On November 22, reporter Zhao Yu revealed on social media that during an interview with the U16 National Youth Team coach Masakazu Uemura last week, he asked which players in the team could potentially play in Europe in the future, and Uemura only named two.
Zhao Yu wrote: “When I interviewed Uemura last week, I asked him who among the current U16 National Youth Team could potentially play in Europe. He said, besides Aibibula, it also includes Ailinizar Luoheyan—a player who has been converted from a forward to a center-back.”
“When he discussed these two players with some Japanese coaches, they indicated that if these players were on the Japanese football market, they would be very sought after.”
“While the players are still young and show promise, they often get surpassed by players from Japan and South Korea as they develop. This phenomenon has been very common in Chinese football in the past. So, in this new era, how to ensure that talented players from the U-series national teams remain competitive and do not become mediocre is a very practical issue.”
“Japanese and Korean players cut off their retreat and go all out to head to Europe, realizing their dreams through hard work. This can be replicated in China, but the question is whether we have the determination and perseverance to do so, and whether we can create such an environment for the players.”
“Over the years, it’s a pity to see those young players with great potential gradually become mediocre.”
