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Jonathan White

China national team boss Li Tie has come under fire from Liverpool fans for comments made in his role as a pundit for Chinese television.
Several social media users wished injury on the former Everton player and celebrated the injuries that cut short his English Premier League career after comments made on Tencent’s broadcast of Saturday’s Merseyside derby.
The Goodison Park favourite was commentating on the game, in which his old team beat English champions Liverpool 2-0 in their first win at Anfield since 1999.
“The Everton fans probably hope he is injured,” Li said when Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson was limping following a challenge.

Li Tie, the national team head coach, made his debut as a pundit in Tencent's airing of Merseyside derby. Some of his comments, on the perspective of a former Everton player, such as 'Everton fans may expect he(Jordan Henderson) got injured', stoked controversies in social media. pic.twitter.com/ToaXXoMOhc
— Titan Sports Plus (@titan_plus) February 21, 2021

Henderson later went off injured and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said it looked to be serious immediately after the defeat.
“It is the groin, adductor region. Nothing from the medical department was positive about it. It doesn’t look good but we have to look at the scan tomorrow,” Klopp said. There has been no update from the club yet.
Li Tie’s message to ex-Everton boss Moyes sets fans down memory lane
Chinese Liverpool fans piled in on the national team boss for his comments, leaving their own comments on Li’s Weibo adding insult amid hope of injury.
“I am a Liverpool fan, I hope you get injured soon,” one user wrote on a post of Li’s where he expressed his regret that injury cut short his time in England, where he played from 2002 to 2004.
“If it wasn‘t for the fracture and injury in the national team, it would be better to play more games in the Premier League!” Li wrote.

| Congratulations to former #EFC midfielder Li Tie on becoming the new manager of the Chinese national team.

Perfect opportunity to plug our China-based platforms!

Weibo: https://t.co/XL36nWHKXD
Toutiao: https://t.co/B8NquyC9mH pic.twitter.com/dpdZ42icem
— Everton (@Everton) January 2, 2020

Some comments celebrated that injury with similar sentiment expressed elsewhere on Li’s Weibo.
Li, who was also a pundit on his former Everton manager David Moyes’ West Ham United side’s win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, saw comments on other posts.
“Moyes was the youngest head coach of the Premier League in 2002! He brought me to the palace of the Premier League. At 20:00 this evening at Tencent Sports, go cheer for Moyes’ West Ham United team!,” Li wrote on Weibo ahead of the match, along with a photo of him and Moyes when he signed for Everton.
Man City’s Sun embodies China’s relationship with English football
This saw several responses such as “I hope you get hurt soon” and “I hope you break your leg” from Weibo users.
In contrast, some users defended the national team boss who had explained that he would offer his comments on the derby as an Everton fan.
One user likened Li to Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville, who both proudly offer their Liverpool and Manchester United perspectives.

Tencent Sports announced Li Tie, the China national team head coach, will feature as their pundit for 2 EPL matches this weekend, including Everton vs Liverpool and West Ham vs Tottenham Hotspur. He played for Everton in the early 2000s while David Moyes was the head coach. pic.twitter.com/a2EBbIVdWU
— Titan Sports Plus (@titan_plus) February 19, 2021

Others disagreed. “Being impartial was the basic requisite as you were there as a pundit instead of a fan. It is something unheard of for a pundit to take the fans’ stance and hope a rival player gets injured,” one user commented.
Li’s China side sit second in their Fifa World Cup qualifying group but have not played since December 2019 because of Covid-19.
Their matches against Maldives, Philippines and runaway group leaders Syria are expected to be played in June.


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English Premier League

Ex-Everton star Li Tie angers Chinese Liverpool fans with derby comments

Former Everton player Li Tie, head coach of China, watches a training session in 2019. Photo: Xinhua

Li Tie’s David Moyes message has Chinese football fans reminiscing of World Cup and English Premier League glory days

Tottenham's Gareth Bale (centre) looks on as West Ham's manager David Moyes shakes hands with goalscorer Manuel Lanzini at the end of the English Premier League draw. Photo: AP

(200105) -- BEIJING, Jan. 5, 2020 (Xinhua) -- Newly-elected Chinese men's national football team head coach Li Tie attends the press conference in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Ding Xu)

Chinese internationals Everton's Li Tie (L) and Manchester City's Sun Jihai shake hands after their teams drew 2-2 in the English premier league at Goodison Park, January 1, 2003.

Qatar 2022 World Cup: China boss Li Tie says ‘no limit’ on naturalised players

China's Brazilian-born forward Elkeson, known as Ai Kesen in Chinese, celebrates with a Chinese national flag after a Fifa World Cup Qatar qualifying win over Maldives. Photo: AFP

Kim Min-jae outrage shows Chinese football’s thin skin

Beijing Guoan defender Kim Min-jae in action for South Korea against China in 2019. Photo: EPA

Sport

Football

China


Former Everton player causes offence with Jordan Henderson remark while commentating on Merseyside derby
Chinese fans of English champions leave comments wishing injury on national team manager with some celebrating end of his Premier League career



Chinese fans of English champions leave comments wishing injury on national team manager with some celebrating end of his Premier League career.


Chinese Football Association (CFA)

Tencent

Social media

Ex-Everton star Li Tie angers Chinese Liverpool fans with derby comments

Former Everton player causes offence with Jordan Henderson remark while commentating on Merseyside derby Chinese fans of English champions leave comments wishing injury on national team manager with some celebrating end of his Premier League career

Former Everton player causes offence with Jordan Henderson remark while commentating on Merseyside derby

Chinese fans of English champions leave comments wishing injury on national team manager with some celebrating end of his Premier League career