Shandong Taishan's confidence has not been shaken despite successive losses in the Gift Cup and Super Cup. As the Chinese Super League was about to kick off, the club held its annual Mount Tai tradition as scheduled.
This year's Tarzan Mountaineering event was particularly notable compared to previous seasons, as Tarzan has undergone a sea change this season. Last season's core players were absent from the mountaineering event for some reason. At the same time, Taishan brought in a bunch of new blood during the winter transfer period, who made their debut in the mountaineering activity and showed their style to the fans.
Mountaineering activities came to an end, Shandong Taishan Club then announced seven new players: Tong Lei, Sun Guowen, Liu Shibo, Huang Zhengyu, Hu Jinghang, Li Yuanyi and naturalized player Fernando.
The seven newcomers, all of whom have completed their registration for the Chinese Super League, harbor hopes of being favored by head coach Hao Wei to be among Taishan's starting lineup in the 2023 season.
Among the seven new recruits, Tong Lei and Fernando received the most attention. As the first domestic player to join Taishan, Tong Lei's transfer path was quite bumpy due to the complicated relationship with Dalian People's Club. Until the closing of the winter transfer window, Taishan officially signed Tong Lei, during which the club and the player himself made great efforts.
The addition of naturalized player Fernando has attracted the attention of many fans. Fernando has not been involved in regular training or matches for nearly two years since he was injured in the 2021 national team training, and has been on vacation in Brazil for a long time. Despite his questionable form, the 30-year-old is expected to be back in action in Chongqing if he recovers positively. Given Wu Xinghan's recent negative press, Fernando is expected to be Taishan's first choice for left winger this season.
Both Tong Lei and Sun Guowen have the strength to be the team's starters, and as active international players, their abilities should not be underestimated. At present, what they need is the tacit cooperation with their new teammates. The addition of Li Yuanyi, Huang Zhengyu, Hu Jinghang and Liu Shibo has strengthened Taishan's bench. Once the main players fluctuate, they will be able to step up in time.
Compared to the new Chinese Super League champions Wuhan Sanzhen and traditional giants Beijing Guoan, Taishan's reinforcements this season do not seem to be a success, with the strength and popularity of the players slightly lower. However, under the financial pressure of the club, it is not easy to successfully bring in a number of players with immediate potential. If Coach Hao Wei can skillfully utilize these new recruits to fill the vacancies of the main players, Taishan is still expected to be a strong contender for the Chinese Super League title this season...
