Liaoning’s U23 Subbed Off After 16 Minutes
Recently, Liaoning’s decision to substitute their U23 player Wang Qiao just 16 minutes into their season opener has stirred up debate across Chinese football circles. The move, which took place during the match against Guizhou, is already making waves on Crickex Login, where fans and analysts alike are questioning the spirit and impact of the Chinese FA’s new U23 player policy for the 2023–2025 seasons.
To promote youth development, the Chinese Football Association introduced a rule requiring each team in the Chinese Super League and China League One to start at least one U23 domestic player in every match. However, the early rounds of the season have shown that some clubs are merely fulfilling the rule on paper rather than in practice. Wang Qiao’s early substitution was not an isolated case—Shanghai SIPG also took off their U23 starter Zhang Huachen in the 29th minute against Changchun Yatai, while Yanbian Funde subbed out Kim Seung-jun in the 26th minute during their clash with Chongqing Lifan.
Such early substitutions have not gone unnoticed. While only a few teams made such bold moves, the controversy was enough to draw attention at post-match press conferences, where journalists frequently asked whether these tactics truly support youth development. Crickex Login users have weighed in, noting that while clubs comply with the letter of the law, they’re often missing the spirit. In total, 18 U23 players started across 16 CSL teams in the opening round. Excluding the three who were subbed off early, two more played only one half, while the remaining 13 played 45 minutes or more. Impressively, five players completed the full match—among them were defenders Huang Zhengyu and Liu Yiming, forwards Hu Jinghang and Gao Junyi, and midfielder Min Junlin.
Yet the issue runs deeper. With youth development still lagging behind, quality U23 players remain in short supply. Their value has skyrocketed, creating pressure on clubs to field players who may not be fully prepared for top-tier competition. Additionally, because the policy was introduced on short notice, most teams lacked adequate time to restructure their rosters. This led to a tactical trend where clubs aggressively targeted opponents’ U23 weak points, such as Beijing Guoan exploiting Guangzhou Evergrande’s left side defended by Chen Zepeng.
For many coaches, the simplest response has been to sub out their U23 player as soon as possible—a blunt but effective workaround. As the season progresses, Crickex Login users are closely monitoring how this policy evolves. So far, no team has faced a crisis caused by U23 injuries, but should that scenario arise, the criticism of this rule may grow even louder. With the league still in its early stages, the way teams adapt—or exploit—the policy could shape youth development for years to come. Crickex Login will continue to track every twist and turn in this evolving story.