On January 8, the Information Office of Liaoning Provincial People’s Government held a press conference, introducing the latest updates on the reform of professional football clubs in Liaoning.
With a current total of 8 professional football clubs, including four men’s and two women’s teams competing in the China League One (the second tier of Chinese football), and two women’s teams competing in the China League Two (the third tier of Chinese football), Liaoning aims to prioritize the selection of Liaoning Shenyang Urban Football Club as the torchbearer for implementing comprehensive reforms due to its strong foundation and embodiment of the spirit of Liaoning football.
To this end, the Liaoning Provincial Development and Reform Commission has engaged renowned figures in the domestic football industry and sought the expertise of top consulting firms to provide professional support and intellectual assistance for the reform of professional football clubs. These experts have started drafting relevant proposals, analyzing the current state and challenges faced by professional football clubs, and charting the developmental trajectory for Liaoning’s professional football clubs. The preliminary plan entails rebranding the “Liaoning Shenyang Urban Football Club” as “Liaoning Liudi Football Club”. With the ambitious objective of securing promotion to the China Super League (the top tier of Chinese football), Liaoning is steadfast in achieving this goal in 2024, contingent upon smooth operations.
In the next step, Liaoning will propel the club to elevate its management capabilities and operational standards, and establish a comprehensive and stable investment mechanism. Firstly, a reform plan combining the “membership + share-holding” system will be devised, paving the way for a diverse ownership structure encompassing the government, membership-based clubs, enterprises, and individuals. This will allow football fans to invest through membership fees, thereby enhancing the stability of the club’s funding sources. Secondly, a cutting-edge salary structure will be introduced, heavily emphasizing incentives, by implementing a remuneration model that combines basic salary, performance-related pay, and competition bonuses for first-team players. Thirdly, the club will foster team development by adopting an optimal coaching structure and timely recruitment of coaching staff, with a particular focus on identifying candidates with special professional skills and extensive experience. Finally, efforts will be dedicated to establishing a seamless youth system that bridges campus football teams with professional football clubs. This will involve formulating and refining an autonomous enrollment mechanism for provincial universities, thereby facilitating the admission of eligible players from professional football clubs.
Liaoning will introduce a series of reforms for its football development, aiming to cultivate a team that garners the collective support and participation of 14 cities in the province. This united team will witness the enthusiastic return of Liaoning-born and Northeast-born players, fostering a sense of shared belonging among the fans.
