The off-season has come and gone quietly, but the Chinese Super League's dominant Guangzhou team has chosen to keep a low profile. Up to now, they have not attracted reinforcements in a big way, instead, they are continuing to export players, and 10 players have successfully returned to the team.
In the new season, Guangzhou's strategic focus will be on the development of young players. Kasai made it clear that although the title race may not be as fierce in the 2021 season, developing young players is just as much fun.
However, young players cannot be developed without experienced veterans to lead them. With Paulino not returning to the team, Zhang Linpeng recovering from injury, and Zheng unable to play the full 90 minutes per game, who can take on the leadership role?
As things stand, 41-year-old senior captain Zheng Zhi is struggling to maintain his 90-minute playing time and will only see his playing time diminish year after year. Last season, in Zheng Zhi's absence, Paulino had become the regular captain on the field.
Paulino has been confirmed to miss the first phase of the new season and there is no clear word on when he will return to the team. In the order of last season, the third captain will be Zhang Linpeng.
Zhang Linpeng has been the core player of Guangzhou Evergrande since joining the team in the 2011 season. In the absence of Paulino, Zhang is expected to be the first captain on the field, but he is still recovering from his injury and his ability to play in the first stage will depend on his recovery.
If all three are unavailable, who can be the leader on the field? Apart from them, Huang Bowen is the most senior player in the Guangzhou team, having served as the field captain and even the national football team captain. He can hold his own in the Guangzhou team, which now still has a veteran holding on, the 33-year-old former national soccer midfielder Huang Bowen.
For Guangzhou fans, Huang Bowen's name is not unfamiliar. This player has twice led Guangzhou Evergrande to the throne of the Asian Championship, and is also the most senior veteran player in the current Guangzhou team, experiencing the Evergrande dynasty.
Among the same group of Evergrande players, Gao Lin has left for Shenzhen Football Club, and Zheng Zhi's midfield partner has gradually changed into the team's assistant coach, in a half-player, half-retirement state. In addition, Yu Hanchao, Zeng Cheng and Feng Xiaoting have also moved to Shanghai Shenhua, and the "No. 1 defender" Li Xuepeng and veteran Zhang Linpeng have been plagued by injuries. Therefore, as the new season is about to start, Huang Bowen has become the most senior player in the Guangzhou team, leading a group of young players to fight in the Chinese Super League.
When this Hunan "Saeki" came to Evergrande from Jeonbuk Hyundai, he was only 24 or 5 years old. Under the leadership of the veterans, he gradually grew up and was honored with the title of "International Bo" for scoring many international goals.
I believe a healthy Huang Bowen is fully capable of captaining the Guangzhou team, and I look forward to Paulino's early return, Zhang Linpeng's early recovery, and Zheng Zhi's successful transition! Guangzhou will have another successful season!
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