Among the many Chinese Super League (CSL) clubs, Hebei is unique in that, so far, they have not yet started their winter (spring) training or even officially assembled. However, they have not minded being the lone brave ones. Presumably, Korean coach Kim Jong-woo will stay on, and he will take over the new Hebei team, compared with last season can be described as "ice and fire" - 2022, Hebei team plans to fully use young players.
Jin Jongfu has been coaching Hebei for a full season, and the team finished 8th in the league last season, which is not easy to do when the club is facing financial difficulties and even on the verge of bankruptcy. However, there has been no substantial progress on the equity restructuring that was expected to take place at the end of the season. At the same time, the Hebei club is also tightening its spending, and the winter training for the new season, which was scheduled to start on February 8, has been postponed for nearly two months. But looking back at China's third-tier league over the past year, this situation is not uncommon. In fact, the Hebei team only trained for a week in Sanshui, Guangdong before entering the second stage of the Chinese Super League. In the new year, it is feared that the team will continue to act in the same way if they want to continue to participate in the Chinese Super League, given the difficulties in operating the Niu Camel base properly. And as far as timing is concerned, head coach Kim Jong-woo just happened to be released from quarantine in late April.
According to this plan, Hebei will not be able to welcome a large number of players for trial like Tianjin Jinmen Tigers and Wuhan, because according to the current transfer rules, the window will be closed on the 15th of this month. However, this point in time is still crucial for Hebei, first of all because a number of key players in the team are looking for transfers. It is necessary for the two sides to reach a consensus as soon as possible on the previous dispute over unpaid wages and the subsequent solution.
"The Kid is the Kid", this is the subject that Jin Jongfu must face upon his return, even in the new season, Hebei will play in the Super League with a quasi-U25 squad. This is not an alarmist statement, and over the past few weeks, many players over the age of 25 in the team have been actively looking for a home. In addition to international player Wang Qiuming, who has been revealed and is in spring training with Tianjin, another international player, Yin Hongbo and Hu Rentian, are favored by Meizhou Hakka and Wuhan, respectively. In addition, Zhang Chengdong, Renhang and Zhao Yuhao, whose contracts are expiring, have confirmed transfers to Beijing Guoan, Wuhan Sanzhen and Henan Songshan Longmen, and Luo Senwen is also expected to renew his contract with Sanzhen. While Geng Xiaofeng and Feng Gang have become free agents, Lei Tenglong announced his retirement last winter. According to statistics, the only veterans left in the Hebei team for the new season are also Ding Haifeng, Pan Ximing and Zhang Junzhe, but Pan and Zhang had suffered serious injuries last year, of which Pan Ximing won't be able to come back until June this year. As for the young players group, Gao Huazhe has become a free agent, Zu Pengchao ready to join the Tianjin Jinmen Tigers, there are a number of U23 players will be expired in July this year, there is the possibility of leaving the team in the middle of the season.
With such a heavy loss in the local lineup, it's even harder to count on foreigners. Leonardo returned to Shandong Taishan and moved to Ulsan Hyundai, Cernus left at the end of his lease, Silva is a free agent, and the only remaining foreigner who still has a contract with the club, Memisevic, was recently confirmed to be leased to Beijing Guoan. At this point, there is no indication that Hebei are looking for foreign aid. In fact, when the foreign transfer window closes on the 15th, Hebei can only continue the practice of leasing foreign aid from other Chinese clubs last year if they want to continue to strengthen their team.
Even if the full rejuvenation is expected by the Hebei team. In fact, this is the club in the shareholding reform stalemate at the time of a helpless choice, at least the little boy in charge, means that the input cost will be greatly reduced. Head coach Kim Jong-woo is also very good at using newcomers, for example, in the last season, the rise of Mai Xuchen, Zhang Wei, Zhang Hui, Liao Wei and so on is well known. One of the main players told reporters, Kim Jong-woo led the team's biggest feature, is to cultivate young players, "he never gave that group of children pressure, is through a variety of encouragement to enhance confidence, so that they dare to play, the growth rate is very fast."
