In the Chinese Super League, there is a team with a lot of character. Their goal has always been to compete for the title, but the team has only won the top league title once in its history. They never love to save face, no matter if you want to compete for the title or relegation. If you can win 9-1, you will never be satisfied with 8-1. from AA to CPL, there are countless enemies, still my fault.
Needless to say, you may have guessed that this team is the oldest powerhouse of Chinese soccer, Beijing Guoan, one of the few teams that have never been relegated or renamed since the professionalization of Chinese soccer.
In the 2023 season, Beijing Guoan's goal is of course to compete for first place, but it remains just a slogan.
Beijing Guoan - The earliest professional team established, set sail in 2023 at the New Industrial Stadium
In 1994, Chinese soccer entered the era of professionalization. Beijing Guoan was one of the first teams to play in the First Division League. It was founded at the end of 1992 and was the first professional soccer club to be established.
When the team was founded, the slogan was "Guoan will always compete for the first place", but they couldn't compete with Dalian Wanda and Shanghai Shenhua in the A-League, and Shandong Taishan and Guangzhou Evergrande in the Chinese Super League. The only time they won the top league title was in 2009, and they are still being questioned.
Beijing Guoan has always had many high level players, coaches and foreign aiders, and their overall strength has always been at the level of a first-class powerhouse. Beijing Guoan has always been a maverick. in 1997, Beijing Guoan bloodied Shanghai Shenhua 9-1 at home, creating the biggest gap in Chinese soccer since specialization. in the final round of the 1999 A-League, Liaoning could have won the title if they beat Guoan, but they were forced to a draw by Guoan, sending Shandong Taishan to win the title. in the final round of the 2013 Chinese Super League, Guoan beat Qingdao Zhongneng 1:0 to send their rivals to the Chinese League.
Beijing Guoan will enter the new Gongtian Stadium for the new season, which will also host the opening ceremony and opening match of this year's Chinese Super League.
Stanley Menzo Head Coach
Aged 59 and of Surinamese descent, he was the coach of Beijing Guoan's reserve team in 2019, then coached the Surinamese national team before taking over as Beijing Guoan's head coach in August 2022, replacing Xie Feng, who resigned. It is also the first black coach in the Chinese Super League.
The man could also be considered the most mediocre manager in the history of the National Club, but the playing time is quite outstanding. As a goalkeeper, he played for Dutch Eredivisie giants Ajax for 10 years, appearing in more than 300 matches, and was Ajax's main goalkeeper before Van der Sar.
Lineup- Great changes, slight enhancements.
So far, National has brought in 14 players (including lease returns) and 13 players (including leases and lease expirations).
Among the imported players, the only cost 500,000 euros of foreign aid Ademi, 31-year-old Ademi Division midfielder and North Macedonian international player in the Croatian giants Zagreb Dinamo play. This season's Champions League 6 group stage debut, contributing 2 goals and 1 assist, indicating that their strength is good. Internal reinforcements such as Yang Liyu, Fang Hao and Feng Boxuan are all exempt.
Among the players who transferred out, Yu Yang, Liu Huan and Hou Yongyong. All left the team without signing, Yang Fan rented to Tianjin Jinmen Tiger and Cao Yongjing rented to Changchun Yatai. Their rentals brought in 940,000 euros to Guoan, and they still have vacancies after Ademi brought in 500,000 euros to them.
Overall strength should be slightly improved from last season.
Expected results - sitting on six and looking at four
Beijing Guoan CSL's final result was seventh in the 2022 season, a result that fell short of expectations and was not a reflection of its normal strength.
Throughout 2022, Beijing Guoan experienced lineup adjustments and coaching changes. In addition, the Chinese Super League schedule is tight, the system is confusing, a moment of the game, a moment of home and away, a moment of the team abandonment, a direct award of 0-3 loss. The whole league is very abnormal.
Looking ahead to the new season, it is not enough for Guoan to compete for the title. Wuhan Three Town, Shandong Taishan and Shanghai Port have stronger lineup configurations. Competing for fourth place is a realistic goal for Guoan. Of course, even if they are only fighting for the fourth place, the traditional strong teams such as Shanghai Shenhua, Henan Songshan Longmen and Changchun Yatai should not be ignored.
