Nantong Zhiyun Fans Association Posts Article Criticizing Chinese Football as “Worms in a Shithole”

The Nantong Jianghai Blue Rhythm Fans Association of Nantong Zhiyun has posted an article criticizing Chinese football, titled “Worms in a Shithole: Zhiyun Sinks, National Team Struggles to Rise.”

The original text is as follows:

Today, Nantong Zhiyun finally lost the hope of securing relegation through points. In just two years in the Chinese Super League, it has left us with many lessons.

Many fans view Zhiyun’s failure superficially. However, after experiencing these two stormy years, we realize that many things are not as simple as they seem. Many fans say that as long as the players give their all, results don’t matter. Some failures are attributed to the team not trying hard enough, bad luck, or various external factors. Conversely, some victories are credited to the players’ efforts, good luck, and fair refereeing. This superficial analysis ultimately leads to bitter consequences. The true strength of a team lies in its operations, regular accumulation, scientific player recruitment, and training. By the time the players step onto the field, the energy levels of both teams are already largely determined. Other factors only affect the margin of error. While football is unpredictable, this margin of error is minimized over the course of a long league season. Therefore, hoping to achieve great results with limited resources means making more scientific decisions in player renewals and recruitment to bridge the gap. Unfortunately, this year’s Zhiyun showed no significant highlights, both on and off the field, and instead made many poor moves. By the time the lineup stabilized, it was too late to turn things around.

Many people say that we can use this relegation to rebuild and come back stronger. But have they considered how we will rebuild? With the current operational philosophy and real-world situation, this might just be another self-deceiving fantasy.

Firstly, do we have a favorable environment? Nantong is not a city with a strong football culture like Dalian in the north. In Jiangsu, most resources are not directed towards football. The government, or governmental resources, which are currently the main sources of funding for Chinese football or sports in general, are relatively lacking in Nantong. The level of financial support and competition organization is weaker compared to other teams. Without addressing this fundamental issue, can Zhiyun suddenly become a strong team next year?

Secondly, it is well-known that Zhiyun’s player recruitment this year has been extremely disappointing. Losing out on major talents while picking up minor ones, such as the departure of Baldé, the signing and utilization of Gordines, and the introduction of Mata, including the summer transfer of Rosa, did not significantly strengthen Zhiyun to the level needed for relegation survival. Many say the club lacks funds, but from my perspective, the money spent was not insignificant. If we continue with the same recruitment methods, relegation will be inevitable, and survival will be the exception. Miracles are rare and cannot be relied upon. It would be like someone winning a lottery and thinking it’s a sure thing, leading to financial ruin.

I hope that at this moment, we stop self-comforting and raise our voices. We need the government, the club, and investors to make every effort to improve and increase investment, avoiding autocratic decision-making. This is our foundation. If we keep complaining without identifying shortcomings and seeking change, such fans will only feel self-righteously tragic, harming the very roots of Nantong football!

However, even with all these issues, they do not overshadow the biggest problem: Zhiyun’s relegation is a tragedy for Chinese football!

From the last round of anti-gambling and anti-corruption efforts, we already know what Chinese football has become over the past thirty years. Grassroots players live from hand to mouth, and our football association systematically protects clubs that owe salaries, leaving Chinese football unable to flourish. This has led to a comprehensive decline. Recent events, such as the large-scale salary arrears at Wuhan, the departure of foreign players from Cangzhou, and widespread gambling in Shandong, are challenging the authority of the football association.

The logic is simple: binding players through deceitful means allows clubs to possess strengths they wouldn’t normally have based on their actual financial capabilities. This false strength is like the dark arts in martial arts novels—while it can lead to temporary power and numerous victories, it ultimately harms the health of Chinese football. Clubs that play fair and pay their players are defeated by these unfair competitive practices. Allowing such clubs to participate in the league is no different from permitting cheating in an exam. If a fair player is eliminated in a cheating-allowed exam, isn’t that a tragedy for Chinese football? After all, the selected teams must represent the country in international competitions where cheating is not allowed. What is the state of the national team now? Losing to Japan by the largest margin in history and celebrating a win against Indonesia. This is a profound tragedy. Was this ever the case before? Thirty years of league play, each generation worse than the last. Can we dare to think about the next decade?

If such a system continues, with systemic distortions uncorrected, the so-called anti-gambling and anti-corruption efforts will merely be a redistribution of interests. Swatting a few flies and mosquitoes while ignoring the cesspool will lead to the same cycle repeating in ten years. The national team will not rise under such conditions.

The situation is now clear. Two years have given Nantong fans precious memories and a desire for fairness. I believe that these dark clouds will eventually dissipate. Zhiyun will recognize its problems, and even if it means sacrificing itself, there will be a day when Nantong Zhiyun returns alongside the resurgence of Chinese football. If that day never comes, then let this ugly system and those who have played in the cesspool for thirty years be removed from our lives!