by sportswriters Wei Hua and Ma Bangjie

BEIJING, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's under-16 football team head coach Kenichi Uemura has identified physique, running, and stamina as key areas for significant improvement as his team secures a spot in next year's AFC U17 Asian Cup finals.

China has received rave reviews for their impressive performances in the qualifiers, where they managed three victories and one draw to secure a spot in the final stage as one of the five best group runners-up.

China could have topped the group as they led 2-1 in their final match against South Korea, but conceded an 87th-minute penalty and had to settle for a second-place finish.

However, the Chinese side still impressed fans with their high pressing, quick transitions, and fighting spirit. This was a stark contrast to when Uemura was appointed head coach in February, as the team initially suffered a losing streak during their training sessions abroad.

When asked about the secret to the team's chemistry, the 50-year-old Japanese coach explained, "I'm very grateful to the players. They all know I'm very strict but still met my requirements. Only through the joint efforts of the players and coaching staff could we make such drastic changes over these eight months."

"During this period, I have focused on their physical fitness, running ability, and stamina. In our game against South Korea, we maintained high pressing and counter-pressing, both of which were supported by our physical condition. None of my players suffered cramps throughout the game, and the whole team kept a fast tempo on both ends, with everyone putting in excellent performances," he said.

"All physical training is done with the ball at their feet, and I hope the players can run while thinking about the timing, direction, and pace of every move so they can improve their decision-making along with their physical condition," he added.

"Also, I often used Q&A sessions, asking questions about certain situations on the pitch, and my players are now able to answer more quickly compared to February."

Following the team's morale-boosting performances in the qualifiers, many wonder if this indicates that China has the ability to play modern football by sticking with the current style.

"I can't take that for granted, but I expect the players to set their own goals and stay on the right path. Under these circumstances, they will understand what kind of football they really want and move closer to their goals."

Uemura revealed that he often arranges extra training sessions for the players after they return to their clubs and will continue to do so this time.

"Yes, I will. The performance against South Korea is the result of our eight months of effort. I have warned my players not to relax if they aim to progress further. I told them that the Asian Cup final stage is not the end. Our next goal is to secure a spot in the FIFA U17 World Cup and aim even higher. They must keep progressing," he stressed.

After spending eight months in China, Uemura has formed his own views on the execution abilities of Chinese junior players.

"As I have said before, Chinese juniors always fulfill the coach's requirements with passion. I hope they can use these characteristics when executing high pressing. If they continue like this, Chinese football can develop a style with its own unique characteristics," he concluded. ■