Today, four years later, Zhejiang Football Club officially signed a three-year home agreement with Huanglong Stadium. According to Soccer Daily, Zhejiang Club's equity transformation is struggling, but one of its core pursuits is to achieve a quantum leap in performance through self-financing and operational management.
Club executives admitted that the decision to give up Huzhou as the home field was not easy. Huzhou's support and sincere cooperation over the years has warmed the club's heart. However, from a holistic perspective, the club seeks a solid platform that can support its sustainable development. In addition, they are also determined to reward the fans who have supported them for a long time, and this determination has not wavered, whether it is during the period of the Central League or now when they return to Huanglong.
Zhejiang Club's first task after its return is two-pronged: on the one hand, it is to improve the attendance rate of home spectators in the next three years; on the other hand, it is to significantly improve the club's self-supporting ability and operational standards. These two tasks for the club, is undoubtedly a serious test. The first is the issue of spectator attendance. Given Zhejiang's long history of being at the bottom of China's First Division, the club will have to adapt to the new competition system and deal with the reality of relocating its home stadium to Hangzhou upon its return to the Chinese Super League. Fundamentally, despite the club's long history, there is still a large gap in the number of loyal fans compared to the Chinese Super League giants; and the key to improving home attendance lies in the club's sound operation, with stable results being the basis for financial security and an efficient management team.
The biggest challenge facing Zhejiang Club is the tight capital chain. After the withdrawal of Greentown, new shareholders have not yet emerged, and the process of equity transformation is slow. In the absence of further guidance from the provincial government, the only shareholder, Zhejiang Energy, is also unable to independently bear the operating expenses of the new season. As a result, the Zhejiang team did not make significant upgrades in staffing, and the introduction of internal and external reinforcements is mostly based on free transfers or low rental fees.
Fortunately, Coach Jordy has brought a radical change to the Zhejiang team in the past few seasons, and even the existing players are able to show a modern style of soccer that is entertaining to watch. In order to attract more spectators, Qiaodi will work closely with the club. He not only focuses on the results of the matches, but also takes the fans' experience into consideration during training and matches.
