Ratomir Dujkovic has shaped up soccer teams from Myanmar to Rwanda, Venezuela to Ghana. Now he's moved to China's Olympic team, where the former Red Star Belgrade goalkeeper is tackling the game's biggest underachiever.

The country's soccer history is checkered. It failed to score in its only World Cup appearance. In its only Olympics, it also was shut out. The domestic league is tainted by bribery and brawling, there is little grass-roots support and a population of 1.3 billion has failed to generate a single marquee player.

 

"What China football needs is a trophy," Dujkovic said, leaning forward in his chair and planting his large hands on his knees. "This is why football in China is not so popular _ like basketball, like table tennis, like badminton or gymnastics."

 

"My personal dream is to play the Olympic final and take the gold medal."

 

Eight months ago, he coached Ghana into the second round of the World Cup. If he can produce that level of success at the 2008 Olympics, he'll probably be asked to lead China to the 2010 World Cup. Fellow Serbian Bora Milutinovic did it in 2002 _ China's only appearance.

 

"We have mentioned it sometimes in our discussions," he said. "We have to wait for the Olympics, and after that we can sit and talk about the possibility of taking the national team."

 

"I have the experience and the stomach for this," he added.

 

China languishes far behind regional rivals Australia, Japan and South Korea. The national team is ranked No. 75 by FIFA, trailing Asian teams such as Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and Oman.

 

"What is wrong with our team?" asked Zhou Jiming, an editor for the China Sports Daily newspaper. "This is the question everyone has been asking for a long time when they sit down to talk about soccer."

 

Like many, he recalls the humiliation when Kuwait eliminated China in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup.

 

"If the Japanese and South Koreans can do a better job, it leads the Chinese fans to wonder why its team doesn't perform better," said Yan Qiang, a reporter with the Titan sports newspaper. "In addition, expectations were heightened by making the World Cup in 2002."

 

In a country where few openly criticize the government, soccer in particular _ and sports in general _ is a place to vent discontent.

 

"The criticism is probably deserved, because the professional game is corrupt and bankrupt in China and needs a revolution at the grass roots," said Rowan Simons, an Englishman and 20-year resident who announces TV soccer games in Chinese. "Football is open to a level of criticism you won't see elsewhere."

 

There's talent, with a handful of players spread across top leagues in Europe. But the country's famed sports machine _ reported to be training 20,000 athletes for the Olympics, and favored to lead the 2008 medal standings on home soil _ has failed to unearth a soccer superstar.

 

National team captain Zheng Zhi, the country's top player, moved recently to struggling English Premier League team Charlton, but seldom plays. Two others, Sun Jihai and Li Tie, have had journeyman careers in England.

 

Striker Dong Fangzhuo may break through. Bought by Manchester United, he was sent for experience to Belgian club Royal Antwerp. Dong signed a contract extension recently, raising hopes he might eventually play for United.

 

Defender Sun Xiang of PSV Eindhoven made history earlier this year: the first Chinese to appear in the European Champions League. In Portugal, 18-year-old striker Yu Dabao has joined Benfica and is called "a gem" by youth coach Antonio Carraca.

 

In a league where paychecks have bounced, leading players are getting out, even heading to North America. Defender Yao Lijun accepted an offer to try out with the Los Angeles Galaxy, David Beckham's new club, and Xu Qing had one with Toronto FC.

 

The top domestic league _ the Super League _ is run by the government and plagued by chronic mismanagement, match-fixing scandals and on-field violence. About two years ago, German conglomerate Siemens pulled out as the main sponsor, and average attendance has dwindled to about 10,500 per game.

 

This season's title sponsor _ a domestic brewer _ was announced just hours before the season opened earlier this month. The deal, reportedly worth $4.7 million (euro3.6 million), is far less than Siemens paid, reported at $10.3 million (euro7.8 million).

 

Compared to European leagues, the homegrown product looks awful.

 

"Fans watch all the European leagues on TV, and they expect big progress in Chinese soccer," Li said. "But the national teams, without a strong league and youth programs, can't be very good. We have to build the house from the base up, not from the roof down."

 

Even talented Chinese players are viewed skeptically in Europe. Some have been signed largely to sell club merchandise in China. The best players are quick and technically sound, but lack physical stature.

 

"Some of the talent we have is ruined by playing in the league, which is not competitive enough," said William Mao, who works for Rhino Sports, a player management company. "Lots of players have the ability if they had the chance to show it overseas. But it's very difficult to be identified here by European clubs."

 

When Chinese soccer makes headlines, it's usually bad news.

 

In early February, Dujkovic's U23 team got into a nasty brawl with a reserve team of English club Queens Park Rangers. Chinese player Zheng Tao was left unconscious and hospitalized with a broken jaw, the low point of a two-week tour of England.

 

Dujkovic blamed the English, saying his players were goaded and called the fight "a scandal."

 

A week later the Wulihe stadium, where China qualified in 2001 for its only appearance in the World Cup finals, was razed in 7 seconds to make way for a shopping center.

 

"We should not demolish everything, good or bad," national team midfielder Zhao Junzhe said. "I think we need to keep some reminders of China's past soccer glory."   

 

(China Daily via AP March 17, 2007)