Lesson learned at game's birthplace

Leading English clubs support MBA that offers practical courses

There is no better place to learn how to run a soccer club than England, the birthplace of the sport and a leader in the modern professional game.

That is what Qiu Xiaojie told himself when he applied for the Football Industries MBA program at the University of Liverpool in 2005. The graduate from Tianjin University of Sport was desperate to "save his beloved game" following the Chinese national team's failure to qualify for the 2006 World Cup.