could be contented with thehonor of "the best coach of the league", which he narrowly missed last year.

"I deserved it," the 50-year-old said with confidence.

A former Yugoslavia and Red Star Belgrade coach, Kosanovic's compatriot Ilija Petkovic also made a name for himself in the Chinese league. Leading Shanghai Shenhua, top title opponents of Shide, through incredible ups and downs amid the season, Petkovic finally saw his side finish runners-up in his first year in China.

Although the second-place proved to be unsatisfactory to the Shanghai club, which had been looking for its second league title since 1995, Petkovic won respect from players and officials.

"He is great coach, he has great coaching abilities," said Shenhua president Yu Zhifei. "Moreover, he is a very good person."

Bobby Houghton, who spent an unsuccessful term as China head coach in 1997-1999, proved himself in the league stage.

Despite the below-target fourth finish, Houghton set up a couple of records with Sichuan Quanxing in 2001. During his firstseason with the mid-China club, "The British Gentleman" led his players to a record five-game winning streak, a francise-high 47 points on the table and first away victories over Yunnan Hongta and Chongqing Lifan. Furthermore, Sichuan had a 100 percent record against titlists Dalian Shide and third-placers Liaoning Fushun.

"I am very satisfied with Mr. Houghton, except for the final finish," said Sichuan president Xu Yong.

Out of the nine international coaches in charge at the start of the 14-squad league in March, only two stepped down in the middle of the season. The lowest finish for the others was a 11th, set by South Korean Lee Jang Soo, who left for Qingdao Beer at the endof season after a six-year stay at Chongqing Lifan.

In the results-oriented Chinese soccer league, inpatient clubs change coaches frequently. Even Petkovic and Houghton have left their clubs. However, it has been widely accepted that international coaches generally have an advantage in coaching experience, abilities and skills over local ones. With the success of Milutinovic and Kosanovic, there is no doubt that international coaches will still dominate Chinese soccer in the upcoming years.

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