late bloomer! It is not an exaggeration to use this idiom to describe Guoan's main goalkeeper Hou Sen. As an excellent goalkeeper from the Guoan youth training system, Hou Sen has played for the team for 14 years since joining the Guoan first team in 2007.
However, due to the fact that the national goalkeeper Yang Zhi played too steadily in the Guoan team and has always maintained a very good state, Hou Sen, in addition to Yang Zhi's long-term absence due to injury in the 2012 season, and briefly served as the main goalkeeper of Guoan, he could only sit quietly on the bench for the rest of the time.
At the end of the 2017 season, the 35-year-old Yang Zhi lost his position in the team. The 29-year-old Hou Sen finally stepped out of Yang Zhi's shadow in the 2018 season and began to compete with U23 youngster Guo Quanbo for Guoan's starting goalkeeper position.
However, in the following 2019 season, Guoan officially introduced young goalkeeper Zou Dehai from Hangzhou Greentown. After joining Guoan, the 26-year-old Zou Dehai quickly gained the heavy use of then German coach Schmidt and became the absolute main force of Guoan. And because of his outstanding performance in the league, he was also selected for the national team this year. The 30-year-old Hou Sen is once again back on the team's bench.
After 12 years of waiting, without changing the main position of the team, Hou Sen was not discouraged. Because, opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared. Last season, zou dehai had some conflicts with then-guoan coach Genesio. Hou Sen regained the reuse of the hot coach and finally returned to the main lineup of Guoan.
Although Genesio was unable to renew his contract with the club at the end of last season, Guoan's new manager Bilic still trusts Housen and continues to let him be the team's number one goalkeeper.
In the 2019 season, Zou Dehai, who has unlimited scenery, has been completely beaten into the cold palace, and in the past 2 years, he has only played one FA Cup game for Guoan.
As the main goalkeeper of Hangzhou Greentown and Guoan in the past, 2 seasons without a goal is undoubtedly the biggest blow of his career for Zou Dehai, who has turned 29 this year.
Now that the Chinese Super League has entered the final stage, Guoan only has the last game of the season left, and it is not known whether coach Bilic will give Zou Dehai, who has not participated in an official game for more than a year, a chance to play in this last game. After all, Guoan's overall situation this season has been decided, and the results have long been indifferent to the club.
For Zou Dehai, whether he can appear in the starting lineup of Guoan's final round of the league, he needs to think about his future. Because, if he can't play next season, his career may be completely ruined.
And next year also happens to be the contract year between Zou Dehai and Guoan Club, so for Guoan and Zou Dehai, they need to make a choice for each other.
From the current situation, Zou Dehai is more likely to leave the team next season. Because although Hou Sen is 33 years old, such an age is not old for a goalkeeper, and his form has been very stable in the past 2 seasons, plus he is one of the few Beijing players in the current Guoan team. So, if there are no big surprises, I believe that the club will continue to reuse him next season.
Therefore, Guoan may wish to take advantage of the fact that his contract with Zou Dehai has not yet expired and sell him back for a part of the cash. After all, the life of the Guoan Club is not good now.
For Zou Dehai, I believe he will not lack a family. The three towns in Wuhan, which have just been promoted to the Chinese Super League, are currently recruiting, and joining this powerful Chinese Super League new army is quite a good choice for Zou Dehai.
In addition, the veteran Chinese Super League powerhouse Tianjin Jinmen Tiger also needs a strong goalkeeper, and if they can be relegated successfully this season, they are also one of Zou Dehai's potential next season.
As for whether Zou Dehai will leave or stay next season, it depends on his communication with guoan clubs and whether he can accept the reality of continuing to serve as a substitute in the guoan team...