"I have observed that Zhang Yuning is a natural soccer talent and has actually been playing quite well since last year, however, he has yet to become the centerpiece of the attacking line, which was left on the shoulders of others during that time. However, in my eyes, Zhang Yuning is now the best striker in the country. As for Yu Dabao, he is the soul captain of the team, and his leadership qualities and role are unquestionable. Looking ahead, apart from Yu Dabao, there is also Ji Zhongguo, whose maturity I have always appreciated and whose shouting on the field is impressive."
"There is another player that must be mentioned, who when he first arrived I thought was not a high-profile player, but more of the type of role player that can come in or sit on the bench at any time, and that is Liu Huan. He had a perfect season this year and I am sure he will be a great asset to the team in the coming seasons as well."
Talking about the challenges faced this season, Bilic admitted: "Indeed, the Premier League is in such dire straits, and I've heard a lot about the problems at certain clubs, that it's natural for players to be unhappy. Any club will face such problems, and not getting paid is naturally unpleasant. As in the case of Guangzhou, at first we were all worried that they would not be able to participate in the tournament, but in the end we overcame the difficulties, showed solidarity and perseverance, and even ended the whole season with a third place finish. There is no other team in the entire league that did not break down mentally in such a difficult situation."
"In fact, after Suzhou, the Guoan team held a meeting and had several discussions during our time in Guangzhou, where we discussed the difficulties the team is currently facing, especially the financial challenges. I must commend the players for the determination we showed in the meeting, being able to put the difficulties behind us for the time being and focus on the game."
We collectively realize that the club is now facing difficulties and is in a difficult period. In the entire Chinese Super League, there are only four clubs in a relatively stable situation. The entire club management, including Mr. Zhou, are doing their best to solve the problem."
Finally, Bilic talked about his feelings about leaving Guoan, saying, "I feel that China is an amazing country and I personally regret not bringing my family here to experience that. In fact, when I was preparing to sign for Guoan a year ago, my plan was to bring my family to China and live here for a couple of years because China is a very good place to live. It's safe to say that I came to the right country, but not at the right time, to a great club, and again not at the right time. It's not that everything is bad for me here. Both in soccer and in my personal life, it may not have been what I originally expected, but I don't regret it at all, on the contrary, I love everyone I've met, I love this club and we've all done our best to be the best we can be."
"Beijing will always remain in my heart, thank you for all you have given me, bless this team and the fans, Guoan will always fight for the first place." (DD)
