Media Focus
The Audition for “Who is the Football King” in Dalian Having a Good Atmosphere
By Xu Yuanyuan from Dalian Daily
Against big brothers, these grass-root small players (in red uniform) had nothing to fear at all;
though big-bellied, the foot skills of the “football kings” were perfect.
On the weekend that has just passed, the football field outside the Comprehensive Gym of Dalian Sports Center in Nanguanling had many people coming and going in a continuous stream. The audition made by CCTV for the social group in Dalian in “Who is the Football King” football season for 2014 came to an end here successfully. Though the audition adopted a cruel single game elimination system, nobody disputed for any result. All matches went on in a light and warm atmosphere. Just as a player taking part in the match said: everybody came here for play and was very happy as they did not have to pay for the field, to make competition appointment in advance and also there were professional referees.
Protection measures being comprehensive
The original purpose of “Who is the Football King” program is to give folk master hands a demonstration platform and further boost the popularization and development of sports events among masses. However, different from such competitions across net as tennis ball, badminton, etc., football competition is one involving direct body collisions and the possibility of injury to players taking part in the match is doubled.
In consideration of this point, the audition for the social group in the game area of Dalian regulated and required strictly the individual equipment of the players and the game equipment only with a view to protecting the players against injury or reducing injuries as possible as practical. The matches took place on a real lawn being relatively soft with a special ball low in elasticity for five-player system used. The players in the field wore no professional spiked football shoes but were only in broken rubber spiked or flat shoes. Players taking part in the match on the field had to wear leg guard. The game rules stipulated that no tackling toward people is allowed. The municipal football association appointed national class and first class referees to enforce the rules. Those players who received a red card directly lost their qualification for the match and those teams who received two red cards cumulatively were unqualified for the match.
Also feeling happy though losing
In the morning on Oct. 18, all the 54 teams taking part in the game audition showed up. The football team players were composed of colleagues, classmates, old folks and also of football friends playing together all year round. The football names were rich in variety even more, having such names as Yellow Card, Class 4 Grade 3 and Happy Everyday.
Being “happy” should be a common pursuit of all players taking part in the audition. As the audition field is less than one fourth of a standard football field, 4 matches went on simultaneously on one foot field. The 30-minute match was divided into two halves. In mid-match break time, the players were not in a hurry to rest but all changed to audiences. Every time when any highlight showed up, they gave a cheer to their future potential opponent without being stingy.
During the period when the reporter was watching the matches beside the field, it was hard to distinguish who lost and who won by naked eyes because they all seemed to be happy and light. Such answer with smile as “We have lost and will leave first. Let’s contact through phone” could often be heard at the exit of the football field. Yin Hang, chief referee for the audition game in Dalian, is a person who is often active in the amateur football circle in our city. In this audition, he had the opportunity to meet a lot of strange faces, among whom there were black horses with high strength. “It is thus obvious how great the folk football foundation is in this city.”
Small football players coming on stage
In the afternoon on the 18th, the reporter saw some very young faces on the field of the 2nd round matches for the social group of Dalian for “Who is the Football King” audition. They came from the grass-root small player football team of Xingshe Community, Shahekou District. All the players were teenagers aged 15 or 16. The oldest had just been enrolled in Grade 1 of senior middle school. Coach Zhang Yanbin leads these children to do football exercises in the small park in the community in normal times. Why did the players who were so young come to take part in matches for the social group? Zhang Yanbin said with slight helplessness: “The age limit between the social group and juvenile group is set at Sep. 1, 1999. Our team has several players who were born before Sep. 1. We have no choice but take part in the match for the social group.”
It is no doubt that the grass-root small player team was one with youngest players in the social group audition this time. What did you feel for competing with those brothers, uncles, big men? “We feel a bit painful due to collision.” the children said. The gap in physical condition did not stop the steps of these small players to march forward. Their nimbleness, speed and stamina were keys to win. In competing with the small players, the opponent began to change players frequently after commencing for less than 10 minutes. The goalkeeper of opponent shouted with worry：“Reduce the rhythm, how can you keep running as children do？” “The purpose of coming here for competition is to steel the team and also to have children gain experience.” Zhang Yanbin, coach of small player team, said: “We have the confidence to win. However, the game result is nothing. Happy football is all.”
