The eight-time champions of the Chinese Super League (CSL), who twice represented CSL teams at the pinnacle of Asian football, Guangzhou FC, officially announced their disbandment. On January 7th, in the new season's entry list released by the Football Association, Guangzhou FC, which had previously passed the entry requirements, did not appear on the final list. Three hours after the FA released the list, Guangzhou FC officially announced the team's dissolution, marking the end of a club that once represented the peak of Chinese clubs.
The disbandment of Guangzhou FC led to Wei Shihao trending on social media, with many fans flooding his social media accounts to berate him. In their eyes, it was Wei Shihao's report that caused Guangzhou FC to lose its entry qualification. Some fans even mocked Wei Shihao for not being able to recover the 2.52 million RMB salary owed to him. However, if fans are aware that it is Guangzhou FC that owes Wei Shihao money, why should they blame Wei Shihao?
Is the disbandment of Guangzhou FC due to Wei Shihao? Renowned journalist Song Chengliang provided an answer to this question. Song Chengliang stated that Wei Shihao feels wronged by the criticism, as the team's disbandment cannot be blamed on him. Why? Wei Shihao's report merely reminded the FA that Guangzhou FC still had unresolved debts. The real reason Guangzhou FC was not allowed entry was that the FA management did not believe the team had the ability to repay its debts in the future.
Why does the FA management think Guangzhou FC lacks the ability to repay its debts in the future? This can perhaps be answered by two incidents. The first incident occurred during the mask period when Chen Maitou visited Guangzhou FC. At that time, Chen Maitou discovered how difficult Guangzhou FC was struggling, so he signed off on returning 80 million yuan in regulation fees to help the team overcome difficulties. However, this money was transferred to the parent company of Guangzhou FC, which directly diverted the funds to real estate, leaving the team without any of the funds. Even if the FA were to return all the regulation fees, the club would not receive the money, indicating that regulation fees could not save Guangzhou FC.
The second incident involves the return of Wuhan Three Towns, as discussed by the famous journalist who talked about who is good at selling cute. The journalist mentioned that although Wuhan Three Towns also had significant debts, they were able to return thanks to local support. The local government's assistance enabled them to ultimately overcome their difficulties. However, what about Guangzhou FC? It is clear that Guangzhou is currently focusing on supporting Guangzhou Leopard, while the parent company of Guangzhou FC is unwilling to relinquish ownership of the club. As a result, Guangzhou FC finds itself in a situation where neither the father nor the mother cares, which is actually the key factor behind their ultimate exit.