Ever since the naturalization policy was introduced in Chinese football, the discussion of naturalized players has been a hot topic in football. Should naturalized players be reused? It is also the opinion of the benevolent, and the wisdom of the wise. Recently, the domestic media "Football" newspaper published an elaboration on naturalized players, which pushed this topic to the forefront again.
The article deeply analyzes the tortuous process of Chinese football on the road to naturalization, as well as the embarrassing situation of Chinese football under the current wave of naturalization in Asian football.
Looking back on the past few years, Chinese football has placed high hopes on the naturalization policy, hoping to quickly improve the competitiveness of the national team by bringing in foreign players with Chinese ancestry or living in China for a long time. This move, to a certain extent, has indeed brought an immediate improvement in the team's combat power, and the addition of players such as Exxon and Li Ke has allowed fans to see the light of hope for the World Cup.
However, as the article points out, Chinese football does not seem to have been able to make full use of the dividends of this group of naturalized players, but instead seems to be indecisive, slow and even stagnant in the context of accelerated naturalization in Asian countries. The article takes the naturalization progress of two young talents, Sylges and Fitz-Tianle, as examples, to vividly show the missed opportunity in the naturalization strategy of Chinese football. Shilges has quickly completed his naturalization in Indonesia and is expected to represent the national team in important tournaments, which is impressively efficient.
On the other hand, as a potential new star with Chinese roots and playing in the top league, the naturalization process has not been advanced, which is undoubtedly a big loss for Chinese football. What Fitz-Tianle represents is not only the joining of a player, but also a microcosm of Chinese football's quest for breakthroughs and revitalization on the international stage. What is even more worrying is that while Asian countries are strengthening their teams through naturalization, Chinese football seems to be in a state of confusion and hesitation.
Indonesia, Thailand, Viet Nam and other countries have promoted naturalization policies in full swing and achieved remarkable results, and the level of football in these countries has also been significantly improved. And Chinese football, after losing the instant combat power bonus brought by naturalized players, will inevitably further widen the gap. In the face of such an embarrassing situation, the article raises a sharp and realistic question: in the context of China's football youth training system is not yet mature and the problem of talent disconnection is still severe, should naturalized players be regarded as a necessary emergency measure?
The answer is clearly yes. The naturalization policy is not a stopgap measure, but one of the measures that must be taken by Chinese football in a specific historical period in order to enhance the competitiveness of the national team and revitalize the confidence of domestic football. Through naturalization, the team's shortcomings in key positions can be quickly supplemented, the overall strength can be improved, and valuable time and space can be bought for the growth of young players.
Of course, naturalization is not a panacea, and it cannot solve all the problems of Chinese football. In the long run, the development of Chinese football still needs to rely on the improvement of the youth training system, the improvement of the league level and the popularization of football culture. But in the process, the naturalization policy can serve as a transitional measure to help Chinese football remain competitive in difficult times and lay the foundation for future revival.
Therefore, we must maintain a sober and rational attitude towards the introduction and use of naturalized players. It is necessary to be aware of the positive effects of naturalized players, but also to be wary of possible negative effects. In the specific implementation of the naturalization policy, the principle of fairness and justice should be adhered to, and improper behaviors such as benefit transfer and illegal operations should be avoided. Only in this way can we truly play the positive role of the naturalization policy and contribute to the rejuvenation of Chinese football.