Godfather of national football

Chapter 105 Uzbekistan is Coming
"In China, football is becoming an aristocratic sport,"

Li Guo asked Li Zibing to add this sentence at the beginning of the interview.

"Director Li, with all due respect, football is different from basketball. A basketball court can be used for a long time with a single investment, but a football stadium needs to invest a lot of money every year to maintain it. It's not that the club's youth training collects so much money, but football needs so much money."

"Yes, but do you think the increasingly aristocratic Chinese football has a future?"

Li Zibing was silent, "Then Director Li, do you have any good ideas?"

"localization,"

This is the method given by Li Guo.

"For example, our footballs, ranging from grass to coaches, all need to be imported. If these are localized, we can save a lot, not to mention other things."

"Well, it might be easy to localize the lawn, but the coach? It's hard."

"Yes, a lot of work is needed. For example, media appeals are very important, so that more people are willing to become coaches, especially youth training coaches."

"As far as I know, youth coaches are not well paid and work very hard."

Li Guo made a gesture, "Any industry is a pyramid, and the top of the tower can only be the focus of attention, but without the base below, how can there be splendor at the top of the tower."

"The World Cup is beautiful, but World Cup players also start from juggling the ball, which requires the efforts of youth training coaches."

"Well, I will take on the responsibility of a media person. After I return to China, I will do a special program about youth training coaches."

"Director Li, besides localization, what else do you want to say?"

"There are also rules that are also very important. For example, in Europe, every time a player transfers, he will give a training fee to the original home team. I think this rule is very good."

Li Zibing said: "Then what do you think about calling for social donations?"

Li Guo recounted the conversation between Manager Ma and himself, "You know, I don't like this Manager Ma. He speaks coldly, but I know he is right. Relying on social donations is indeed a drop in the bucket."

"And more importantly, those who are capable are not willing to accept charity from others."

After talking about the future of Chinese football, Li Zibing began to talk to Li Guo about the present of Chinese football.

"Top 10, it is said that you are now a public enemy of South Korea. Koreans scold you after dinner, and even some Korean businesses have developed products that curse Li Guo. Do you have to be careful when you come to South Korea?"

"Haha, probably not, I personally feel that Asian people still love me."

"Damn," Li Zibing almost vomited, how can a person's skin be so thick?
"Okay, let's get down to business. I think Asian football is still developing very fast. In fact, there are several opponents in the top 10. I am most worried about playing away games. One is the home of the devil in Iran, and the other is Uzbekistan. The climate of this landlocked country is very different from our home in Shanghai. The other is the United Arab Emirates. It is hot, very hot."

"Is it really that difficult?"

"Of course, football games are different from all other games. Football games are easy to play tricks on the pitch. A softer lawn and a little more watering will change a lot. When it comes to the away game, you can only resign yourself to fate."

"But no matter what, the national football team's victory in the first match still makes the Chinese people very happy. I hope the national football team will continue."

"The interview is over?"

"Um,"

"Then go."

"Damn, Li Guo, are you a human being? When you run out of people, you cross the river and tear down the bridge."

"Don't be so ambiguous, I told you several times."

Li Zibing pouted, "How about going back to China tomorrow? I'll buy a plane ticket."

"No, I'm not greedy for cheap things,"

"Li Guo, you are very boring, no wonder you are still single now!"

"Hehe. Soccer coach, how can it be fun to come and go in the wind and rain? Allardyce said that football coaching is a job of licking blood."

"Allardyce? You know him?"

Li Guo's forehead was sweating, and he thought: "I slipped my tongue."

"I don't know, I watched the video on the Internet."

"Okay, are you really driving me away? Are you sure you don't want to make a bed or something?"

"Go away!"

*****
The second opponent of the Chinese team in the top 10 is Uzbekistan. This is a strong team in Central Asia. It has been in the second group in Asia for a long time.

Although the Chinese team successfully advanced to the World Cup in the 2001 World Cup qualifiers, the only defeat of the Chinese team's 8 games that time was the away game against Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan had a bye in the first round, so they played a warm-up match and beat their opponent 3-0 in Malaysia. After the game, the Uzbekistan team flew directly to Shanghai.

After arriving in Shanghai, the Uzbekistan team was closed. Except for the 15 minutes of training (as stipulated by the AFC), Uzbekistan did not face the media at other times, except for the press conference before the game.

At the press conference, Uzbekistan's head coach Kasimov said that the goal is to get one point, "I will be satisfied if I can get one point in China,"

Because Uzbekistan has never entered the World Cup, when accepting questions from reporters from the country, the first question is, when will Uzbekistan enter the World Cup?
Kasimov almost smiled wryly, "I hope I can see Uzbekistan enter the World Cup in my lifetime."

When it was Li Guo's turn to accept questions, the first question was unavoidable, and it was the expectation of the game.

But Li Guo didn't answer directly, "I don't want to talk about results at home. I want to make the fans happy. If everyone is happy, that is success."

"Director Li, compared to the last game, which one do you think will be more difficult?"

"Of course it's this time."

The reporters at the scene smiled knowingly. It seemed that Li Guo was addicted to Koreans, but Li Guo was not joking.

"I'm not joking. The game against South Korea is open. The ball will be more beautiful and the pace of the game will be faster in the attacking game. But at home, I think the opponent must be defensive and bust. I don't like this kind of game."

Later facts also proved Li Guo's foresight. After the press conference, the Chinese team officially entered Uzbekistan time, and the first game at home was about to start.

(End of this chapter)