On September 4, New Express interviewed Ding Haifeng, who looked back fondly on his career journey full of variables. Referring to the three years under the tournament system, Ding Haifeng confessed that his income was meager and life was not easy.
At the end of the 2017 season, Huaxia FC made a big move to bring in reinforcements, with their sights set on Argentine star Mascherano, who had lost his way at Barcelona, and R&F left-back Jiang Zhipeng. Ding Haifeng was seen as the ideal replacement for Jiang Zhipeng, however, he was caught up in the whirlwind of his transfer. Ding Haifeng revealed, "Since joining Huaxia in 2016, I never wanted to leave. I really don't want to leave, but accidents happen ......"
During his time with R&F, Ding Haifeng failed to live up to expectations and the club's record declined. Despite being one of the best in the team, he became the focus of criticism from fans. Ding Haifeng said, "When you really play well, people will not target you. On the contrary, the problem lies in yourself."
In 2018, Huaxia activated Ding Haifeng's buyout rights and brought him back to the team. Ding Haifeng was shocked to realize that his career seemed to be going through a transfer every two years: Shenzhen Football, Liao Football, Hebei Huaxia, Guangzhou R&F, week after week.
In the fall of 2021, most clubs in the Chinese Super League began to default on wages, with the exception of Shanghai Seaport. Hebei's arrears were the most serious, with domestic players not receiving their wages for up to three years. Ding Haifeng lamented, "After playing for three years, the wages were not paid much."
After the Hebei team was disbanded, Ding Haifeng was once tempted to quit. Persuaded by his family, he chose to stick it out. Before the transfer window closed, Ding Haifeng signed with China A team Shijiazhuang Kungfu, and is expected to help the team rise. Ding Haifeng said, "In China A, I easily hit six assists, ranking first on the assist list."
Despite the fact that the Chinese Super League scenery is no longer, Ding Haifeng still hopes to help the team return to the Chinese Super League through his own efforts. He thanked the Shijiazhuang fans for their understanding, "It's true that there was unpleasantness in the past, but I will repay the fans with better performance and help the team."
