Zheng Mengkui is on fire this time, but this fire is not because of how brilliant his football record is, but because he easily sat in the position of executive committee member of the Asian Football Confederation at a conference in Bangkok, Thailand. Think about it, the reputation of this bigwig in the Korean football world is already "more can be played but not on", and this nomination and election have made many fans and media begin to wonder if this is a "politically correct" choice for Asian football?
To be honest, Zheng Mengkui's position is not a piece of cake. The executive committee of the Asian Football Confederation is a big guy who has a lot to be responsible for, from deciding where the tournament will be held to deliberating on various plans for the development of Asian football, everything can affect the mood of hundreds of millions of fans in Asia. But Zheng Mengkui's nomination process, we have to admit, is simply a tea party, there are no competitors, and there is no fierce voting, that is, after some applause, people justifiably became executive members.
But back in South Korea, it's not so happy. The recent performance of South Korean football, ahem, is "needs to be improved" at best, and "a mess" at worst. Neither the men's team nor the under-23 national team have been able to achieve satisfactory results on the international stage, which has called into question Zheng Mengkui's leadership. What's more, the Korean Football Coaches Association couldn't help but stand up and appeal, and directly asked Zheng Mengkui to quickly "give up his position to capable people".
However, the new executive of Asian football has had his share of setbacks in the past. Back then, he ran for the FIFA council at the AFC General Assembly, but he lost the election. But Zheng Mengkui didn't admit defeat, and stood up again as a quasi-executive member last year, no, this year is directly the official executive member. This spirit of "getting up again after falling" is quite in line with the style of sports people.
So, what does Zheng Mengkui's election mean for Asian football? Is it just a symbolic victory that "does not live up to the name", as criticized voices in South Korea do? Or can he really take this opportunity to bring some positive changes to Asian football?
We have to admit that it is not an overnight thing to change the football ecology of a region. Although Zheng Mengkui's personal ability has been questioned, being able to sit in the position of executive committee member of the AFC this time at least shows that he still has two brushes in organizational coordination and political operation. Perhaps, he can use this new role to bring some positive impact to the development of Korean football and even Asian football.
However, having said that, Zheng Mengkui's election also raises a question for the governance and reform of Asian football: do we need just a "face" figure who can sit in a high position, or a "director" leader who can really promote innovation and progress? This is the question that Zheng Mengkui needs to give an answer to everyone who cares about Asian football.
Overall, the controversy and discussion caused by Zheng Mengkui's election reflects the desire for reform and development in Asian football. While his personal leadership and past accomplishments may not be entirely convincing, he now has a stage to prove himself and perhaps even change the rules of the game. In the future, every decision and action he makes will directly affect the direction of Asian football.
As a controversial figure for a long time, Zheng Mengkui's future movements will undoubtedly receive great attention from the outside world. Whether he can seize this opportunity to set things right and push Asian football to a higher level, or whether he will continue to linger in controversy and criticism will be a topic that deserves the continued attention of all football fans.
And for us ordinary fans, no matter what the wind is or what the impact is, what we are most concerned about is every pass, every shot, and every game on the green field. I hope that with Zheng Mengkui's efforts, we can see Asian football go further and play more beautifully on the international stage!