Opinion | Chinese football is a poor imitation of global product. Why didn’t they follow the ‘Made in China’ route?
- A less than pragmatic approach ensured China’s modern football product was pitched at such a high entry point it struggled to establish, let alone maintain, a foothold
There was time when the “Made in China” brand was generally associated with cheap, poor quality knock-offs of recognised global consumer products. From trainers to simple electronics, it was often associated with substandard items.
That the nation has been able to surmount that image and become a global economic superpower in its own right, producing globally sought after goods and services in innumerable industries is a testament to the resolve, skill and dedication of the whole country.
It’s a shame the same approach hasn’t been applied to domestic football in China.
In the bad old days of “Made in China”, those generally shoddy ersatz versions were not usually intended for the domestic market. The nation entered the global marketplace at the bottom floor and its knock-offs were mainly meant to gain an export foothold at that humble level.
For football and the CSL, the export agenda was there, but not the humility.
China no longer sees itself as a back door entrant to the global superpower stadiums of the world. Its leaders figured that football, given their country’s magisterial status in many other areas, meant it could be slotted into the international landscape at the top levels of the football league table.
