Media Figure Comments on National Football Team’s Decision to Forgo Charter Flight: Public Opinion Drives Professionals Away from Making Professional Decisions

Media figure “Ma Ke Xin” commented on the national football team’s decision to forgo a charter flight on his personal social media, stating that even with poor performance, they should not abandon the charter flight, which would further exhaust the already fatigued players.

Ma Ke Xin wrote: “This is truly ridiculous. The national football team is traveling to Australia for an away game and has canceled the charter flight due to concerns over public opinion… This journey is not just 2-3 hours but over 10 hours long. Moreover, the interval between these two World Cup qualifiers is very short. Initially, the charter flight was arranged to conserve the players’ energy, but now it has been canceled. It’s disheartening to see how public opinion can drive professionals away from making professional decisions. I don’t even know who to blame here. Nobody takes responsibility, so the players just have to bear the brunt of it. You chose this career, so if you can’t handle it, maybe you shouldn’t be in football at all.”

“Many people might say that cost savings are the reason, or that the team’s performance doesn’t warrant a charter flight, or even that this is an excuse for losing. I think that by doing this, they’ve already lost. The score is the result, but the competition starts from the moment the team assembles. Now, let’s not talk about changing the coach or not. Even if I were the head coach, I’d be furious. Under such circumstances, I would never allow physically unwell players to travel long distances. We should focus on defending our home ground. With such a tight schedule and heavy match load, including the Chinese Super League and AFC Champions League, avoiding injuries is already challenging enough, let alone playing well.”

A netizen commented under this social media post: “Can we be more professional? We should provide the best possible logistical support. Our national team may not be great, but if we offer top-notch support, isn’t it better to hope for the best outcome? If your child performed poorly in several mock exams before the college entrance exam, would you skip breakfast on the day of the exam to save money?”