Taishan Youth Training: Management Strengthening, Talent Selection Accelerated

Report by Chen Yong In this spring, Shandong Luneng Taishan Football School has once again become a focal point for football: the Chinese Football Association's regional training camp is conducted here, the home-and-away format youth league regional competition is underway here, and teams from Xuzhou and Jinan participating in the Su Super League and Qilu Super League also gather here for training. The most lovely April days, the football school in April is serene yet lively.

In this spring, Taishan Youth Training is quietly undergoing changes: at the management level, the football school has established dedicated Party branch secretary and principal positions; at the operational level, the school has recently conducted player selection and reinforcement for the 2015, 2016, and 2017 age groups; in the competition system, two high-quality events—the home-and-away format youth league regional competition and the ongoing Football School Alliance Cup—are progressing. While focusing on reforms, the school staff are also immensely gratified by the outstanding performances of young Taishan-trained players in professional leagues.

On April 11, in the 5th round of the Chinese Super League, Shandong Taishan defeated Henan Caitaofang 1-0 away. Peng Xiao and Chen Zeshi started the match, Shi Songchen came on as a substitute, and all three performed well. This marks another symbolic event in Shandong Taishan's youth development following Peng Xiao's starting appearance in the 17th round of the 2025 CSL season. In the 6th round on April 17, Peng Xiao started and Chen Zeshi substituted, both delivering solid performances. So far, Peng Xiao has played in all 6 matches, starting 3, averaging 47 minutes per game. Chen Zeshi has participated in 5 matches, starting 1, averaging 36 minutes.

Shandong Taishan B Team, after losing the first round of China League Two, secured three consecutive wins, currently ranking second in the northern region with 9 points. In the 2nd round home match against Beijing Institute of Technology, 17-year-old center-back Li Junpeng played from the 79th minute. In the 4th round away match against Lanzhou Longyuan Jingji, 17-year-old full-back/wing-back Zhang Xuyao substituted in the 80th minute.

It is noteworthy that many players from Shandong Taishan's youth teams will participate in the Qilu Super League, including the Su Super League where Taishan youth players also feature. Shandong Taishan's 2008-age player Duan Feida started for Xuzhou team in the first round of this year's Su Super League, helping the team defeat Taizhou 3-0.

More Taishan youth players are loaned to platforms like China League One for development: 2005-age Tang Rui, loaned to Wuxi Wugou, scored 4 goals and provided 2 assists in the first 3 rounds, aiding the team's three consecutive wins, and scored again in the 5th round, totaling 5 goals in the first 5 rounds; 2006-age Wang Haobin, loaned to Guangzhou Bao, started all 4 initial matches, contributing 1 assist. Additionally, 2007-age Yue Ruijie, loaned to CSL's Chongqing Tonglianglong, made his CSL debut in the 6th round on April 18.

Statistics from the football school show that in the 2026 CSL season, players produced by Taishan Youth Training account for approximately 14% of all Chinese players. All 16 CSL teams have Taishan-trained players. Stars like Wei Shihao are well-known, while Jia Feifei and Lu Yongtao respectively played for Beijing Guoan and Shanghai Port against Shandong Taishan. Jiang Hongyu of Shanghai Shenhua also originates from Taishan Youth Training.

On March 14, the 2026 Chinese Football Association's fourth session of the Male Elite Youth Player Regional Training Camp (2012 age group) commenced at Luneng Taishan Football School. This camp lasted 7 days, with 58 youth players from the CFA North Region 2 participating. Following this relatively unnoticed announcement, on March 26 morning, the signing ceremony for the establishment agreement of the CFA Regional Football Youth Training Center (Shandong·Jinan) was held in Jinan.

The five-level youth training center system is a core project for Chinese football development and key to reshaping the youth training framework. The construction of regional youth training centers has been a prior focus. This agreement signing signifies Shandong·Jinan will become the sixth national regional youth training center, following Suzhou, Shenzhen, Xi'an, Chengdu, and Dalian. However, Shandong·Jinan differs from the previous five in two aspects: first, as the Shandong Provincial Youth Training Center base has just begun construction, it is currently in an establishment phase; only after completion and utilization by end-2027 will it enter formal co-building. Second, the previous five centers were directly co-built with key football development cities, facing challenges in coordinating provincial and city levels. The Shandong·Jinan center involves tripartite co-building, with the Shandong Provincial Youth Training Center responsible for operations and Jinan City providing support.

Before the Shandong Provincial Youth Training Center is operational, the Shandong·Jinan Regional Youth Training Center will conduct training camps at Luneng Taishan Football School. Plans indicate the school's new base will neighbor the provincial center. Current feedback suggests that around the Huanghe Sports Center, the Shandong Provincial Youth Training Center, Luneng Taishan Football School, and Jinan City Youth Training Center will operate independently yet maintain close ties. The school's excellent coaching resources, player resources, big data system, and other support systems can naturally provide professional assistance to the regional, provincial, and city-level youth training centers.

While the school hosts the Shandong·Jinan regional training camp, a more notable competition has begun: On April 11, in the 1st round of the 2026 Fifth China Youth Football League Men's U15 Regional League (North Region 2), Shandong Taishan U15 team defeated Haidian Sports School San Gao U15 team 13-1 at home, with Jin Minjun and Liu Haowei each scoring twice. On April 12, in the Men's U13 Regional League 1st round, Shandong Taishan U13 team beat Qingdao Ha牛 Ha诺 U13 team 1-0 at home, Wu Xuexiang scoring the sole goal. The same day, in another Men's U15 match, Shandong Taishan U14 team won 2-1 away against Beijing San Gao U15 team, with Hong Haochen and Yang Rujie scoring. In the 2nd round on April 18 and 19, Shandong Taishan U15 team defeated Shandong Taishan U14 team 5-1, and Shandong Taishan U13 team beat Tianjin滨海小将 U13 team 5-0. Additionally, on April 19 in the U17 1st round, Shandong Taishan U17 team won 3-0 against Dalian U17.

After four consecutive years, the fifth Youth League undergoes historic reform—the regional league, selecting top teams for home-and-away matches to optimize training and competition cycles, effectively enhancing athletes' competitive levels and coaches' comprehensive coaching abilities. A total of 57 teams ranked high in the previous Youth League participate. Shandong Taishan has 6 youth teams competing, providing Taishan youth players better development opportunities.

Besides Shandong Taishan B Team continuing in China League Two, the mainly 2008-age Shandong Taishan U18 team will participate in the U20 League and the Three Major Sports Games, while the Shandong Taishan U16 team will join the Three Major Sports Games. In the recently concluded CFA Youth Football Championship暨2026 Three Major Sports Games预选, Shandong Taishan U18 team won the championship, and Shandong U16 team placed fourth.

It should be noted that Shandong Taishan's older youth team players participate in relevant competitions as needed. For instance, several players from the aforementioned Shandong Taishan U17 team have been promoted to Shandong Taishan B Team and have made appearances.

In 2026, the most significant change at Luneng Taishan Football School is the appointment of two dedicated senior administrators to lead the school.

From late March to early April, Taishan Youth Training conducted a large-scale talent selection and reinforcement. This selection aims to comprehensively strengthen the 2015 age group team, formally establish a separate 2016 age group team, and also include selection for the 2017 age group. Previously, talent selection for the 2015 and 2016 age groups had some shortcomings, making this a key task following the management change.

Current competition for youth players is extremely fierce and even残酷, with争夺 for promising talents extending to age 10 and below. Local protectionism is常态, naturally affecting Taishan Youth Training's selection, especially previously lagging in younger age groups.记者了解到, the school will高度重视 selection in the future, including further expanding the selection team and重视二次选材 (selection of players aged 13 and above). In some sense, for top youth training institutions, selection is more crucial than training. Over the years, outstanding players emerging from Taishan Youth Training固然 include those compensating for lack of天赋 through hard work, but更多 players benefit from a sound selection system.

Over the past four years, based on high integration between the club and school, former national team players and professionals like Han Peng, Zhou Haibin, Wang Qiang, Cui Peng, and Tang Xiaocheng joined Taishan Youth Training, making the coaching team notable. However, now Han Peng serves as Shandong Taishan team's执行主教练, Zhou Haibin as U15 national team head coach, somewhat weakening the school's coaching strength. After the new leadership上任,如何补强 the coaching team is under全面调研.一方面, the school hopes Taishan-trained retired professionals return;另一方面, it seeks reinforcement through更多渠道.

For Shandong Taishan Football Club, Taishan Youth Training is the foundation. Even for山东足球, it holds the same importance. In the post-golden era of football, overall professional league investment递减, affecting the school's funding. However, a more合理的梯队架构,高度重视 selection, and补强优秀教练 can最大可能地 ensure Taishan Youth Training maintains its leading position in national youth training.