Xinhua News Agency's Heavy Investigation: Starting from China Football "Fake Foreign Coach"

With the deepening of football reform in China, grasping youth training and foundation has become the knowledge of insiders, and it has attracted more and more attention from all walks of life. Due to the lack of local youth coaches, including social youth training, school football and even club youth training, many "foreign coaches" have to be introduced from abroad to solve this problem.

However, in this process, problems such as "fake foreign coaches" have appeared in many places. How to standardize the introduction of outstanding foreign youth training talents and better promote the development of youth football training in China has become a realistic problem that must be solved at present.

Behind the storm of "fake foreign coaches"

Victor (a pseudonym) is an international student. He dropped out of school after coming to China for half a year, and made a living by playing football in a semi-professional club in Hebei. In addition, he also serves as a coach, teaching children to play football. Although he doesn't have any coaching certificate, Victor's job search is not difficult.

When asked if he knew that coaching required qualifications, Victor said: "I also know that this is wrong, but many people are doing it, and there seems to be no risk. Teaching children to play football is not a bad thing. "

"There is a great demand for foreign coaches in the market now. Many parents think that football in China is not good, let alone preaching and practicing. Foreign teachers can also expose children to foreign languages, so parents are willing to find foreign teachers. The class fees of foreign teachers in some youth training institutions can reach twice the fees charged by coach China. " The general manager of a youth training club in Beijing admits that it is not uncommon for unqualified coaches (like Victor) to fail to meet the rapidly growing demand.

"It is difficult for parents and students to distinguish the level of foreign teachers, and there is information asymmetry in the middle. In this process, foreign students, people who want to make money, are driven by interests, and this so-called fake foreign coach appears. " The general manager said.

A campus football coach in Chongqing revealed that after the booming football market, many foreign teachers in English training institutions also jumped ship to do football training. "There is even an American, Elvin, who sells noodles in Chongqing. He usually plays wild ball with us and goes to youth training for a period of time. There is also a report posted online that "the owner of the small noodle restaurant coaches the first foreign-funded football school in Chongqing". " The coach said.

It is understood that a foreign football coach with a UEFA B or A coaching certificate and experience in youth training in China has a monthly salary of about18,000 yuan to 40,000 yuan, and the total cost will be higher.

"And those people in developed countries can play football more or less. Training institutions invite a foreigner who can kick two feet to fill the facade, which often costs less than 10 thousand Some part-time jobs even cost 3,000 yuan and 5,000 yuan. " An industry insider said.

"Compared with big cities, the phenomenon of fake foreign coaches in small and medium-sized cities is more prominent. On 20 17, I met a broker and recommended it to me, saying that just use a foreigner's face and fake a certificate. " A person in charge of a youth training institution in a county-level city in central China said.

Is the true performance of the certificate recognized? A person in charge of the Football Association of a prefecture-level city said that the coaching system in all countries of the world is different, even at the grassroots local football association level, it is difficult to distinguish, and it can only be checked through training.

A British football coach who has worked in China for more than three years said that many people think it is too easy to come to China as a coach, which is one of the reasons for the appearance of fake foreign coaches. "Many football developed countries, including Britain, have a surplus of coaches, and it is difficult for many people to find coaching jobs. I heard that the football market in China is booming, so I'll try my luck. Some of them don't have any coaching experience and don't know China. "

"I have met foreign coaches who only teach children to speak English without any professional background. The small players didn't get the high-quality training that matched the tuition fee, and it was more terrible to practice wrong than not to practice. The lower salary of fake coaches also lowers the market and squeezes the living space of real coaches. China football eventually became the biggest loser. " The coach said bitterly.

Real "illegal work" foreign coach

"In China, it has become normal for some foreign football coaches to work illegally." This is a passage published on the British football coach recruitment website in February 2065438+2008, which is widely circulated in the circle.

Matt Ward believes that this is related to China's requirements for work permits and the particularity of the football industry. According to the Classification Standard for Foreigners Working in China (Trial) issued by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of China and other relevant departments, foreign youth football coaches belong to Class B foreign professionals, and applicants applying for work permits must have a bachelor's degree or above and more than two years of relevant work experience.

"But it doesn't matter to take the coach's license and the university. There are many football coaches in Europe and the world who don't have a college degree. Many coaches from professional players may not have gone to college, but this does not mean that they are not good coaches. " Matt Ward said.

The situation of Spanish coach Rodrigo Enrique is different. On August 20 16, Rodrigo, who has a UEFA A-level coaching certificate and fully meets the criteria for applying for a work visa, came to Chengdu to teach through a Spanish brokerage company. To his surprise, the company did not apply for a work visa for him as required.

Not only that, Rodrigo said that his salary and benefits were inconsistent with the previous commitments of the brokerage company. The club pays all the fees to the brokerage company first, and he can only get 45% of them, and the other 55% is taken away by the brokerage company.

When asked why he didn't sue the brokerage company, Rodrigo said, "I don't know Chinese, and I don't know whether the contract (signed by me and the brokerage company) is legal in China. Our hands are tied, and I have to earn money to support my family. I have cried many times. "

Rodrigo said that as far as he knows, the Spanish coach who encountered a similar situation is not a case. Two of his colleagues chose to leave China for the same reason.

"Football agents are very important, but the agent system in China is not perfect," said the deputy general manager in charge of youth training at a club in Super League. Professional clubs also eat the plaintiff first and then the defendant. "

"We submitted the application very early, which meets the requirements, but it has not been passed. I hope to do it well before his tourist visa expires." The person in charge said.

"In order to meet various regulations, we have spent a lot of effort on this work visa, with high manpower and time costs." Tan Di, chairman of Changsha Tengyue Football Club, said.

"The work visa is a legal issue that everyone must abide by. However, from the future, if China wants more excellent professional coaches, can he take the coach's license as the standard in the audit, not the university diploma? " Matt Ward appealed, "Many coaches come to China and leave soon because they have to take the risk of illegal jobs. If China wants more high-level foreign teachers who can work for a long time to improve the football level, this problem needs to be solved. "

Listing, edge ball, "Yang Qingxun College" true or false?

"I admit that there are foreign professional clubs doing youth training seriously in China and doing it well. However, some professional clubs come to China just to make quick money and collect listing fees. " A person in charge of a youth training camp authorized by a domestic Premier League club said.

It is reported that some domestic youth training institutions and sports companies will pay a listing fee of 6.5438+10,000 to 400,000 yuan to foreign professional clubs every year, and authorize the establishment of football schools in the name of the clubs. But the actual relationship between these youth training camps and the club is only nominal.

"The club doesn't care about these youth training camps authorized to be listed in China, because they don't need to pay any investment, and they are all operated by China. They don't care about the quality of the youth training camp, and the coach has nothing to do with the club. Even though some coaches do come from England, many of them are inexperienced and sent here only because China needs them. This is very common. Listed youth training clubs often charge higher fees, but this does not mean that they can provide higher quality training for small players. " The person in charge said.

"They don't even want to provide the club's authentic jerseys, so we have to buy them on Taobao." The person in charge said with a smile.

It is understood that Barcelona Club has opened several football schools in China, which are in Qingdao, Chengdu, Haikou and Kunming, Yunnan, among which there is no Chongqing.

Development and future of social youth training system

According to the official statistics of China Football Association, as of May 20 19, the number of social football youth training institutions in China has increased from 1983 in 20 15 to 695 1 home, with an increase of 4,968 in four years. The promulgation of the 20 15 foot reform program has greatly stimulated the growth of the football training market.

The rise of social football youth training institutions has become an important link among campus football, professional football and professional football, and is an important part of the "five in one" youth training of China football. The heads of youth training departments of several professional clubs said that in recent years, there are more and more children playing football, and it is easier for clubs to select materials, among which the role of social youth training institutions is indispensable.

"Frankly speaking, as a market-oriented youth training institution, the education department and the sports department are not binding (on us), and the market supervision department is indeed binding, but the market supervision department has no ability to review the professional qualifications of coaches." A person in charge of a social youth training institution said.

More than one youth training institution expressed their worries about how to solve the problem from the perspective of industry development. "If we vigorously rectify and worry about lowering the market that has been developed with great difficulty, we will be dead. Instead of obsessing about fake coaches, it is better to publicize what good training and coaching are to parents and students. The society forms a * * * knowledge, and naturally there is no living space for fake coaches. "

China Football Association and many local football associations are also actively guiding the development of social youth training institutions, aiming at promoting the establishment of industry norms through the certification of football association brand youth training institutions and the establishment of official competition platforms. As of May, 20 19, the number of social football youth training institutions registered in the China Football Association's application system reached 8 16 in 20 19, an increase of 183 over 20 18.

In addition to the management system and mechanism, some insiders said that fake foreign coaches more reflect the shortage of domestic coaches, especially in the youth training market. The core of the problem is that China lacks its own excellent youth training coach.

"If the level of domestic coaches cannot be qualitatively improved, parents will naturally tend to choose foreign teachers." A senior practitioner said.

"Now the situation is very contradictory. Retired professional players or echelon players have poor cultural level. Once Yongchuan held a C-level coaching training class, and there were two professional players. Anyway, they couldn't write a lesson plan. On the other hand, to teach children to play football, they must demonstrate their movements, even without a professionally trained coach. The coach gap is too big. " Jing Tian, vice chairman of Chongqing Yongchuan Football Association, said.

At the same time, there is regional imbalance in the distribution of coaches. "University sports colleges and sports colleges are basically concentrated in big cities, and their graduates are the main force engaged in the youth training industry. After graduation, our classmates basically stayed in the city, willing to return to scarce districts and counties, and even fewer of them majored in football. If you want to develop football in districts and counties, the problem will be big. " A youth training coach who graduated from a physical education college and worked in a first-tier city said.

According to the statistics of China Football Association, since 20 15, the number of training sessions and the number of B, C and D coaches who mainly serve teenagers have increased greatly. Generally speaking, the number of coaches has increased by nearly 38,000 in four years (20 15-20 18), but it still can't meet the demand of China's football market.

"Because the development foundation is too weak and there are too many historical debts, the current development still cannot meet the needs of fast-growing coaches. The strong demand has also spawned a variety of coach training courses and a large number of coaches' multinational forces'. The coaches of social football youth training institutions are generally weak and lack industry norms and standards, which needs to be further improved. " China Football Association officials said.

"China Football Association has implemented a series of measures in recent years to improve the relevant systems and management norms of domestic and foreign coaches in China. At the same time, after a series of strict inspections, China Football Association became the second national association to be awarded the professional qualification certificate of the AFC Coaches Convention. The coach training system and registration management system are gradually improving. Local member associations have also carried out the qualification identification of foreign coaches in China as required. " The head of the technical department of China Football Association said.