I wanted to write a post regarding football, but I stopped many times because I did't want to pretend that I understand this game. I never watched a complete football game in China. In Germany I am influenced by Martin and the German football cultures, now I can sit there without moving for 90 minutes to watch Germany play with other countries on the World Cup.
In China we don't have a real football culture. Most Chinese play footballs in school, to us it is also a man's game-few man's game. It has not many relationship with most girls, girls are more interested in cloths, make ups and shopping.
Now I understand why Chinese National Team can not play in World Cup after I saw how Germans support their team. Football to Germans is not only a 11 people's competition, it is a sport for the entire people. For Chinese, the football is more like a game for the football player and related companies. Many Chinese football fans support England, Argentina, Italy and Spain etc. foreign countries.
But I don't like the Chinese medias and fans always disgust Chinese football teams. Just because they can not play or play good on World Cup or on international competitions. If there's no good system, no culture, no support from the people, no country can be successful on a game. If most Chinese people don't understand and watch football, then there's no need to invest so much money just to win the World Cup.
Do in Rome as Rome does. However I cheer up for Germany, I wish Germany wins this World Cup.
And that happens in Germany every two years. The European Championship will be next. Though celebrating football like this, outdoor, public viewing, sometimes female fans the majority occured after 1990 and I would say 2006 was the first time that big.
ReplyDeleteAnd the amazing thing, it happens not only at World Cups but also when the European championship comes around. Every second summer tohe football will return in public places and at home.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing is league football. A while ago the Saturday afternoon was for many German men for watching the sports news only. No other tv program allowed then.
I have to disagree with you regarding Chinese not supporting Chinese team. During 1990s, when Soccor started to get popular in China, people paid super attention and support to the game and those players. But in return, those players got spoiled and had a lot of scandals (prostitution, fighting...) and lousy performance. Chinese fans did support Chinese team, but the team always let them down, both in performance and in spirit. If you were the fans, would you like to support such people?
ReplyDeleteJens: Martin told me football to Germans is as important as food to Chinese. I saw on the TV a small boy cried so hard on the grandstand when Germany lost on the semi-final. My neighbour often plays football with his three years old son in their yard.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous:I know the bad reputation of the Chinese football teams. But I never watched their matches and I don't really know the history of our football culture. I don't think in China many people understand this game. The medias are sometimes misleading the people,and always blindly comparing Chinese football to other countries such as North Korea,South Korea,Japan etc. It's funny that many people take the north Korea football player Zheng DaShi as a hero....
I think the most problems that Chinese football have is the system.We say: a crooked stick will have a crooked shadow.
Lingling