I like to comment on this, from a point of view of how I understand CNT
People tend to forget that before LSD, the two most recent breakouts into the top 5; Wang Chuqin and Wang Yidi did that around 23 years old.
WCQ was like FZD, they both enter A team at a very young age, and were already favorites or should I say, candidates to step up.
Yes, history has shown the "candidates" might not always succeed, including one that was fired around the age of 18 or 19 years old, but I can say XYB is not one of those that was served on a golden platter.
WCQ was handled with golden support if I can call it such.
LSD too, especially that CNT has seen an issue with transitioning from old to new eras of players.
Irrespective of whatever their performance is, everyone of them still has team duties.
This is so true in CNT and no where else can this culture can be found.
everyone in the team has their duties. It is to win, or help the ones "chosen" to win. That is the ultimate duty of the team.
The team comes ahead anything else, including your own career.
It's up to each and everyone to step up eventually.
I will say this is 50-50 of the time.
there is too much fractions within CNT.
If you got the wrong coach, your chance of being the favorite is going to be slim. So that is why they are is a saying within CNT B team, is to make sure you get picked by the "correct coach". Then you are half way there.
There are already few incidences of 2 womens players that did step up and I felt they have been mistreated, or surely treated poorly, even though they are huge assets to the team.
namely Chen Meng and Wang Manyu. Both are there with merits, win with merits too, but have they fallen out favor or did some other player supersede them in that packing order?
so I don't believe CNT isn't a place where there is huge fairness for players that step up and thus so, even less for those that don't or can't step up.
It is all for the best interest of the team and from a democratic view point - who decides on what is "the" best interest for the team is? is it 1 person, or is it a panel or is it all the coaches? I leave it there for all to decide.
CNT has indeed become a lot more humane over the years, but the shot calling still remains the same imo.
and that is just life in the CNT as I am trying to point out. Its a strong system, but most of the team are there to be servants of the selected few.
and maybe just sometimes, without that burden on your shoulder, it could actually make you play freely.
like LGY was behind 10-2 and came back with 10 points on the trot to win at the champions league match. We normally know LGY to be on the receiving end.
Just maybe, he needs that freedom of no pressure. As mental problems within table tennis is still a very hidden matter and hardly discussed.
Lets just see if he would play more in leagues post retirement (which will be soon imo).
