China

Int'l wanted for Asian Cup warm-ups

By Coldness Kwan (Chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-03-09 11:37

As red-hot Chinese football internationals are in the thick of fight on European fields, their bosses in China now can't wait to get them back for the national duty.

Sources from the China Football Association (CFA) said the national soccer coach group had sent letters of recalling to the seven European clubs their wanted footballers are playing for through the association for the coming Asian Cup warm-up games late in March.

Charlton's Chinese international Zheng Zhi (middle) jumps to head the ball during Charlton's 4-0 win over West Ham United February 24, 2007. [sina]

Right-back Sun Jihai of Manchester city, left-back Sun Xiang of PSV Eindhoven, midfielder Zheng Zhi of Charlton, striker Dong Fangzhuo of Manchester United's, midfielder Shao Jiayi of Energie Cottbus, midfielder Li Tie of Sheffield United and Shi Jun in Sweden are on the name list of group training in run-up to the warm-ups.

China, No.9 in Asia, will play against second-ranked Australia in Guangzhou March 24 and fifth-placed Uzbekistan three days later.

March 24 is one of the international play days in 2007 designated by FIFA. Players with overseas clubs are allowed to be back for national duties on these days.

"We need the best lineup as the Asian Cup is nearing," said head coach Zhu Guanghu, "The Europe-experiencing national players will play key roles at the Cup so we must take every chance to get them trained with the rest of the team."

The head coach added Australia was also trying to recall their national players in Europe.

But is not sure whether the European clubs would let the Chinese internationals go. Delegation-threatened Manchester United received the letter asking for Sun Jihai Wednesday, yet with any response.

An insider with the national team worried the recall may yield little. "The fact is those clubs our internationals are playing for are not in a very good state. They need to safeguard what they had already got," he said, adding the date of their return remains unknown.

Some football fans said at online forums that it is unrealistic to call back all the Chinese internationals because they are now in different situations during their development abroad. Some said the national team should offer more positions to players from the nation's Olympic team.

The Olympic team had decided to train in Guangzhou late in March after Spain cancelled the plan for the team's training tour there, leaving door open for the national team to pick anybody it wants.

The national team will gather March 19 or 20 in Guangzhou to prepare for the warm-ups.