Gao Leilei drafts additional contract to escape, at what cost for his dream of playing abroad

by cc8rrfa32 on 2009-11-26 22:56:22

2009 will be a year that Chinese football is destined to end with an eventful winter. On one hand, the anti-gambling and anti-corruption campaign is in full swing, while on the other hand, numerous reforms in the league are being planned. The entire football circle is experiencing severe upheaval as everyone waits for the final outcomes, and no one is idle.

In the entire system of Chinese football, players undoubtedly represent the weakest group. Those who can achieve fame and fortune through hard work, or even make a name for themselves in European football, do so through their own abilities. However, those without such capabilities or opportunities can only live by others' whims. They might lose their means of earning money at any time, or even worse, find themselves at the end of their careers unexpectedly.

But there are also those who resist. Some players refuse to accept the notion of "being at someone else's mercy" and do not want to live by others' terms. Retaliatory actions have no effect on these players. "If you won't let me play domestically, then I'll simply leave the country." Gao Leilei is one of the few representatives of this type of player. On the 25th, he revealed the truth behind his "lightning-fast transfer to Finland" in his blog (click to enter Gao Leilei's Sina Blog): "Fortunately, I kept my eyes open; otherwise, I would already be stuck in a quagmire."

Gao Leilei emphasized one point: being able to smoothly go abroad to play football, the key was the contract. "After several years of experience both domestically and internationally, I deeply understand the importance of contracts for a player. In the final days of the second transfer period required by the Chinese Football Association this year, I once again registered for the Chinese professional league. But just a month later, I joined the Finnish league. This contract included more than just the standard content provided by the Chinese Football Association; I negotiated an additional clause with the club, attached to the back of the standard contract. The additional content was basically drafted by me, aimed at preventing the club from deceiving me. But Chinese clubs always find ways to surprise you."

The additional clause mentioned by Gao Leilei states that if a foreign club invites him to join, the domestic club cannot obstruct it for any reason. It is precisely because of this clause that Gao Leilei eventually made it onto the Finnish pitch, losing only a month's salary but gaining the freedom that many domestic players dream of.

The ability to independently establish contract terms is something common abroad, yet in China, it is seen as "going against the world." Fortunately, Gao Leilei was invited back by the club to play, giving him the initiative to modify the contract. If other players attempted to follow suit, they would likely end up having their requests bunched together and tossed into the wastebasket by the club. Despite numerous reforms in Chinese football, none have truly brought about practical benefits for the players. After over a decade of professional league operations, the severely imbalanced labor-capital relationship still exists. Ultimately, Chinese football depends on these players to compete. While the interests of the clubs are important, the hardships of the players should also be managed by someone, because not everyone has the courage to confront issues head-on.