How Premier League helps grassroots football in China

To mark the opening of its first international office in Beijing, the Premier League delivered a grassroots coach development course for 35 community football coaches from different regions in China.

Led by Premier League coaches from Leicester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers, the four-day course provided theory and practical training to equip coaches with the confidence and skills to deliver football sessions in their provinces.

Also in attendance on the third day were Premier League legends Michael Owen and Nemanja Vidic, who saw the coaches put their training into action with 80 local schoolchildren and provided their own tips and advice to the grateful coaches. 

Owen and Vidic were joined on Thursday by ex-Manchester City and China player Sun Jihai at an event in the Workers' Stadium, Beijing, to celebrate Premier Skills, which the UK Ambassador to China also attended.

Long-term support for Chinese game

The Premier League has been supporting grassroots football in China for 15 years. Working in partnership with the British Council since 2009, the League has delivered the Premier Skills coaching programme in 28 cities, providing training to more than 6,300 grassroots coaches, referees and teachers in China.

Two of the community football coaches who attended this week’s event shared how Premier Skills has helped them over the past seven years or so.

Lu Yuzhou is from Yongji, Shaanxi, a province in Northern China. He started coaching a local team in 2015 and first interacted with Premier Skills at a Phase 1 course in Shenzhen, two years later.

“The main reason I chose to become a coach was my love for the sport and that football is beneficial for children,” Lu says. “So I wanted to contribute to the development of Chinese football.

“The biggest challenge I faced as a coach was that, at the beginning, my understanding of training and the rules of football wasn’t very clear. I had to continuously learn and develop my own theories through practice.

“The biggest difference I’ve noticed between the Premier Skills system and others I’ve encountered is the positive energy that always surrounds Premier Skills. It emphasises the children's active participation and enthusiasm in training.”

'Positive influence on my thinking'

Now as a director at the Campus Football, Sports, Arts & Health for Yongji Education Bureau, Lu, a Manchester City fan thanks to Pep Guardiola’s coaching, is benefiting from the experience of Premier Skills not only when he is coaching but also at work, and beyond. He is now a Premier Skills coach educator and has hosted a Premier Skills Introduction to Coaching Football programme in Yongji, enabling 40 local teachers to be trained.

“Through my involvement, I have come to understand the Premier Skills philosophy, which has greatly enhanced my skills — not only in football but also in my work, sports, and everyday life," he says. "It has positively influenced my way of thinking.

“As a football coach, what I enjoy most is being able to help children make progress. I take pleasure in guiding them to understand the rules of football and grasp its essence. It is really meaningful to help them develop better habits through learning the sport.”

Gao Xu’s Premier Skills journey began in 2016 when she attended a Phase 1 course in Wuhan, where she was a primary school football teacher. A former player, she was forced to retire in 2015 because of a knee injury and moved into coaching.

“Since becoming a coach, the biggest challenge I’ve faced has been player development, especially in terms of psychological aspects and social communication,” she says. “Some players, due to their personalities, find it difficult to understand others' intentions and engage in self-exploration.”

'Premier Skills builds inclusivity'

Gao built on her Phase 1 learning by completing Premier Skills Phases 2 and 3, becoming a Premier Skills coach educator in 2018.

“This programme is excellent as it complements the Chinese Football Association’s coaching system and has enriched my teaching methods,” she says. “It provides players with a high degree of inclusivity, allowing them to be fully involved. At the same time, it emphasises the coach's role in guiding players, which is crucial.

“One of the biggest benefits I’ve gained from learning Premier Skills is that it has helped me become more precise in advancing player development, such as expanding playing space, reducing the number of players, and adjusting the difficulty of training.”

A Man City fan, whose favourite player is Phil Foden, Gao sees the wider benefits that football can have in China.

“I truly love being a football coach,” she says. “The most important aspect for me is the spirit of never giving up and the pursuit of challenging myself that comes with being a coach.

“I believe football is extremely important for the youth of China. It’s a team sport that fosters cooperation, and it’s also fun, helping to build interest. Only with more people interested in football can we grow the football community, improve the football environment in China, and raise the level of our national team.”