"Since 2020, the club has encountered unprecedented operational difficulties and is now unable to pay utility bills and travel expenses."

  "Here, we declare to leaders at all levels that as long as the Hebei team can survive, we hope to work for the club free of charge from now on until the club completes its reforms and gets out of the predicament."

  This is an open letter jointly issued by all the employees of the Chinese Super League Hebei Football Club on the 15th. Under the open letter, the signatures of densely packed club employees are attached.

Joint open letter of Hebei team staff

  An employee of the club said: "We have persisted for so long, we don't want to leave, we want to stay, because we love the Hebei team and Hebei football!"

Social media screenshots of Hebei team staff

  Hebei team leader Lang Zheng also wrote on social media: "We use our last stubbornness to fight for a future for Hebei football. The players, coaches and staff have done the best they can. , Now it can be said that it is because of love."

Screenshot of Hebei team leader Lang Zheng's social media

  In fact, the survival dilemma of the Hebei team has a long history.

  In August of this year, player Ding Haifeng sighed on social media: "I haven't sent money for a year and a half. Brothers don't abandon or give up. It's all good. Keep going!"

Ding Haifeng social media screenshot

  It is under such unfavorable conditions that the Hebei team has achieved 6 wins, 5 draws and 3 losses this season, ranking fourth in the Suzhou Division and entering the championship group.

A club staff member revealed that at present, from the general manager to the head of the department, they are all starting to advance money.

"The general manager has already hired hundreds of thousands, and his purpose is to survive and let the club survive."

  An employee told reporters that a major reason for the Hebei team’s survival dilemma was that the club’s equity reform was at a deadlock, and the club was forced to lay off staff as a result.

  "If we don’t advance reforms, we have to keep laying off staff. Everyone doesn’t want to leave because the club has finally gotten on the right track. Now the control investment is very low, foreign aid is cost-effective, and the player structure is reasonable. Young players will start to emerge. It's really a pity." A club staff member said.

Former Barcelona star Mascherano played for the Hebei team.

Image source: Osports All Sports Photo Agency

  The current situation of the Hebei team is unavoidable.

  After all, two years ago, the Hebei team also had big-name players such as Mascherano and Lavecchi, as well as a group of powerful domestic players. The famous coach Pellegrini also took charge of the team. It is one of the local tycoon teams in the Super League "Golden Yuan Era".

  But as the Jinyuan wave receded, the team immediately fell into extreme struggle.

Argentine star Ravich was also a member of the Hebei team.

Photo by Chen Jimin

  Of course, the current Hebei team is just a microcosm of the status quo of domestic football clubs.

  The Chinese Super League teams Chongqing Liangjiang Athletic, Tianjin Jinmen Tigers, Qingdao Team and the Guizhou Team of the Chinese Premier League have all been exposed to survival dilemmas before.

There is also news that the "Eight Champions" Guangzhou team of the Chinese Super League has not yet resumed training.

In the 2020 season, the Jiangsu team won the first Chinese Super League championship trophy in team history.

Photo courtesy of the Chinese Super League/IC photo

  Going back, there are also the defending champions of the Chinese Super League, Jiangsu, and Tianjin Tianhai, Liaozu, Yanbian, who have opted out.

  There are those who "suddenly died" when the Jinyuan wave receded and struggled, and there were also established teams that were swallowed up by the Jinyuan wave.

  How to advance the shareholding reform of domestic football clubs, and how should the former "local tyrants" football clubs "stand on their feet" in the post-Jinyuan era... In this winter, these questions need an answer.

(Author Bian Liqun)