Chapter 110 Asian Cup
The Asian Cup is the first time that China has held a large-scale football event in its own country, which has made the whole country attach great importance to it. In particular, the Chinese team, which is fighting at home, has high hopes, although the reputation of the Chinese men's football team has been bad, but these have not affected the Chinese die-hard fans to put their hopes on them again and again.
Luo Wenqiang already knew that he would leave the Chinese Football Association shortly after the Asian Cup and be transferred to the General Administration of Sports as the personnel director. Therefore, he very much hopes to leave a good impression on Chinese fans at the Asian Cup before leaving, and let the people above see his political achievements. That's why he once wanted to transfer Yang to the national team.
However, Ali Khan assured him that the Chinese team won the championship with the current lineup. It made Luo Wenqiang feel a little relieved.
The announcement of the title was only known to the top management of the Football Association, and externally they were "modest" to say that our goal was to qualify from the group. Chen Wei was a little sad, in the game at his own doorstep, he was listed as the favorite team to win the championship, but he didn't even have the courage to announce that he wanted to win the championship. Is it because you are afraid that you won't win the championship and make people laugh? But if we do our best, even if we are empty-handed, who would dare to laugh at us?
But some people can't see through it.
In fact, if it were not arranged to be held in China, not many Chinese would pay attention to this Asian Cup. Originally, with the European Cup and the Copa America in front of the comparison, who else would be interested in the Asian Cup, which requires technology but no technology, tactics and no tactics, and no stars? I am afraid that the Chinese fans are still a patriotic heart.
The media is also very active in publicity, and some media even advertised before the European Championships: "Asian Cup, the mood of a host to win the championship." By the time the Asian Cup was approaching, due to the influence of the Football Association's "modest" attitude, the media advertising was also a little more subtle. "The 2004 Asian Cup witnessed the birth of a new Asian hegemon." This sentence seems to be subtle, but it is actually clearer. The new hegemon, what is the new hegemon? Among the favorites to win this Asian Cup, only the Chinese team has not touched the honor of Asian champion, and the object of this new hegemon is very clear.
However, it is a pity that Chinese fans are divided into two distinct factions: those who think that China has a drama school to win the championship, and those who are not optimistic about China's victory and cannot even qualify for the group.
Chinese seem to like to fight in the nest, and the two factions not only quarrel in real life, but also quarrel in the Internet. Then in this lively atmosphere, the Asian Cup kicked off in Yanjing.
However, the opening ceremony that made Luo Wenqiang full of hope made him lose face in front of AFC Secretary-General Verappan because of the fans.
Not to mention the sparse stands, it was a boo time that made Villapan very unhappy.
Originally, the fans should have booed Luo Wenqiang. However, CCTV5, which is in charge of the broadcast work, delayed the release of the signal by 30 seconds due to the uncertainty of the live broadcast, which means that everyone watching TV at home or watching the picture on the big screen at the scene was already 30 seconds ago.
Therefore, when the footage of Luo Wenqiang's speech was broadcast on the big screen at the scene, the fans booed, which was very harsh. But at this time, the person standing in front of the microphone wishing the Asian Cup a complete success was the secretary general of the AFC, Verappan.
Verappan, who did not know the truth, was extremely annoyed. As the secretary general of the AFC, where is he not very popular and respected? It's just that Chinese fans are so ignorant, dare to boo him? So the next day, several major media outlets saw a furious article by Villapan questioning Chinese fans.
But he didn't know that the fans were the least powerful and powerful people in the world. They don't care where you know the secretary general, and if you provoke them, it will make you embarrassed. So Villapan's move is undoubtedly a hornet's nest, not only fans, but even the media have expressed their dissatisfaction with Villapan's accusations and demanded to retract what he said.
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Although the Chinese team was forced to draw by the "amateur team" Bahrain in the opening game, many people are very unoptimistic about the prospects of the Chinese team's Asian Cup. But that didn't stop the Chinese team from having a full house in the second game against Indonesia. The fans seem to want to prove that Villapan is shitting, no matter how bad the Chinese men's football team is, the Chinese fans are absolutely first-class.
As a result, they enjoyed a hearty victory, and the Chinese team swept Indonesia 5:0. It's like eating a hot pot on a hot day, and although you are sweating profusely, you still have a lot of fun while taking off your clothes.
How long has it been since the Chinese men's football team has given fans such happiness?
This big victory completely aroused the passion buried in the hearts of Chinese fans, and whenever the Chinese team played in the future, the Yanjing Workers' Stadium was full. So much so that Li Yan had to sigh: "Except for the battle of Ryoma, the Gongti has never been so lively as this time!" I wonder how those internationals will feel when they see it? Actually, our fans don't ask for much......"
He remembered an interview. A group of fans who came from Hunan, led by a man named Niu Jianhua, came to cheer for the Chinese team. But because many people didn't expect the Chinese team to go so far, the budget was not enough, and even eating became a problem in the end. If they hadn't booked their tickets a long time ago, I'm afraid they wouldn't even be able to get into the stadium. Because I couldn't hold on anymore, several brothers with poor family conditions had to go back early. Before leaving, he took Niu Jianhua's hand and said: "Old Niu, count our share and cheer for the Chinese team!" ”
And just like that, the rest persevered until the final.
When the CCTV5 reporter interviewed these Hunan fans who were basically out of ammunition, Lao Niu smiled at the camera and said: "The Chinese team can have such a performance, we are willing to eat or drink." ”
"That's right! Willing! Give us a long face in China! The person behind him waved the five-star red flag and shouted.
Now when Li Yan remembered the answer called "Lao Niu" again, he was a little moved.
This is the Chinese fans, they have paid money, time, and too many things that ordinary people can't imagine, and others don't understand. Just to get back this high-eyebrow game, for a game worth remembering forever.
In the final analysis, a good game can bring one or another benefit to players, coaches, football associations, and businesses, but for fans, can it bring them any practical benefits? They get nothing, whether it's money or fame. But they are still so obsessed that they can smash the TV they just bought back for the failure of a ball; In order to fight for control of the TV, he can divorce his wife; In protest against the political axe's refusal to allow yourself to go to the World Cup, you can set yourself on fire*.
This is the group of fans, ridiculed by many as "crazy"; Seen as a dangerous element that affects social stability and unity; In Chinese football, it is the most neglected, but it is the most basic group of people, a ...... A very special existence.
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With the extraordinary expectations of fans across the country, the Chinese team defeated Qatar, Iraq, and Iran all the way, and finally stood at the Yanjing Workers' Stadium, waiting for the opponent of the final, an old enemy of more than 100 years - Yue Ben.
The importance of this final will make all those who care about it even breathe heavy and short. Everyone knows what the word "Yueben" means in the hearts of the Chinese, in China's more than 100 years of modern history, Yueben used very cruel means to imprint the scars in the hearts of the Chinese that can never be forgotten, and the pain on the scars has not been alleviated or even disappeared with the passage of time, but will occur once a year in the special day, reminding China not to forget history. Time can erase everything, but it cannot erase the hatred between peoples. It's like Jews and fascists, Palestine and Israel, India and Pakistan, and then China and Palestine.
From September 18, to Lugou Bridge, to the Nanjing Massacre. It's not just a football game anymore.
"N Reasons to Destroy Xiao Yueben", the eye-catching headline on the front page of "Sports Weekly" was written by Li Yan himself. He also chose the title. At the time of delivery, some people were worried that the three words "Xiao Yueben" would touch the sensitive and fragile nerves of some people, but Li Yan insisted on sending it like this, and said, "I just want to touch the sensitive and fragile nerves of some people." Finally, the deputy editor-in-chief waved his hand: "Send it according to the original manuscript." ”
So this relieving headline and article made the front page headline of "Sports Weekly", and the headline was boldly marked in red and bold. Li Yan looked at the title, he was very proud.
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The pre-match propaganda made the game full of fire, and even the political axe protested against the Chinese political axe, hoping that the Chinese political axe would treat football and politics separately. But the fans don't care about that, Yucheng is the competition area of the group stage, every time there is a game, all Chinese fans will definitely be the fans of the opponent, and the boos have not stopped when the team plays the national anthem. I believe that when it comes to the final, it will be no exception.
But CCTV5 did not give fans a single shot from the beginning to the end of the final. After all, it's a very influential media, and there are a lot of things that can't be reported.
The first half of the game ended in a 1-1 draw. After the team scored the first goal, the whole stadium was silent, only the cheers of the players. Lao Niu bit the corner of the national flag in his hand, his heart hung in his throat, he was afraid that the old problem of the Chinese team's weak legs would be repeated. But fortunately, the Chinese team then relied on a clever combination on the left side to score the equalizer. The cheers of the workers' body were like a volcanic eruption, and all the pent-up anger of the Chinese burst out.
The devil knows how many of them are greetings to relatives with the surname of his immediate daughter? But even the always honest old cow couldn't help but say loudly: "I'm fucking you, Xiao Yueben!" Lao Tzu told you to go crazy again! Fuck you! ”
After scolding, the whole person suddenly had a lot of energy, which was even more spiritual than eating the elixir.
The balance in the first half was disrupted by a handball in the second half.
Keiji Tamada, this name should be firmly remembered by all Chinese fans. It was he who deliberately hit the ball into the door of the Chinese team with his hand after the corner kick was taken, helping Yu Ben to take the lead again. And when the Chinese players raised their hands in protest, the referee turned a blind eye. He insisted on the ball, even though the big screen was showing the whole process of the goal, making it clear that Keiji Tamada was slapping the ball with his hand.
The referee's obvious partiality also crushed the morale of the Chinese team, and the rest of the game was played in a disorderly manner.
At that time, this goal was repeatedly broadcast by CCTV5, and even the commentator Liu Hongmin was so anxious that he shouted in the broadcast studio: "This is clearly a handball!" Why did the referee turn a blind eye? Could it be that this is the gold medal referee who has been cultivated by the AFC? If that's the level...... Then I can only express great regret and anger personally! ”
The gold medal referee in Liu Hongmin's mouth is the referee on duty in this game, Kuwaiti Fahari. As the golden whistle of the AFC, Fahari is the Asian referee who will officiate the World Cup in Germany, representing the highest level of Asian referees. However, it is incomprehensible that he made many low-level mistakes in this game. Even the head coach of the team, Zico, said helplessly: "It's the first time I've seen the referee blow us for an offside foul when he throws a throw-in in the game!" ”
In fact, it is not that the referee is not bad, but that the AFC deliberately arranges it. It's not complicated at all as long as you look at it together. First of all, as the host, the Chinese team must take care of the interests of the host for the sake of market income and popularity, and the AFC does not want the stands of the final to be deserted, which will become a big joke in world football. In this way, it can explain why the Chinese team will be sent off in the two knockout games, and almost ignore the fouls of the Chinese team, but be extremely harsh on the opponent. In the semi-finals with Iran, without the help of the referee, whether the Chinese team can still appear in the final must really be considered.
But taking care of the hosts' interests doesn't mean you win the title. In particular, AFC Secretary-General Verappan was humiliated in public in Yanjing, which is tantamount to humiliating the AFC. This made Villapan breathe a sigh of relief. In addition, the AFC has not had a very good relationship with the Chinese Football Association. Now there is an excuse, so it is logical to let the referee kill the Chinese team in the final. Moreover, losing to Yuben in the form of handball will increase China's pain even more, and it will also make Villapan more relieved. In fact, the seeds of the Chinese team's defeat were planted as early as the day of the opening game, but the overexcited Chinese fans, the media, and the officials of the Football Association did not see it.
It was the AFC that single-handedly set up the stage to make the Chinese team look ugly, first holding it to the sky, and then falling to the ground. In this way, Villapan is not only black, but also has a really black heart!
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Back to the game itself, watching the Chinese team's attack, Li Yi ran aimlessly in front like a headless fly. Li Yan really couldn't bear to look at it, if Zhang Jun was there, those opportunities, as long as he seized them twice, Xiao Yue would have stopped eating. What if they handball? Should you lose or lose with despicable means!
Can ...... now O Chinese strikers!
Chinese football has always been famous in Asian football for producing high-quality forwards. From the thirties of the ball king Lee Hui Tong; By the 70s, Rong Zhixing, who was called by Bailey "China's only one with the temperament of a world superstar"; and then Qiu Suhui, Gu Guangming, Zhao Dayu, who were as famous as Basten at the World Youth Championships in the 80s; Then there are Hao Haidong, Li Bing, Song Maozhen, and Yang Chen in the 90s...... Which one wasn't a well-known name at the time? This makes Chinese fans very proud, and it also makes Yue Ben envious, because although their midfield is the first in Asia, they are forwards...... It's really not up to grade.
But the current Chinese national team can't find a striker who can score goals! How ironic is that? I remember when I was in college, Li Yan read an article in the magazine "Football Club", called "Forwards: The Double-edged Sword of Chinese Football", to the effect that China's abundance of strikers is a good thing, but there are also disadvantages. Relying too much on strikers has made the Chinese team's style of play monotonous, ignoring the cultivation and construction of midfield talents, and since Peng Weiguo's retirement, China has no real sense of the front waist. With the development of football tactics, the midfield has become more and more prominent in modern football, but the Chinese team still relies on forwards, blindly rushing with long passes, or relying on fast wingers to cross the bottom. But once the strikers are out of line, the blow to Chinese football will be huge. Because by that time, the Chinese team, which has long since lost its midfield, and now has lost its strong striker, will suddenly find that it can't play.
At that time, the article did not have much repercussions, but Li Yan now has to admire the author. Now what he said has finally come true. If it weren't for the extraordinary performance of Shao Jiaying, a midfielder who played in Germany, maybe the Chinese team would have been wiped out in the group stage.
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Finally, I finally heard the final whistle, and said that my goal before the end of the game was meaningless. Seeing Yue himself laughing and celebrating wildly on our own court, Li Yan felt very uncomfortable in his heart, and he had the urge to rush down and hit people. I believe that there are not a few people who have the same impulse as him, because as soon as the game ended, a group of emotional fans rushed down the stands and chased the referee and the players on the field. There were still many people in the stands who didn't go down cheering for the group of warriors.
Knowing why as soon as the game was over, CCTV5 broadcast advertisements very unconventionally, instead of continuing to report on the situation ahead, and there were no reporters to interview them. It's because of such an episode.
With the intervention of the armed police at the scene, the clash lasted only two or three minutes before it ended. When the picture turned back again, there was nothing to be seen, as if nothing had happened here. The Chinese team has already begun to take the stage to receive the silver medal.
Everyone went up, shook hands with Zhang Jilong, then hung up the silver medal, and then stepped down without saying a word, and then took off the silver medal.
Ali Khan refused to go up to accept the prize. He even had to go straight back to the locker room. But when he walked to the entrance of the passage, he was stopped by an AFC official: "I'm sorry, Mr. Coach." You have to go up to claim your prize. He gestured to the podium not far away.
"Are you asking me to claim the championship trophy?" Ali Khan said angrily to the official.
"Mr. ......"
"I'm sorry, that silver medal didn't belong to me in the first place, why should I go up and get it...... Block a damn silver medal? Ali Khan still insisted on going back to the locker room, but the other man blocked his way with his body.
Seeing that the other party would not give way, he had no choice but to stand at the entrance of the passage angrily, looking at the embarrassed crowd on the podium.
"Sir, I would like to remind you that refusing to accept the award will be punished by the Football Federation!" The official said in a tough tone.
"I'm sorry, I have the right to refuse an unfair medal!" Ali Khan was also tough-tempered.
Seeing Ali Khan's tough attitude, the officials knew that he would definitely not go up to receive the award. On the other side, Villapan was standing on the stage with the last silver medal in his face, not knowing what to do, but he must have scolded Ali Han's family in his heart. The camera gave him a close-up of his face for a long time, and when his embarrassed smile appeared on the big screen at the scene, nearly 70,000 Chinese fans in the stadium booed him from the bottom of their hearts, which can be regarded as a "thank-you" to Villapan.
In the end, there was really no way, so I had to pull Ali Han's translator Dong Hua to make up the number and receive the silver medal.
Then it was the turn of the champions to award the gold medals and trophies. The fans were dissatisfied and had already begun to leave the stadium, while the Chinese team stood on the bench and watched coldly as Xiao Yueben happily came to the stage to accept the award.
The team members looked very excited, after all, they defeated the Chinese team on Chinese soil, and what kind of situation could still relieve them more than now?
But Chen Wei was a little unlucky. Because he was the winner of the championship, he had to stand on the stage, hang the gold medal piece by piece around the neck of each member of the team, and then shake hands with them.
One, two, three, four...... When he finally handed over the heavy championship trophy to the captain of the team, Miyamoto Hengjing, he couldn't help but feel a little distressed - this should have been handed over to the Chinese players......
Finally finished this errand, Chen Wei quietly retreated. Watching Miyamoto Hengjing hold the trophy high and cheer with his teammates, he also put the left hand that he had shaken hands with the team members next to the suit pocket and rubbed it lightly a few times.
This action, which was so subtle that it couldn't be more subtle, was noticed by Li Yan. What it means should be clear to everyone.
The seeds of hatred between China and the Ben in football were officially planted in Yanjing today, on August 7, on this cold summer night.
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It was late at night, and the crowd was gradually dispersing. But there are still some unwilling Chinese fans gathered in front of the Workers' Stadium and the Kunlun Hotel where the team stayed, chanting slogans of resistance while burning the national flag of Yueben, which caused a lot of stirring (related time video online viewing address: If you can't watch it, there should be too many people, you can try it again when there are few people, or you can download it directly to watch, The method is to right-click www.xstxt.orgediapelyer to play the video, and select to view the surname, and the address inside is the download address). But Luo Wenqiang, who is the full-time vice chairman of the Chinese Football Association, has no intention or ability to take care of those.
After the crowd dispersed, he sat alone on the concrete steps of the workers' stand, facing the mess of the place, silent. As a person who is about to step down, he must be very unwilling to use such a loser's posture when he leaves. If we compare the 1999 photo of Wang Junsheng slumped in a chair, we will definitely come to such a conclusion: the two have many differences, but they surprisingly unanimously chose a posture that cannot make the body stretch, because neither of them can stretch their mood.
Luo Wenqiang has always been a strong guy and an iron-fisted chairman, but Li Yan, who was wandering around, accidentally bumped into this scene, but he didn't expect that such a person who can not change his face in the face of humiliation among the fans will have such an embarrassed and weak side. He suddenly remembered Luo Wenqiang's predecessor, Wang Junsheng. A person who was also quite controversial when he was in office, and a person who was heavily reviled. But after stepping down to start business, he was overturned because he founded a professional league of Chinese football. I don't know if Luo Wenqiang will have such treatment in a few years?
It's really hard to say, Wang Junsheng has brought professional reform to the lifeless Chinese football, although his Haigeng spring training and 10,000 meters of physical training every day have been criticized. But what about Luo Wenqiang? Will he be left with anything in the end?
Before the finals, Li Yan met Wang Junsheng in the water bar of the training bureau. At that time, he seemed to have drunk some wine, and said to Li Yan in high spirits: "We must regard the Asian Cup as a national war, a national war!" We must win this battle! "Four years ago, it was Wang Junsheng who was vying for the right to host the Asian Cup, and he was still very unconvinced when he was on the verge of leaving class, and he wanted to use his home to win the next victory for Chinese football.
This time, he even filled out a check for three million with a signature pen, intending to use it to reward the Chinese team after winning the championship. But now no one knows the whereabouts of the check, maybe it was torn off by Wang Junsheng on the spot, or burned, or handed over to the finances. But what does it matter? The Asian Cup is over, and the Chinese team is not the champion.
At the same time, the Chinese team members who flew from the Kunlun Hotel to their respective homes like magpies were already pondering on the road: how much prize money will there be this time?
The Asian Cup, which will be held after the European Cup and the Copa America, is like chicken ribs, and there are only three things worth remembering for Chinese football.
1. Verlapan grabbed the microphone and scolded his mother at the press conference very gracelessly.
Second, the main player of the Premier League, returnee star Wang Hui publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with head coach Ali Han because he was dissatisfied with not being able to play the main team in the national team.
3. It is said that my hand "wins" (silver).
In addition to the above three, the others are "nothing".
After all, we still haven't witnessed the birth of a new Asian hegemon at our doorstep, as advertised, and said that we have successfully defended the title.
Looking back at the once hopeful beginning, one has to think of a sentence: "I dreamed that my lover came to save me on a colorful auspicious cloud, but I guessed the beginning, but I didn't guess the end." ”
"One day, the Asian Cup will be a cloud that will pass over us, it exists, but it has no weight." This is the sentiment of a senior commentator of the "Football" newspaper, although he is the opponent in his peers, Li Yan still admits that he is very right and reasonable.
The Asian Cup is like a cloud in the sky......
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