Hard work pays off for Hong Kong’s Jack Sealy in China cauldron with Oscar and Carlos Tevez

Ask the majority of professional players, and they will tell you of their dislike for preseason, with long fitness sessions designed to prepare players for the gruelling season ahead.

But for Hong Kong international Jack Sealy it was time to prove that he deserved a place in Changchun Yatai’s team for a new Chinese Super League season that would offer the potential of coming up against big-money summer signings Oscar and Carlos Tevez to name just two.

And for the former Hong Kong Football Club, Sun Hei and South China midfielder, the hard work paid off as Sealy started Changchun’s opening two games of the 2017 season, having only managed six appearances the previous year following his move north.

“I was new last year and I was trying to get to grips with the standard because it was a jump for me, and also the coaching staff changed half way through the season, and I had a couple of small injuries throughout the year which set me back a little bit,” said Sealy.

“Preseason this year has given me a chance to have some games and given the coach a chance to try me out in a couple of new positions and he is obviously happy with what I am doing. As long as I can keep doing what we wants and listening to his instructions, then hopefully it stays how it is.”