CFA: Under-23 league lays foundation for future

Month-long competition backed to breathe new life into youth ranks

Despite failing to qualify for the World Cup, Team China coach Marcello Lippi this week claimed that the national side has shown improvement during his reign. However the Italian is leaving behind an aging squad short on confidence and with a dearth of young talent waiting in the wings to boot.

The announcement last month of the launch of a new under-23 league for clubs in the country's top three tiers is the latest in a raft of measures by the Chinese Football Association to try and rectify that situation.