Soccer strives for elusive success(2)

Modern way

Milutinovic suggested the way forward is for China to continue learning from the outside world.

"To motivate and create passion among teenagers and young adults, you need to train them in a more modern way," he said. "This is why clubs and federations need to send coaches to travel and study different techniques."

China's new leadership has shown a strong interest in developing soccer.

Delegates made up of officials from the State Council; the National Development and Reform Commission, the top economic planner; the ministries of education, finance and public security; and the General Administration of Sport were recently involved in fact-finding mission to Japan.

The Ministry of Education has also started to cooperate with the CFA to promote soccer in schools, while Chinese news website Sina reported that more policies will be introduced to develop the domestic game, such as tax breaks for companies investing in soccer and stadiums.

Dalian Wanda's multimillion-dollar sponsorship deal with Chinese soccer was also brokered through negotiations at a national level.

However, concerns remain that the government may still have too much involvement in decision-making. Instead of being an independent organization, the CFA is an administrative department under the General Administration of Sport.

Wang Dazhao, a veteran soccer reporter for People's Daily, said higher administrations are taking care of too many decisions for the CFA, including the appointment and firing of former national team coach, Jose Antonio Camacho.

"Regarding CFA's limited power, it is only an executor of a higher order in the Camacho affair," he said. "It was much better 20 years ago, when no official interfered in the association's decision.

"The CFA always takes the blame for the decisions, but most of the public don't know the truth," he added. "If the CFA can't even decide the national team's head coach, the situation will never improve."