CFA separate mass and elite youth training functions

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The Chinese Football Association (CFA) has established men’s and women’s elite youth talent training departments to cultivate more young elite footballers.

The original youth football department and women’s football department are retained but their focus will shift to attract more ordinary Chinese young people to play football. The responsibility for the cultivation of Chinese high-level young elite footballers will be handed over to the newly-established men’s and women’s youth talent training departments. 

The two departments will take the responsibilities of the selection, cultivation and overseas programmes of young elite footballers. They will also be responsible for the development of all youth training camps, the management of young talent archives and the administration of all young national football teams.

Meanwhile, the CFA has set up the youth training director system and recruits famous international and domestic youth training experts, which are reported to be Christian Damiano, former manager at French youth training camp Clairefontaine, and Li Shubing, former manager of Chinese Super League clubs. Their cooperation is expected to bring advanced international youth training ideas into China based on the reality of domestic youth training programmes.

The CFA also plans to build up standard youth training camps at home and abroad. Chinese professional football clubs will be required to put more effort into youth training, for which the CFA will present rewards. 

Source: Xinhua

Proofread by William Logsdon

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