Striker Yang Chen might retire from Chinese national team
(People's Daily)
Updated: 2004-02-26 11:54

He became China's most famous footballer in 1998 after joining Bundesliga side Frankfurt, the first Chinese to play in Europe's top leagues.

With a handsome face in a gentle manner, Yang Chen was also one of the most idolized man for years in the world's most populous country.

But now, at 30, Yang is struggling to find his form and has fell out of the favor of Chinese national coach Arie Haan of the Netherlands. And he considers that it might be the time to end his international career and concentrate on his club.

"I have talked many times to officials of the Chinese Football Association. I want to play. I want to become one of the member of the squad and play a role.

"You can let me pick up the balls for my teammate in training. You can let me play as a substitution. I don't mind. I want to be in the squad," Yang told the Beijing Youth Daily.

Having his contract terminated in his second German employer St. Pauli were relegated last summer, Yang was forced to return home, joining Chinese first division side Shenzhen in South China.

Haan, who coached VfB Stuttgart and FC Nuernberg in late 1980s and early 1990s, was surprisingly not willing to give the fellow Bundesliga retiree more chances to revive his career.

The Beijing-born Yang was left out of the 18-man national squad last week in China's first 2006 World Cup qualifying match against Kuwait and had to watch the game on the stand.

The 34-year-old Hao Haidong snatched his starting position upfront and scored the lone goal to help China win 1-0.

"The competition inside the squad was very fierce," Yang said. "I had already knew that I could not play days before the match. The head coach had his own plan. I always want to play but I must accept the reality."

Haan, who took over as the Chinese national coach early last year, never told Yang why he was kept out of the squad.

"I talked him once but he did not say why. Maybe I am not the kind of striker he wants. When we were training in Hainan early this year, he let me play on the right of the midfield. That was a very difficult task for me.

"I don't think that I am less stronger physically and mentally, but the reality is that it will be very difficult to have a chance."

Yang said age is not a barrier for him and given a chance he will fight for his place in the national team.

"Hao is 34 years old and maintains superb form," he said. "I am only 30 and I don't think I am old. I can play competitive football for another three or four years.

"If I have a chance, I will try my best to do more for my country. But I don't want to be named in a 22-player list and can only watch a game sitting among the fans. If so, I will call it quits and give the place to the young players."