German training style vs. youth football players from China

A football team aging between 9 and 13 from Jiangsu Province's Zhangjiagang city in eastern China have a short-term training program at Berlin Football Talent Training Center (Fussball Talentschmiede Berlin) in Germany in August 2015. [Photo/people.cn]

The training program for the Chinese youth players in eight days is actually designed for six weeks at a normal rate.

Asked about the outcome of training, Minow replies: "The Chinese kids are particularly receptive to what I taught. Everytime after I explain twice or at most a third time, then they can do it well. In comparison, I have to do more to reach the same outcome when teaching the German youth players."

Tracing back to the root of the matter, "the Chinese children are all self-disciplined," Minow said. Every time when he explains something, all of them just give their full attention.

Discipline of students is probably also the same root of the matter that has driven the Chinese teachers crazy and once brought them to the edge of collapse in BBC's documentary film.

"The Chinese kids always obey the rules and listen to me carefully and it has a very positive impact on the training outcome," said Minow.

Of course Minow has difficulties as well: "The Chinese kids seldom take their initiative in coordination. Based on their performance at the beginning, they lack the ability to decide boldly where they should move to and whom they should pass the ball to. Teamwork and collaboration is what they should improve."

From the coach's perspective, Chinese kids always do a great job in one-to-one program. But in a teamwork, things would go with less satisfaction.

Recently, those Chinese kids had several football matches against the German kids. The Chinese side lost the first game. But days later, they won.

"At the very beginning, we all had fears because we had never played a football game together with foreigners. Later, fears disappeared. Actually we feel that both sides are almost on a par. "

During the conversation with Xinhua, delight and excitement on Minow's face are easily perceivable: "Look, that boy, and they two,

and, and they over there, they are all talented. They have excellent physique, strength, enthusiasm and perception for football. I like them very much. I am very optimistic about their future."

In his view, potential of football development in China is huge.

From the bottom of the heart, Minow said, he hopes that those potential "football superstars" will continue to enjoy good training resources and environment and be allowed full play to their talents.