In the first four rounds of this season's Chinese Super League, Hebei achieved an undefeated record of two wins and two draws, a result that surprised many people. The performance of the captain Zhang Chengdong is especially critical, he returned to the team as the sea god pin, so that the team is more calm and tough, he joined the team to bring more stability and confidence.
Facing a question, Zhang Chengdong said: "Back in Suzhou again, we still live in Building 2, which makes us feel more at ease. We had a good result here last year, making the top four. Although I didn't come to the second stage, I watched the team play and everyone gave their best. We are more comfortable here, and compared to the unfamiliarity we felt when we first arrived last year, this year we are very familiar with it and it feels easy to come back to this environment."
Talking about the experience of treatment in Germany, Zhang Chengdong said: "Due to the epidemic, it is more difficult to leave the country, I was holding the determination to go to surgery. But I didn't expect that after arriving in Germany, the doctor thought that my leg cartilage condition didn't need surgery and I could do a conservative treatment to repair the medial collateral ligament. This made me very happy to be able to return to the team soon, in time for the start of the league season. Coming back home from abroad, I went through a four-week isolation period. In the latter part of the period I was stocking up on fitness because of the muscle atrophy that occurs after playing fixed for a long time and have been rehabilitating. The three weeks of training with the team before the start of the league was a bit of a rushed preparation, but it's great to be back to help the team."
Talking about the changes brought by the new coach, Zhang Chengdong said: "The tactical layout of the Korean coaching staff is different from before, and we are all trying to adapt to the style and playing style of the head coach. Although the first two games of the league did not look as good as imagined on the field, but I think it all takes time and process, after all, the head coach came late, we are all actively cooperating with each other to understand each other, and then give positive advice, we all hope that the team can get on track as soon as possible to determine the playing style."
Regarding the cultivation of the team's young players, Zhang Chengdong said: "The team has introduced many young players with potential this year, and they are all very hardworking and strong. Players like us, the post-80s, need to communicate more with the young players to help them adapt to the team, to the high-tempo, high-intensity training and matches. We will remind them that this is just training, not yet a league. Their future development must be to try to adapt to the rhythm of the league and strive to enter the national team and consider a higher platform. These are the things we should keep instilling in our young players and should not let them be limited to the club level, hoping that they can progress quickly and contribute to the national team."
Talking about the return of foreign aiders, Zhang Chengdong said: "The role of foreign aiders in the Chinese Super League is very big, so we are very lucky to have four foreign aiders in the team before the start of the league. Like Memishevic, Cernus, including myself came back late and didn't practice with the team for a long time. Like Malcolm had a little bit of a minor injury before the first game, but as long as they can get back into good shape and play, it will help the team a lot, improve the speed of offense and defense, and make the game more exciting."
Talking about his reading habits, Zhang Chengdong said, "The books he read recently include Sequential Blossoms, about why the Tibetan people are happier, and how they have a high index of mass happiness despite the fact that their material living conditions are not as developed as ours in the city. There is also a biography of Zeng Guofan, about the life of Zeng Guofan."
On the change of this year's system, Zhang Chengdong said: "This year's system is different from last year, next year the league will expand, the pressure is not as big as last year. Last year, the equivalent of the first stage of only 14 rounds of matches, there will be some different situations, perhaps the first stage even if the performance is not good, the second stage can play well can be relegated. This year is the full league, or look at the stability of the team and the situation within the team and the quality of training, the return to a league format, the pressure on the team is not as great as last year."
Talking about the team's name change to Hebei, Zhang Chengdong said: "As a player of Hebei nationality, this makes me feel very proud. The team is now called the Hebei team, the team logo on the establishment of the time is also 2009, when I also represent this team to play the National Games, then teammates and now in Shenhua Wu Xi. When I come to this team, I will definitely inject my own feelings into it, and I also have the responsibility to make this team better and better. In the warm-up match before the league trip, the secretary of Langfang Municipal Party Committee came to Langfang Stadium to visit the team and cheer the whole team, which gave us a lot of intangible motivation and confidence. I hope the Hebei team, everyone in our court, will be happy and that the team will get good results."
Zhang Chengdong said: "Thank you very much for their support, Hebei fans are now very happy, not only our Hebei team, there are Cangzhou team, there are currently two Chinese Super League teams in the soil of Hebei, Hebei fans, as well as some of the young players from Hebei is very good. As a player, we will cherish it, especially like I come from Hebei, there are two teams from Hebei in the Chinese Super League, we should cherish it, and bring up Hebei soccer, so that more children from Hebei can play soccer. I hope Hebei fans come to cheer for us, whether it's for Hebei or Cangzhou, both teams from Hebei, we have to be united and push Hebei soccer to a high point in history, which is our idea as Hebei-born players."
Talking about the expectations of the new season, Zhang Chengdong said: "Now played two games, I am in the position of the side back, I hope to use their own experience first more in the defense to give the team help, and then in the position of the side back to the team's offense to bring more help. I hope the team can play our level in this year, more performance of the coach's style characteristics, more to give the young players some help, but also expect them to grow quickly, more accumulation of experience in the Chinese Super League."
Talking about the leader Lang Zheng's help, Zhang Chengdong said: "Last year we have more pressure, Lang will often give us some regulation in the atmosphere, he will communicate with the players and coaches to play the role of the beginning and end, I hope the team to maintain a good atmosphere, with a positive mentality to face the game. The previous year's format was more stressful for us, and this year the team has many young players, and Lang will often give them some help to keep up with the team's pace. He will actively create a good atmosphere for the veterans, young players and coaches to get along with each other. When we are training and playing, our logistic support staff will also do a good job for us, and we will work together with one heart, hoping to get good results this year."
Talking about the future planning, Zhang Chengdong said: "Now about me has not been too to this aspect to consider, I think that from these two games, despite their own half a year did not play football, but the physical condition to maintain a good, I still is expected to be in the Super League in the capacity of a player to play a few more years, cherish the player's career. As a player, must expect to make a breakthrough in results, this is what I think now."
