Beijing - A Chinese television reality show hosted by former German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn was scheduled to open on Thursday, producers and sponsors said.

Kahn's 10-week show, "I never give up", gives aspiring young Chinese goalkeepers the chance to win a place at the German Football Federation's (DFB) top training academy Berger Feld Schule.

"In this show Oliver Kahn is not just looking for China's new football talent, but sharing his advice for success in sports and life," German airline Lufthansa, a sponsor of the TV series, said in a statement.

"It's fast, it's fun - and it's about 'never giving up'," Lufthansa said.

Heilongjiang Satellite TV, based in the north-eastern city of Harbin, plans to air the first programme on Thursday night.

Kahn, 40, who retired from playing with Bayern Munich last year, reportedly said he will be gentle with the competitors and avoid the blunt criticisms and public humiliation that have featured in similar reality shows such as The Apprentice and Pop Idol.

The show aims to reflect the "importance of individuality and personality but most of all, how the contestants handle defeat", the official China Daily newspaper quoted Kahn as saying.

"We don't want to do an empty and meaningless, mindless casting show," he said.

"And I don't want to be the one who 'talks big' and disses or offends the young candidates when they don't succeed," Kahn said.

The newspaper quoted him as saying he wanted Chinese viewers to see how his principles could be used in everyday life to build a "roadmap to success".

Kahn made 557 Bundesliga appearances, winning more than a dozen domestic and European trophies, and was voted the world's best goalkeeper of the year three times.

He was named player of the tournament at the 2002 World Cup finals despite a blunder in the final that helped Brazil to a 2-0 win over Germany.

"Finally, I have become much more stronger from this defeat," Kahn, who is nicknamed "The Titan" or "King Kahn", said of the 2002 final.

The show features 10 goalkeepers aged 17 to 24, including two women.

"The experience is great, the boys want to know so much, they soak everything in and want to improve," Kahn told the German Press Agency dpa in Shanghai last month.

Kahn said he hoped the TV series would help promote the Bundesliga in China, where its estimated market share of football television viewers is only about 0.3 per cent.

The German national team visited China for the same reason last month, playing a friendly international on May 29 in Shanghai which ended in a 1-1 draw. (dpa)