In the two matches against Wuhan Sanzhen, the Harbor team conceded all three goals due to headers from their opponents, exposing the weakness of their backline against high balls.
Harbour recently introduced Jiang Guangtai, who is known for his toughness, and this move has undoubtedly strengthened the team's backline, especially in the defense of overhead kicks, and the team's performance no longer looks thin. In the 14th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL), Jiang Guangtai's personal breakout stats reached 32, ranking 21st in the CSL. Considering that he has only played 8 games, this is not an easy achievement, and his frontal defense and header breakout ability is trustworthy.
A low-cost choice for an international player
In my opinion, the introduction of Jiang Guangtai to the Harbour is more like a successful "Taobao" operation. 2022 season of the Chinese Super League as a whole is not performing well, many clubs are facing salary arrears, especially Guangzhou Evergrande, in the context of the cash flow crisis of the parent company Evergrande Group, the investment in soccer has been cut drastically.
As a result, the non-blooded naturalized internationals that Evergrande initially signed at any cost have now released from their contracts and returned to Brazil, even though they still retain their Chinese citizenship. Unlike Brazilian players such as Elkeson, Aloisio, Fernando and Allan, Jiang Guangtai was born in England, has Chinese roots and does not earn a high annual salary. Guangzhou Evergrande did not initially terminate his contract outright.
Since the start of the season, Guangzhou Evergrande has been unable to pay Jiang Guangtai's annual salary, and he eventually chose to appeal to the CFA to apply for arbitration. According to FIFA regulations, as long as a player is owed wages by his club for more than three months, the player can apply for arbitration to obtain free agency. After Jiang Guangtai finally became a free agent, the wealthy Shanghai Harbor team extended an olive branch, and the two sides hit it off.
In recent years, the Harbour team has brought in domestic players, almost exclusively using the free transfer strategy, which requires the payment of a player's signature fee but not the payment of a hefty transfer fee. Whether it's Buy Tijiang, Li Ang, or Feng Jin, Xu Xin, all joined through free transfers. The introduction of free agent Jiang Guangtai, the harbor also only need to pay the annual salary of the player and the signature fee, without having to pay the transfer fee.
Initial operation of non-blood naturalization, Guangzhou Evergrande did pay a sky-high signing fee, settlement fee, the original group of foreign aid is willing to join the Chinese nationality, the cost is not expensive. In contrast, the introduction of the harbor has joined the Chinese nationality of Jiang Guangtai, is undoubtedly a "pick up".
Nurturing talent for the country and reshaping the defense of the national football team
In February 2019, the team was still called Shanghai SIPG, and the club chairman Chen Xuyuan. This year, the Chinese Super League clubs operating naturalized players in the dark current, Liberation Daily - Shangguan News has asked Chen Xuyuan: "SIPG will not engage in naturalized players?"
Chen Xuyuan replied at the time, "Some people have discussed with me many times before, hoping that Hong Kong to do the naturalization of foreign players, but I am not in favor of this kind of idea. China's national football team wants to be successful, but we have to be down-to-earth and do a good job for ourselves, not to take too many shortcuts, and not to think that the success brought by shortcuts will last. Of course, if there are suitable naturalized players, such as those with Chinese blood, I think this is a choice that can be made."
Three years have passed and things have changed. Chen Xuyuan is now the president of the Chinese Football Association, Shanghai SIPG has changed its name to Shanghai Harbour, and the team has welcomed its first naturalized player in its history: Jiang Guangtai. Formerly known as Browning, Jiang Guangtai came from Everton's youth training system in the English Premier League, and his grandfather Jiang Yingrong was a native of Meige Village, Shadu Town, Xinhui District, Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province.
Three years ago, the State General Administration of Sports, the Chinese Football Association and other relevant parties to promote the naturalization project, betting on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and ultimately the impact of the failure of the naturalized international footballer's future hangs in the balance. Elkeson and other naturalized international players have returned to their original home country of Brazil, but after not getting the astronomical annual salary, whether they are willing to continue to play for the Chinese national team, still need to put a question mark. At the same time, this batch of non-blood international players over the peak period, initially get naturalized super big contract, the athletic state obviously decline, the future can meet the requirements of the national football coaching team, is also an unanswered question.
In contrast, Jiang Guangtai is only 28 years old this year and is expected to represent China's national soccer team to fight in the next World Cup Asian qualifiers. Because a long time is owed wages, Jiang Guangtai previously in Guangzhou Evergrande team many times as a substitute, training is not too systematic, which is not a good thing for the future of the national soccer team to send a letter. Now Jiang Guangtai change the proprietor, harbor team completed the national football defense line replica: goalkeeper Yan Junling, center back Jiang Guangtai partner Zhang Linpeng, side back Li Ang, Wang Shenchao, etc., the defense line manpower is quite rich.
It must be admitted that the harbour team introduced Jiang Guangtai, more or less also have taken over the Evergrande "for the country to raise soldiers" baton meaning. As the only Chinese naturalized international footballer to stay, Jiang Guangtai's sense of belonging, hard power there, when Guangzhou Evergrande has no money, the naturalized international footballer can't feel at ease to play football, which will also involve his performance in the national team. Through the introduction, it can strengthen its own formation, the price is not expensive, but also to ensure that the naturalized international footballer has no worries, which should be a kind of operation idea of the harbour club with the support of financial soundness.
