Youth training comes of age

Former China international Sun Ji reckons the guidelines are a step in the right direction.

"There are very detailed measures in the outline," he said. "I believe it will be a tremendous help for future youth training work."

Gao added that the CFA is devising talent-selection guidelines and will also build a system to analyze, evaluate and track youth players.

"Some kids are just late bloomers, which cannot be ignored," Gao said. "With such guidelines and systems we can keep helping them grow and tailor training methods to their needs."

The CFA has stipulated that all of its national teams, coach training programs and youth training centers must adhere to the principles of the blueprint.

But Gao also said that the CFA respects the youth training traditions of different clubs and training centers, and the governing body welcomes proposals and ideas and how to produce future stars. The CFA will also facilitate schools to adopt the blueprint in their daily PE and soccer education classes.

"World soccer keeps developing and the CFA will keep refining and improving the details of our soccer youth training blueprint according to the changes in youth soccer development," said Gao.