According to the "Football News", Zheng Zhi's contract renewal work was actually completed as early as the beginning of this year. In addition, players such as Huang Bowen, Mei Fang and Zhong Yihao, whose previous contracts expired at the end of 2020, have also completed the renewal of contracts with Guangzhou.
At the end of last year, there were a number of Guangzhou player contracts expired, Zheng Zhi is also one of them, at that time, Guangzhou team is in the AFC Champions League after the change of coach storm, was promoted to the club's general manager Zheng Zhi, once expected to become the team manager, but after in-depth communication with the top management, Zheng Zhi believes that his competitive and physical state, can still play in the professional league, more hope to continue to play as a player for the team, and the club also fully trusts and respects the captain's opinion, Zheng Zhi as a player, and Guangzhou team renewed his contract.
In August this year, Zheng Zhi will turn 41 years old, but even at such an "advanced age", his role is still irreplaceable in the Guangzhou team, especially in the absence of Paulinho.
The data does not lie, in this season's Guangzhou team 4 games in the Chinese Super League, the veteran captain all started, although the coach Cannavaro for the purpose of protection, almost every game will replace him, but Zheng Zhi's playing time is still as high as 313 minutes, averaging passes, long passes and key passes per game, all ranked second in the team.
Cannavaro once commented on Zheng Zhi, "The captain is our soul figure, he thinks about how to help the team to the maximum, as long as Zheng Zhi is willing to play and can still play, I will do my best to help him extend his sports life." Although the club and the Italians have focused on cultivating young players, everyone knows that Zheng Zhi's strength and experience are still top-notch, and with him in midfield, the team will not panic.
However, for his future, Zheng Zhi is also clear that he has come to the end of his career, "Three years ago, there were people who paid attention to my career, I have been observing, I think desire is first, body second, I have this desire, the body can allow, to the day when I can't run, the body will send a signal, it's over, I won't kick in order to create a record", but even if I don't play, the club has reserved the coaching staff and management position for Zheng Zhi.
It is also worth mentioning that players such as Huang Bowen, Mei Fang and Zhong Yihao, whose previous contracts expired at the end of 2020, have also completed contract renewals with Guangzhou.
Due to the top 40 competition, the Chinese Super League basically did not start again until the end of July, and the Guangzhou team stayed in Yangcheng to do a good job in epidemic prevention while waiting for the league to restart. In addition, the first U21 League recently kicked off, led by assistant coach Liu Zhiyu, Guangzhou team, the first game, 5-0 defeat to Kunshan, won the opening red.
This U21 League, guangzhou team lineup, completely composed of evergrande football school training players, including this year in the Chinese Super League registration of Zhang Zhihao, Chen Zhengfeng and Li Xingxian and other players, in the U21 league, they should get more opportunities to play, Guangzhou team next round opponents will be U18 national youth, of which 10 players from Evergrande Football School, this match, is half a "Evergrande derby".
In the future, Guangzhou still needs to consider the overall arrangement of players, the AFC Champions League group stage will start on the 24th, due to the announcement of the withdrawal of three Australian Premier League teams, Guangzhou's group stage opponents are officially determined, including J-League team Sakura Osaka, Hong Kong Super League's Jiezhi and Thailand in the Thai Super League.
Because some young players participate in the U21 league, plus U18 and U20 national youth recruitment, U18 football school players represent Guangdong into the national sports main tournament, guangzhou team of young players, basically carry the game task, and, when the Chinese Super League will restart, although there is a general plan, but still not finalized, so, the list of players participating in the AFC Champions League, still need the club to consider the overall situation, in order to make a decision, can not rule out the possibility of some first-team substitute players to play, at present, the AFC Champions League registration has ended on the 8th, The names of some players in the first team are also on the list.
(Editor: Yao Fan)
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