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| Premier League soccer woos China | Premier League soccer woos China |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| By Michael Bristow BBC News, Beijing Chinese youngsters enjoy meeting English players and coaches | By Michael Bristow BBC News, Beijing Chinese youngsters enjoy meeting English players and coaches |
| Chinese football players were so incensed with the referee's decisions at a recent match that they chased him and hit him after the final whistle. | Chinese football players were so incensed with the referee's decisions at a recent match that they chased him and hit him after the final whistle. |
| This violent display by the players from Tianjin earned the team an immediate ban, and angry criticism from the Chinese Football Association. | This violent display by the players from Tianjin earned the team an immediate ban, and angry criticism from the Chinese Football Association. |
| The incident sums up the poor state of Chinese football - which is why so many fans prefer to watch English Premier League teams. | The incident sums up the poor state of Chinese football - which is why so many fans prefer to watch English Premier League teams. |
| This interest in English football has not been lost on the Premier League, which has seen an opportunity to export its brand. | This interest in English football has not been lost on the Premier League, which has seen an opportunity to export its brand. |
| The English league is currently trying to cash in by staging a tournament in Beijing featuring three Premier League teams. | The English league is currently trying to cash in by staging a tournament in Beijing featuring three Premier League teams. |
| English teams Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Hull City are battling it out in the Asia Trophy with Beijing team Guo'an. | English teams Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Hull City are battling it out in the Asia Trophy with Beijing team Guo'an. |
| Officials assaulted | Officials assaulted |
| Football in China, where there are millions of enthusiastic fans, has been in the doldrums for some time at both club and national level. | Football in China, where there are millions of enthusiastic fans, has been in the doldrums for some time at both club and national level. |
| In club football there have been allegations of match fixing, suspected corruption involving referees and constant bad behaviour by players. | In club football there have been allegations of match fixing, suspected corruption involving referees and constant bad behaviour by players. |
| At the recent match involving Tianjin, the Chinese Football Association said players had damaged the image of the game. | At the recent match involving Tianjin, the Chinese Football Association said players had damaged the image of the game. |
| "This was a serious breach of sportsmanship, trampling on the spirit of the sport," read a statement from the association released the day after last Sunday's match. | "This was a serious breach of sportsmanship, trampling on the spirit of the sport," read a statement from the association released the day after last Sunday's match. |
| Players not only attacked the referee, they also assaulted other competition officials, broke equipment and stormed the stands. | Players not only attacked the referee, they also assaulted other competition officials, broke equipment and stormed the stands. |
| "Their behaviour was a disgusting violation of the rules and regulations, causing a bad social impact," the association statement went on to say. | "Their behaviour was a disgusting violation of the rules and regulations, causing a bad social impact," the association statement went on to say. |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| In Tianjin a referee was chased off the pitch by players | In Tianjin a referee was chased off the pitch by players |
| The reputation of the national team is not much better. | The reputation of the national team is not much better. |
| Chinese people - and the government - believe sporting excellence is one way for China to promote its image abroad. | Chinese people - and the government - believe sporting excellence is one way for China to promote its image abroad. |
| Officials spent millions of dollars to ensure China came top of the gold medal table at last year's Beijing Olympic Games. | Officials spent millions of dollars to ensure China came top of the gold medal table at last year's Beijing Olympic Games. |
| But success on the football pitch has been harder to achieve; the national team has only made it to one World Cup tournament, in 2002. | But success on the football pitch has been harder to achieve; the national team has only made it to one World Cup tournament, in 2002. |
| At those finals China lost all of its three matches, failed to score a single goal and went home early. | At those finals China lost all of its three matches, failed to score a single goal and went home early. |
| Disappointed fans | Disappointed fans |
| The national team's record has not got any better since then - it has already failed to qualify for next year's World Cup finals in South Africa. | The national team's record has not got any better since then - it has already failed to qualify for next year's World Cup finals in South Africa. |
| Football fan Liu Yang (r) would like to see Chinese teams do well | Football fan Liu Yang (r) would like to see Chinese teams do well |
| The state of Chinese football is an annoyance to many local fans - even among those who like to watch Premier League matches. | The state of Chinese football is an annoyance to many local fans - even among those who like to watch Premier League matches. |
| Many of those who turned up for the first matches of the Beijing tournament were hoping that their own team, Guo'an, would do well. | Many of those who turned up for the first matches of the Beijing tournament were hoping that their own team, Guo'an, would do well. |
| One of those who does not like to see Chinese teams beaten by foreign clubs is 25-year-old Tottenham fan Liu Yang, who was at the first match of the Asia Trophy. | One of those who does not like to see Chinese teams beaten by foreign clubs is 25-year-old Tottenham fan Liu Yang, who was at the first match of the Asia Trophy. |
| "It's not a good feeling because, after all, football is the world's number one sport and I myself am a football fan," he said. | "It's not a good feeling because, after all, football is the world's number one sport and I myself am a football fan," he said. |
| "Football has a popular base here in China, but our teams just aren't very good so many people are disappointed." | "Football has a popular base here in China, but our teams just aren't very good so many people are disappointed." |
| This was a serious breach of sportsmanship Chinese Football Association after Tianjin players attacked a referee | This was a serious breach of sportsmanship Chinese Football Association after Tianjin players attacked a referee |
| European teams, particularly those from England, have capitalised on the fact that China has an eager fan base. | European teams, particularly those from England, have capitalised on the fact that China has an eager fan base. |
| Some foreign clubs have set up Chinese-language websites to cultivate new fans, and others visit China as part of pre-season tours of Asia. | Some foreign clubs have set up Chinese-language websites to cultivate new fans, and others visit China as part of pre-season tours of Asia. |
| The Premier League is also keen to market itself in China - hence the staging of the Asia Trophy in Beijing this year. | The Premier League is also keen to market itself in China - hence the staging of the Asia Trophy in Beijing this year. |
| It has also set up training events for young Chinese players to coincide with the tournament. | It has also set up training events for young Chinese players to coincide with the tournament. |
| Pushing the Premier League brand might be easier this season in China because some matches will be available on free-to-air TV - for the first time in two years. | Pushing the Premier League brand might be easier this season in China because some matches will be available on free-to-air TV - for the first time in two years. |
| Guangdong TV is reported to have paid nearly $3m to show one live match and a highlights package each week next season. | |
| And while Chinese football remains poor, there will always be millions of eager fans happy to support and watch foreign teams. | And while Chinese football remains poor, there will always be millions of eager fans happy to support and watch foreign teams. |