BEIJING, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Guangzhou FC head coach Zheng Zhi says the club's veteran players, including himself, are shaking off the rust to prepare to play for the struggling Chinese Super League club.
The Guangzhou club saw an exodus of established players, including striker Ai Kesen, Ricardo Goulart and Zhang Linpeng, before the start of this season, leaving a depleted team to face the new CSL campaign.
Zheng Zhi, former captain of the Guangzhou side, left the club at the end of last year to take up a teaching post at Guangzhou Sport University, but was called back and appointed head coach in mid-August to save the eight-time Chinese champions, who were struggling in the relegation zone.
Zheng is serving as a player-coach, as he remains registered on the team's list of players.
The 42-year-old former Charlton Athletic midfielder said he and fellow midfielder Huang Bowen, 35, who was considering retirement, are training hard to get fit enough to play.
"The veteran players are training physically and mentally in a systematic way to get ready to play," he said.
"When conditions permit, we will have a chance to play for sure," he said.
Guangzhou FC midfielder Yan Dinghao said the hardworking veterans are an inspiration for the younger players.
"They are regaining their match fitness at the fastest possible speed. They are a great help to the young players in training, giving them a lot of inspiration," the 24-year-old midfielder said.
Guangzhou FC, who currently sit third from bottom of the Chinese top flight, play at Changchun Yatai on Wednesday. ■
