China

FIFA to aid Chinese football in coach training

By Liu Shanshan (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-03-04 17:48

A screen grab from FIFA's official website shows Questions and Answers of FIFA's interview with Chinese Football Association chief Wei Di and a photograph (top right) of Wei Di (R in the picture) and FIFA Secretary-General Jerome Valcke (L) after they signed agreements on FIFA's aids to China. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

FIFA will help China cultivate talented youth and provide more professional training to coaches and referees.

The football's international ruling body pledged technical, managerial and organizational support to the Chinese Football Association (CFA) in a series of agreements signed with CFA chief Wei Di in its Zurich Home on March 1, according to FIFA's official website www.fifa.com.

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The move aims to help improve the standard of Chinese football as the country seeks to optimize its professional standards, said FIFA.

FIFA this time will bring "training courses to different areas and for different groups in China," based on a detailed evaluation report on Chinese football after its officials visited China in November and February last year, said China's football boss Wei Di during an interview with FIFA.

To work with FIFA's aid, China will focus on the youth program and rebuild the whole football structure in a bid to provide a good platform for youngsters to nurture their skills, according to Wei.

Wei also believed improving the results of Chinese national teams and hosting more international events will help raise the level of football in China and increase young people's interest in football.