On September 6, the 16th round of the Chinese Super League is in full swing, and Beijing Guoan will meet the challenge of Zhejiang at home in Rizhao. In this pre-match preview, Guoan's new head coach Stanley attended a press conference with the team's striker Zhang Yuning.
Talking about the preparation, Stanley revealed, "I arrived in Beijing last Sunday and have been involved in team training since Monday. We have had a number of meetings this week and have had in-depth conversations with many of the players. I can't make too many changes to the team in a short period of time. The key thing is that all of our players need to be united so that we can move forward. I have provided the players with a great deal of information during the week that they need to absorb and digest and look forward to us playing well in tomorrow's game."
Zhang Yuning added: "We've had a long gap since our last match but have recovered well and welcomed a new coach on board. In the last three games we have shown good form and we hope to keep it up tomorrow and welcome the new coach with a win while injecting confidence into ourselves."
Reporter's question: "What changes do you think this week's training has brought to the team?" Stanley responded, "Having just taken over the team, if you rush to introduce too many new elements, it takes time for the players to get used to it, and the process is full of twists and turns, not overnight. For a week's time, I certainly can't make too many changes to the team, but I do try to improve the level of the team. The key is that the players and I need to understand each other and reach a consensus. A change of manager in the middle of the season will inevitably require a period of mutual adaptation, and I'm confident we'll do well."
The reporter continued the question, "While watching the reserve team training, did you find any good young players? Who is expected to feature in the upcoming games?" Stanley said, "With so many things going on this week, I did watch the reserve team training twice and got to know most of the players in the team. Of course, it's been a long time since we've seen each other and their abilities need to be seen further."
The reporter pressed, "Do you feel that the standard of the reserve team players you have brought before has improved?" Stanley replied, "I have taken some young players but it has been two years since I have seen them and I have heard that they have improved, but I need to observe further."
The reporter asked, "How many young players in the current squad fit your tactical requirements?" Stanley responded, "I think it's vital to get young players on the pitch at the right time because it's about how they present themselves. Young players have to be confident when they come on the pitch and that's where the timing is important. They still need to be well prepared and we as coaches need to help them. It's not just my responsibility alone, it's a responsibility shared by the whole team. For example, at Ajax in Europe, young players are usually brought on when the team is ahead by a large margin, such as a 4-0 lead over the opposition. If the team is in a difficult situation, switching to young players may be detrimental to them. This view is held by our whole team, so it is the best time to wait until the team has a good result before giving the young players a chance, provided they are all ready."
Finally, a reporter asked Zhang Yuning, "How do you feel about facing your hometown team?" Zhang Yuning said, "First of all, I'm glad to see Zhejiang finally return to the Chinese Super League stage after years of hibernation, congratulations to them. I've always followed them, including when I was abroad. I hope both sides can give a great game tomorrow and we will highly value this opponent."
