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China's Zheng Zhi celebrates during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup round of 16 match win over Thailand. Photo: Xinhua
SportFootball

Guangzhou FC’s Zheng Zhi back as Fabio Cannavaro’s No 2 after 48 days as GM

  • Long-time China captain, 40, returns to player-assistant manager role under Italian ahead of new Chinese Super League season
  • Club confirm name change from Guangzhou Evergrande as per new rules dropping corporate names
Chinese Super League
Jonathan White
Jonathan White
Why you can trust SCMP
Guangzhou FC, as Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evegrande have renamed themselves in accordance with new regulations, have announced the demotion of GM Zheng Zhi to assistant manager.
The longtime China captain, 40, was promoted to the role of general manager from assistant manager after the last CSL season, in which the Guangzhou side finished second to champions Jiangsu Suning.
It was confirmed in December that Zheng would report directly to the chairman and Evergrande Real Estate mogul Xu Jiayin with the head coach – Fabio Cannavaro – reporting to the former China captain

Now after just 48 days, Zheng has returned to the player-assistant manager role he was handed last summer ahead of the delayed CSL season, which saw its format changed and the games held in a bubble.

Zheng’s move back to assistant comes alongside the news that Cannavaro will be back at the club, ending speculation over the Fifa World Cup winner’s future.

Aside from missing out on the CSL title, Cannavaro’s side also crashed out of the AFC Champions League group stage in Doha, Qatar.

Cannavaro waiting on US$30 million payout: reports

The disappointing season – the club’s first without a trophy in a decade – led to reports that the Italian would leave the club while fans called on the board to sack him.

However, he flew back to China earlier this month ahead of the new season. Zheng has been reported to take control of the club’s preseason training camp in Guangzhou as Cannavaro will be in quarantine.

Zheng played for Charlton Athletic in the English Premier League in the 2006-7 season before moving to Scottish giants Celtic.

China captain Zheng celebrates after the Fifa World Cup 2018 qualification win over South Korea at Helong Stadium in Changsha in 2017. Photo: EPA

He returned to China in 2010 and signed for then second tier side Guangzhou, helping them to promotion in his first season and then winning eight CSL titles in the next 10 seasons.

On Friday, mainland media reported that the club had confirmed its new name of Guangzhou FC to the National Equities Exchange and Quotations.

Chinese clubs have to change their names to remove sponsors ahead of the new season.

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