Chinese Idol: Chelsea FC Edition

By: Daryl | March 3rd, 2008

Chinese youth soccer This much we know: Premier League clubs really really want to get their teeth into that tasty Asian market. First there was Game 39. Then there was Newcastle vs Spurs in Beijing. Now there’s Super Soccer Star, a Chinese talent show for kids who want to play for Chelsea FC.

If you live in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, are aged 14-16 and have mad ball skills (or skillz) then you could be part of the televised competition, in which the four winners will get a trip to Stamford Bridge and a trial with the Premier League club.

Because with all that highly paid talent, what Chelsea desperately needs is a quartet of spotty Chinese teenagers to round out the roster, right? It’s easy to be cynical (see above) but it’s likely that Chelsea will take on the successful kids to the youth academy for a couple of seasons, sell some shirts in Guangdong and then ditch the kids when it’s convenient.

On the plus side, the show is part of Chelsea’s wider involvement with Vision China, a plan to improve grassroots football in the nation. But I can’t decide whether it’s admirable that Chelsea are getting involved or just plain cynical that they’re cultivating Chinese football purely to market Chelsea FC at a billion+ new customers.

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Category: Asia

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Adam

I think the idea that China has the largest population to draw from is a complete falsehood. 90% of China is too poor and isolated to do anything but work about 100 hours a week.

I'm not sure this is cynical. I must say, however, my opinion of the talent level in China isn't buoyed by the results of our purchase of Dong Fangzhuo.
Nelson

in all honestly, china should really be the world's footballing power

with a billion people to choose from you would think they could scrap together a starting 11 to rival Brazil