Beijing Guoan after the 0-6 defeat: Reflection and a fresh start

Special contributor / Song Ci On the evening of August 31st, in the 23rd round of the Chinese Super League, Beijing Guoan was humiliated with a 0-6 defeat away to Shandong Taishan, setting a record for the worst league loss in the club’s history. This devastating loss was like a heavy punch, not only breaking Guoan’s momentum and confidence to return to the top of the league table, but also causing a huge uproar in public opinion.

It can be said that the effects of the 0-6 defeat and the post-match controversies cannot be resolved quickly. During this short break, a profound, intense, and unprecedented multi-dimensional interaction took place between the club’s management, coaching staff, players, and fans. From the public apology on the night of the match, to Chairman Zhou Jinhui’s internal speech, and the team’s internal review and regrouping, all these elements made this interval for Beijing Guoan full of pain, reflection, and a resolve to move forward.

A 0-6 away loss is unacceptable for any professional football club, especially for Beijing Guoan, which has a rich heritage and a large fan base. After the match, social media was quickly flooded with disappointment, anger, and confusion from Guoan fans. These emotions not only spread online but also extended offline.

After the match, incidents of “conflict” occurred between players like Wang Gang and Zhang Yuning and the fans. The spread of these events on the internet and short video platforms pushed the negative emotions to a peak.

In the face of this crisis, a swift response was crucial. On the night of the loss, Beijing Guoan’s official Weibo account issued an apology letter, expressing deep regret to the fans. Besides apologizing, the club also reaffirmed that their goal of winning the championship would not change because of one match and promised to continue fighting until the very last moment!

Subsequently, Zhang Yuning, involved in the conflict, publicly apologized on his personal social media, expressing remorse for his irrational behavior. Several other players, including captain Zhang Xizhe, Fabio, Serginho, and Gu Jia, also took responsibility and apologized to fans through social media posts.

Behind this wave of apologies was a deep reflection by the club’s investor, Zhonghe Group’s senior management, who demanded that the club’s leadership immediately communicate with the head coach and players.

It is reported that on the night of the heavy defeat, the club’s management urgently met with head coach Setién and his coaching staff, expressing strong dissatisfaction with the team’s performance and requesting the coaching team to immediately come up with plans to improve the team’s competitive state and boost morale. The entire club understands that in the face of such severe public opinion, the best crisis management is not words but actions — winning back fans’ hearts through battles on the pitch. After all, there are still seven rounds left in the league, and nothing is decided yet.

During the break after the heavy loss, the team had a three-day rest to adjust. On the first day back, Chairman Zhou Jinhui visited the team base and convened a meeting with all players, coaches, and staff (see photo. Photo/Guoan official Weibo). At the meeting, Zhou spoke sincerely, urging everyone to reflect.

Zhou Jinhui’s speech was profound and layered, focusing mainly on three points.

First, he emphasized self-discipline and team responsibility. He demanded that everyone at Beijing Guoan Football Club — including the coaching staff, medical team, logistics, base services, and all club departments — hold themselves to higher standards and stricter requirements, “thinking more about what else you can do for this team and club.” He stressed that the club must unite as one, with every part from logistics to on-field effort giving their all to create the best conditions for improving the first team’s results.

Second, he analyzed the championship situation to inspire the team’s fighting spirit. Zhou clearly pointed out to the team that the race for the Chinese Super League title has entered a fierce stage, “We are only two points behind the top.” Given the intense competition, everything remains uncertain, and the outcome is still unknown. He encouraged: “If you don’t want to give up, then from this moment on, let’s regroup and fight for every remaining match to reclaim everything you desire.” This aimed to awaken the players’ fighting spirit and transform the shame of the heavy defeat into motivation for the remaining games.

Third, and most thought-provoking part of the speech, Zhou Jinhui, as an investor, raised a topic rarely discussed in Chinese football, possibly a first: “Who truly owns the club?”

He explained in his communication with the players: “Legally, the investor owns the club. From the fans’ perspective, the owner is just a temporary custodian, and I share this view. So when fans feel that the investor’s decisions or players’ actions go against the club’s ‘best interests,’ they will have emotions, even anger.”

Zhou further elaborated on the dynamic nature of fan emotions: “In fact, the emotions of fans behind any club and player are ever-changing because fans’ love for the team is sincere and passionate, so their demands are also strong and dynamic. Trying to define this fluid relationship at any single point is actually one-sided.”

Finally, as chairman, Zhou Jinhui highlighted the core of the club-fan relationship: “The values between the club and fans are mutually anchored and pursued. Both sides need to build a shared value system based on mutual loyalty and support. This shared value is the identity and emotional bond between the club and fans, and it is the foundation for the club’s long-term, healthy, and sustainable development. As managers and players, what we should always do is make our fans proud of the club, so the club can be proud of its fans, firmly upholding and practicing the shared values between us and the fans.”

By reflecting on the essence of football clubs from ownership and emotional belonging perspectives and their symbiotic relationship with fans, Zhou Jinhui’s viewpoint sparked widespread attention beyond just fans after spreading online. As one of the oldest professional football clubs in China, Guoan’s culture, rooted in city pride and club belonging, stands out uniquely in Chinese football.