Gratitude, inheritance and forge ahead, four generations of Chinese football masters and apprentices pursue their dreams in relay, Nian Weisi, Xu Genbao, Gao Hongbo, Wu Lei
On May 11, the lobby on the first floor of the China World Hotel in Beijing's Guomao was filled with festive bright red, and the four characters "Shoubi Nanshan" on the background board were powerful. This day is the 91st birthday of Nian Weisi, the leader of Chinese football.
Like last year, Nian Weisi's favorite disciple Xu Genbao took the lead and joined hands with former "1965 National Football Team" teammates such as Rong Zhixing, Qi Wusheng, Hu Zhigang, Jin Zhiyang, Wang Junsheng, etc. to send birthday wishes to his mentor Nian Weisi. At this moment, four generations of Chinese football masters and apprentices, represented by Nian Weisi, Xu Genbao, Gao Hongbo and Wu Lei, have reunited and passed on.
Xu Genbao and other disciples sent blessings to their mentor Nian Weisi on his 91st birthday.
As a disciple of Nian Weisi and Wu Lei’s mentor, Xu Genbao bluntly said that Chinese football needs such a master-disciple inheritance, “These days, everyone is busy with their own affairs, and it is not easy to know how to be grateful. I teach. When Wu Lei and Wang Shenchao were in this group of players, they always emphasized 'play good football and be a good person', which is reflected in actions. As long as you are kind and grateful, your development will be smoother in all aspects."
In the history of New China football, Nian Weisi can be called a leading figure, with outstanding professional performance as a player, coach and official. At the age of 17, he was selected for the New China Men's Football National Team and participated in the 1956 World Cup qualifiers. In 1954, in order to quickly improve the level of football, New China decided to send a team to study in Hungary, a powerful socialist football country. He was only 22 years old. Nian Weisi is one of the 25 students. Today, among the first batch of international players after the founding of the People's Republic of China, only Nian Weisi is still alive.
In 1963, the 32-year-old Nian Weisi became the fifth men's national football team coach in the history of New China. After that, he coached the national football team five times in five years. At the age of 55, Nian Weisi was elected chairman of the Chinese Football Association and took the helm of China from 1988 to 1992. Football development. After his retirement, the Chinese Football Association awarded him the "Outstanding Contribution Award to Football", and the AFC also awarded him a "Lifetime Contribution Award". Nian Weisi is a recognized celebrity in Chinese football and enjoys very high prestige. He has trained disciples all over the country, and many of them are still active as Chinese football coaches. Among Nian Weisi's many disciples, the one who is still fighting on the front line of Chinese football and continues to cultivate talents is Xu Genbao from Shanghai Bund.
The Chinese men's football team that Nian Weisi plays for is one of the first sports teams sent abroad for training in New China.
"We, this group of people, all focus on contributing to the country. Before I retire, I don't even know what day I am." Although he is 91 years old, Mr. Nian Weisi is very energetic. He also spoke in a very organized manner, "After I turned 60, the first person to celebrate my birthday was a golf friend of mine in Shanghai. His child came from Shanghai to celebrate my birthday. When I was 80 years old, Everyone's economic conditions have improved, so Genbao wanted to celebrate my birthday. More than 150 friends gathered together, and everyone felt much younger when we got together. On my 90th birthday, Genbao and I. Bao said, "If you don't do well in football, don't do it." Genbao and Rong Zhixing replied, "We haven't gotten together for three years before, so we want to have a good time together on my birthday." This year I also wanted to do it, but actually we don't. It’s just a birthday, and it’s not just about meeting and chatting. What’s more important is inheritance and gratitude. Today, Wu Lei and Wang Shenchao are also here. I am very happy that they are still pursuing their dreams on behalf of Chinese football. Chinese football requires the efforts of generations. , Gratitude, inheritance, and forge ahead are the eternal themes.”
A week ago, Xu Genbao just led the Shanghai National Games team to conclude a three-week overseas training in South Korea. Due to the fatigue of traveling and traveling, he has been coughing recently. Even so, he has been busy in Beijing these days, dealing with "increasing numbers" of people at gatherings. "Two months ago, I made an agreement with Director Nian that if it is not your birthday, we will come to Beijing to see you. Later, I and Rong Zhixing said that we would get together in a small group - with Director Nian in Beijing Mainly apprentices. There are many friends and relatives who have been mentored by Nian, and everyone is very enthusiastic about participating, so in the end, there are nearly 50 people. In fact, our purpose is to be happy, as long as Nian mentors are healthy.”
Every year on the second day of the Lunar New Year, the disciples trained at Genbao Base will bring their whole families back to the base to visit their mentor.
Xu Genbao's stepping into the coaching position was inseparable from the guidance and promotion of his mentor Nian Weisi. Nian Weisi mentioned in his autobiography, "Xu Genbao was transferred from the Nanjing Army when I was coaching the national team in 1965. He played as a left back in the team. He was fast, agile, dared to fight, and was able to make tackles. He still tackles the ball without missing a beat, and has never heard of the word "fear". He likes to use his brain when playing football, and his assists are very powerful. "The elder has always believed that among the four national football players he has led, Xu Genbao is the one he is most proud of. Gao Tu, "Genbao has the unique cleverness and intelligence of Shanghainese, he has a flexible mind and broad thinking, and he also has the perseverance and courage of northerners."
Xu Genbao made it clear for the first time that without Nian Weisi's cultivation and promotion, he would not be where he is now. He bluntly said that if he had not had the opportunity to coach the second national team, it would have been difficult to become the head coach of the Chinese Olympic team. He would not have coached Shenhua and founded the Genbao Football Base, and his life trajectory would have been completely different. . "After I finished studying at Beijing Sport University, I had the opportunity to compete for the head coach position of the second national team. In fact, there were many candidates competing for it. Finally, the coach gave me an opportunity, and I started to embark on the path of professional coaching. So. , I have always been grateful.
In 2023, Nian Weisi’s 90th birthday, the lineup of disciples will be more complete.
On May 11, 2012, Xu Genbao convened Nian Weisi's 80th birthday in the Metropolitan Hall of China World Hotel in Beijing. The most touching scene of the day occurred when saying goodbye at the table. Nian Weisi took out a yellow passbook and wanted to "return" it to Xu Genbao, but Genbao refused to accept it. After asking, it turned out that Xu Genbao had handed over all his pension to his mentor, but the mentor Nian had not spent any of it.
Xu Genbao never forgot his teacher's kindness and took action. His disciples also saw it and remembered it in their hearts. The baton of master-disciple inheritance was also passed on subtly to Wu Lei, Wang Shenchao and other Xu Genbao's disciples on Chongming Island.
Nowadays, every year on the second day of the Lunar New Year, Chongming Island Genbao Football Base will become a big gathering for Xu Genbao’s disciples to visit their mentor. As long as people are in Shanghai, Wu Lei, Yan Junling, Zhu Chenjie and other disciples will go to the island to visit their mentor, say happy birthday, and at the same time listen to Genbao's kind-hearted "nagging" again. "The relationship between teachers and students, the righteousness of the world, in the hearts of these football players who have been traveling around since childhood, the birthday of their mentor has a special meaning, and it is also a kind of inheritance of the concept of respecting teachers and respecting morality.
As the "football juniors" at the scene, Wu Lei and Wang Shenchao, who went to Beijing that day, specially cut the birthday cake with the birthday boy Nian Weisi. The day before, Wu Lei started on behalf of the Shanghai Harbor Team and helped the team defeat Changchun Yatai 5-2. Wu Lei scored twice and performed well; Wang Shenchao came on as a substitute and performed well. "I was very excited on the day of the competition and couldn't sleep at night, so we just slept for 4 hours and got up to catch the plane." Wu Lei said.
On May 1, Shanghai Harbor team player Wu Lei celebrated a goal during the game.
On the same day, in the ninth round of the 2024 Chinese Football Association Super League held in Qingdao, Shandong, the Shanghai Haigang team defeated the Qingdao Hainiu team 5-0 away.
Seeing the seniors gathering together and chatting happily, Wu Lei and Wang Shenchao's original fatigue seemed to disappear in an instant. "I feel very envious. Director Xu is gathering with so many comrades. They are all 70 or 80 years old. It is also a blessing to celebrate the 91st birthday of our mentor. It is a good thing that everyone gets together every year and has a good opportunity to communicate. We hope to be like Director Xu in the future. , never forget the teacher’s kindness.”
In Wu Lei's view, visiting Xu Genbao every second day of the Lunar New Year is a way for disciples to pay tribute to their mentor. "Almost every year, the team members from our base go to Chongming Island to visit Director Xu. We all have a lot of emotions when we get together. After all, we have lived here for so long and have formed a deep friendship. In fact, celebrating birthdays is just a formality. , What matters is spirit and inheritance. The spirit of Director Xu and his teammates celebrating the birthday of the year is very good and shows the kindness, unity and cooperation of Chinese footballers, which needs to be passed down."
Before the banquet started, Xu Genbao did not forget to give Wu Lei and Wang Shenchao a few words.
"Last year, my coach had his 90th birthday. There were more people and it was a bit lively. Wu Lei and Wang Shenchao had games, so I could only send a video to congratulate them. This year, Wu Lei and Wang Shenchao also have league tasks. It should be said that they are from Genbao Football Base. The player representatives also brought more vitality to the scene." Xu Genbao said that he specifically asked the two people for their opinions. After receiving a positive reply, he also applied with Shanghai Harbor Club, "Although it is a day off, they are a club. I also reported to the club and got the relevant approval.”
At the birthday banquet, there was a bouquet of flowers exuding a faint fragrance. It was reported that this was a birthday gift specially sent to the old man by Song Kai, chairman of the Chinese Football Association. "Chairman Song has already congratulated Mr. Nian on his happy birthday in advance. He learned that Wu Lei and Wang Shenchao came especially to celebrate the senior's birthday, and he also gave special praise." Xu Genbao revealed, "Nowadays, society is pursuing personal interests. Understand that There are not many people who are grateful. Therefore, when I educate my players, I always ask them to play well and be good people. I believe that only if you have good character can you develop smoothly. Look at Wu Lei and Wang Shenchao, they don’t smoke or drink. , no tattoos, and decent personalities, it’s not unreasonable for their football careers to develop relatively smoothly.”
