I feel like a lot of these stars would've become world champions if they could train with the Chinese National team. There are so many stronger practice partners on the CNT, its hard to compete with them.
I actually totally disagree with you. There can only be 1 world champion at a time, or few in a decade.
So many CNT members can't even be world champions.... how can top players of another country can all of a sudden, just become a world champion if they are in CNT? I think the maths/equation remains the same that only few can be, the rest, no.
Maybe Harimoto or Chang can become better, or maybe they will just become another 2nd tier and not become a main force within in China, yet along not even making the national team. (there is participation cap within CNT and ITTF events)
Did you not witness so many "drops outs" of China (not making national team), can end up beating Chinese national team members?
If they choose to stay in China, they would have retired as an unknown.
There is also so much fraction in CNT. Following the "right" coach, has a huge decision on how long your career will be too, or you may just end up becoming another training partner for life.
I always wanted Harimoto to train with the CNT.
Harimoto may not have trained with CNT, but Chuang Chih Yuan trained with CNT B team when he was young.
Harimoto bought in many Chinese training partners to his camp, since young.
Harimoto actually has more resource (funds) "per player" than any of the CNT players.
Harimto (just like Chang) is in a player centric system.
CNT is a team centric system
I assume you do understand the huge differences in these 2 systems, and how one can just become another nobody in the team centric system.
Because if you notice, most of the CNT players themselves were not particularly strong at a young age. They really developed into dependably strong players in their 20's.
I actually saw the total opposite as you, even though the latest batch is terrible with very little depth (but I blame a big factor on lack of international exposure), but if you talk about the main guys, they still achieve high level when very young (especially if we talking about current world champions)
Ma Long, entered CNT A team at age 15
Fan Zhendong at age 14
Wang Chuqin, age 15
Lin Shidong, age 17
So many of them are world top 10 before even turning 20....
If you say majority are not strong, that is because they are beaten by the stronger ones within.
So on the contrary, if these "2nd tier" in CNT can leave and play for other countries, they have a higher chance of gaining good world ranking and have the chance of causing upsets against CNT main force, compared to staying within CNT structure. As pointed out earlier, so many women's has done it already.
Truls at super league this year, just shows how strong these unknowns are.
