The legendary Red Devils coach: The road to success

Chapter 92 Visitors from China

"Even the most well-informed Red Devils fans would be very surprised to see two unfamiliar yellow-skinned faces at the Cliff Base. What surprised them even more was that these two children were not from Japan or South Korea, but from the mysterious ancient China."

--Inscription

When the time turned to March 2019, the Chinese men's football team lost 3-0 to the Thai team in the "China Cup" friendly match held in Nanning, Guangxi. This humiliating defeat ignited the emotions of fans across the country, and people all over the country burst into curses.

At that time, China's head coach Cannavaro also had Su Maozhen and Shao Jiayi in his team, but they could only endure it all silently.

No matter how incompetent and weak the Chinese men's football team was, what could it do? At that time, China had only one player playing in faraway Spain, Wu Lei, the only Chinese player to play abroad. The Chinese Football Association also naturalized many players and hired famous coaches, but the team was still embarrassingly bad and had no hope of breaking out of Asia. Now even countries like Vietnam and Thailand can take advantage of it.

This is the Chinese men's football team, the most embarrassing existence in the world.

From Su Maozhen to Shao Jiayi, from Yang Chen to Dong Fangzhuo, from Fan Zhiyi, Zheng Zhi, Sun Xiang, Li Tie to Wu Lei... the connection between Chinese football and advanced European football is becoming narrower and narrower, and the opportunities are becoming fewer and fewer. How regrettable it is.

Many years ago, Chinese football really had a chance to step onto the grand stage of European football, and Chinese teenagers almost opened the door to England's giants.

That was in 1988, when China was beginning its reform and opening up in the field of football. At that time, there was no Jianlibao team going abroad, but the Chinese football system miraculously established a connection with the Red Devils, and the first exchange took place.

This was supposed to be a beautiful fate between the Red Devils and Chinese football, a perfect start. This story should have had a better ending, but unfortunately, there was only a faint sigh left in the end.

In early 1988, the Chinese Youth Football Team was officially formed for the first time and was invited to visit the UK for a match. At that time, China was in the process of reform and opening up. This trip attracted a lot of attention from the beginning. Many English media regarded the visiting Chinese football teenagers as the best opportunity to understand China. Among them, not only the English Football Association and the English youth training system were interested, but also many club coaches and celebrities came to observe. Among them was the Manchester United legend Charlton, who was invited to watch two games of the Chinese Youth Team and praised the performance of the Chinese Youth Team. After the game, many media asked Charlton if he was interested in inviting Chinese teenagers to participate in the training camp named after him.

Charlton's answer shocked the reporter, "I am very much looking forward to the young guests from China. We will invite the best among them."

Charlton really admired the performance of the Chinese youth team at that time. He believed that although the team's tactics were simple, several players in the team had good strength and potential, especially the then captain of the Chinese youth team Wu Chongwen and forward Su Maozhen.

Su Maozhen was the main striker of the Chinese youth team at that time. He scored six goals in seven games and had a strong goal-scoring ability. Wu Chongwen was the captain of the team and played in the midfield. Wu Chongwen from Guangdong was short in stature, but very flexible, with excellent skills and outstanding awareness. He commanded the team in many games with the demeanor of a general. His mature appearance was admirable.

Charlton was very happy and personally invited the Chinese youth football team to visit the Red Devils Club.

Charlton's love for Su Maozhen and Wu Chongwen was beyond words. He even took time out to serve as a tour guide for the Chinese youth team and introduce the glorious history of the Red Devils. Su Maozhen still remembers that it was March 1988, 3, when Sir Charlton took them to visit Old Trafford and said to him: "Young man, you will play football here in the future!"

Wu Chongwen received a gift specially prepared by Charlton for him, "a pair of sneakers, a set of Red Devils jerseys with Sir Charlton's autograph, a football, and a captain's armband. When I received such a generous gift, I was so happy that I was overwhelmed."

Charlton's encouragement and expectations for Su Maozhen excited the 16-year-old boy. Su Maozhen secretly made up his mind that he must work hard to train and strive to join the Red Devils, a wealthy club.

Soon after the Chinese youth team returned to China, Charlton Athletic formally invited Wu Chongwen and Su Maozhen to participate in the youth international football training camp. In order to make proper arrangements, Charlton Athletic's Chinese consultant also sent a list and official letters to the Chinese Football Association, and also coordinated the English Football Association to donate a batch of materials to the Chinese football youth training program.

Su Maozhen and Wu Chongwen were overjoyed when the news came. With Charlton's careful arrangements, the two children got on the plane to England as they wished.

After arriving in the UK, Charlton's training camp began a real football skills test. These subjects certainly did not stump the Chinese teenagers, Wu Chongwen eventually won the second place, and Su Maozhen won the fifth place and was also praised.

Charlton therefore solemnly recommended the two children to the Red Devils Club and Ferguson, and praised them highly. Ferguson, who was "eager for talent", was interested and immediately decided to invite the Chinese guests for a trial in the name of the Red Devils Club.

This time, Su Maozhen and Wu Chongwen are not visiting as a guest like last time, nor are they simply training and testing at Charlton Athletic Football School. Instead, they will train with the Red Devils youth team and even participate in some competitive games. If they perform well enough, they may join the Red Devils. The Chinese State Sports Commission and the Chinese Football Association are very supportive of the Red Devils' invitation and quickly approved it.

In the summer of 1988, rare Oriental faces appeared at the Red Devils' youth training base. This was the first official exchange between the Red Devils and Chinese football, and it was an officially endorsed cooperation. Su Maozhen and Wu Chongwen flew to Manchester again, and they were the first Oriental guests to appear at the Red Devils' training ground. For Ferguson, this was the first time to come into contact with Asian players, and also the first time to meet Chinese players.

This short trial did not really happen, but the Chinese teenagers left a good impression on Ferguson. After the trial, Charlton was very impressed with the shy but brave Chinese teenagers, and Ferguson also felt that the two children had great potential and were worth further exploration and training.

In October 1989, Wu Chongwen and Su Maozhen were once again invited to train with the Red Devils.

The Red Devils have arranged a trial period of more than three months, not just a one-week trial. Not only that, the Red Devils have even reached an agreement with the Chinese Football Association that if the training goes well, the two teenagers meet the standards, and they agree to stay, this trial will become a real transfer.

In those days, there were still quite a few talented people in Chinese football who were open to the world.

Su Maozhen and Wu Chongwen traveled across the ocean and arrived in England again. The Red Devils Club attached great importance to them, and Charlton even drove hundreds of kilometers to meet them in person at the London airport.

What kind of courtesy is this that requires a jazzman to pick you up at the airport?

Charlton favored them, and Su Maozhen and Wu Chongwen were flattered. They also felt something was unusual. Su Maozhen and Wu Chongwen didn't know the Red Devils were interested in them at first. Ferguson's trial arrangement was completely in accordance with standard procedures, but it opened their eyes.

The Red Devils not only covered all the expenses of Su Maozhen and Wu Chongwen, but also covered part of the expenses of the translators and staff who came randomly. After arriving in Manchester, the Red Devils arranged for Su Maozhen to stay at Mrs. Brand's house near the base. The enthusiastic and loving Mrs. Brand cleaned up her married daughter's room and made it a place for this Chinese child who had left her parents alone. Not only this room, Mrs. Brand also took the time to decorate the house with a warm atmosphere, making Su Maozhen live very comfortably. Wu Chongwen was arranged to stay with another family, who also took good care of him. Arranging the two Chinese children to different host families separately reflects Ferguson's plan to let them grow up independently as soon as possible.

Su Maozhen deeply remembers the care his landlady gave him. Every day, Mrs. Brand would prepare delicious meals for Su Maozhen to eat when he came back. Every day, she would chat with Su Maozhen and comfort this child who had not yet grown up. Mrs. Brand would always take the initiative to help Su Maozhen wash his jersey and take good care of his emotions. She would take Su Maozhen to participate in activities of the local Chinese community and try her best to make Su Maozhen grow up happily.

Mrs. Brand's caring care eliminated Su Maozhen's loneliness to a great extent, and made him feel the care of a "mother" in a foreign country. What Su Maozhen remembers most is that on October 10, he received a birthday gift as soon as he got up after arriving in Manchester for only 23 days. Mrs. Brand had prepared all of this carefully early on, which touched him deeply.

Su Maozhen was deeply grateful and always regarded Mrs. Brand as his mother in England. He expressed his gratitude more than once in his autobiography.

The family where Wu Chongwen lived was not as meticulous and considerate as Mrs. Brand, but they also took very good care of him so that he had no worries at all.

In the eyes of Su Maozhen and Wu Chongwen, the Red Devils Club is like a big family, full of warmth and happiness. On Su Maozhen's birthday, Sir Charlton personally brought the youth team coaches and players to hold a birthday party for him. They put a birthday cake in front of the little guy, sang a birthday song for him, asked him to make a wish, and gave him many blessings, bringing warmth and happiness to this child who traveled across the ocean.

In addition to life, the two Chinese teenagers were most surprised by the importance and investment that the English football club put into youth training. As soon as they arrived at the team, they were assigned to the U18 team, and then they were promoted to the U20 team because their level exceeded the standard. This was only the second day, and they took a short break before starting intensive training.

Ferguson's assistant Norris and youth training coach Harrison were very strict, with detailed requirements for all indicators and standards, and detailed requirements for various tests and individual training. Although the guidance of Su Maozhen and Wu Chongwen was not smooth due to language barriers, they were very patient, careful and strict. What surprised and touched them even more was that Ferguson loved youth training. Although he was busy, he still took time to watch the youth team's training and was full of expectations for the young players from China.

Ferguson was there to observe the game, but he did not interrupt the training or interfere with the game without reason. He was watching and thinking silently, keeping everything under control. This kind of observation made all the young players feel pressured and eagerly looking forward to it.

Su Maozhen and Wu Chongwen's trials with the Red Devils did not arouse much association and enthusiasm in China at the time.

In 1988, China had not yet entered the professional football league. People paid more attention to the national team and did not fully realize the great historical significance of the two teenagers' actions. The Chinese Football Association arranged contact and liaison staff with the youth team and also arranged personnel to fly to Manchester to strengthen communication services, but did not establish a deeper cooperative relationship with the Red Devils or the English Football Association, nor plan more cooperative projects.

The sports media at the time reported extensively on the Red Devils' trial of two Chinese teenagers. The Red Devils' name appeared not only in football newspapers, but also in the sports pages of some major newspapers, successfully promoting the event.

But that was all. Under Ferguson's leadership, the Red Devils reorganized the team and introduced young players, but did not open a special recruitment channel to China; and the Chinese side did not take the initiative to plan and arrange for the two players to play abroad. Even though the Red Devils had expressed their hope to introduce Su Maozhen, the Chinese Football Association did not promote the establishment of a stable and long-term exchange mechanism to allow Chinese football players to regularly go to the Red Devils for trials, sign contracts, and find opportunities to play in the Red Devils, England, and Europe.

The Red Devils attached great importance to youth training and exchange programs, but neither the Red Devils nor Chinese football were prepared at the time. Especially the Chinese Football Association, they did not expect the rapid development of football competition, nor did they expect that Chinese football would stagnate for a long time and even continue to decline.