Van Bronckhorst brings feel-good factor for R&F

Giovanni van Bronckhorst's arrival at Guangzhou R&F was one of the few surprises of an otherwise dull winter transfer window, with the Dutch great aiming to deliver more cheer when the Chinese Super League season eventually kicks off.

The former Barcelona, Arsenal and Rangers star was appointed R&F's head coach in January, and is currently in the middle of a three-week training camp with his squad in Dubai, with the start of the new CSL season delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The 45-year-old, who goes by the nickname Gio, insists the players are already buying into his methods.

"I have to make sure we have the right tactics when we play against our opponents. This is what I'm here for," said van Bronckhorst, according to an R&F media release.

"It's my work and duty to show the players my vision of the game… So far, they are observing a lot of information. I can see the steps they are making. Every day we want to progress.

"It's my aim to get the information to the players and make sure they understand the message to develop the team and get the best out of them."

Guangzhou R&F hopes van Bronckhorst can significantly improve on last season's disappointing 12th-place finish in the 16-team CSL.

The former Dutch international, who succeeds Dragan Stojkovic in the R&F job, is familiar to Chinese fans since his playing days when his lethal left foot was instrumental in earning silverware for Arsenal and Barcelona, including the 2006 Champions League crown for the Camp Nou club. He earned 106 caps for the Netherlands and was a cornerstone of the team that finished runner-up to Spain in the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa.

Van Bronckhorst cut his teeth in management at Feyenoord, where he started and ended his playing career, in 2011 as an assistant coach. He steered the Rotterdam-based team to the 2016 Dutch Cup in his first full season in charge as head coach before winning the Eredivisie title the next year.

Van Bronckhorst parted ways with Feyenoord last year to pursue a new challenge and admits he is braced for a tough test in China.

"For me this is a new experience," he said. "If you asked me about the Dutch league, the English league or Spanish league, I know the teams, I know the players and I know the style of play.

"For me in China, it's different. I didn't see a lot of matches before. Now before the league starts, I will watch a lot of footage of the team playing. It's very important for me and my staff to prepare the team. It's very important to prepare ourselves to watch teams, players, tactics and systems."

The coach revealed that he has spent a lot time familiarizing himself with the names and faces of his new players, and it seems that effort has paid off.

"I think the new head coach is a true gentleman," said defender Tang Miao. "He really knows what his players are thinking. This is very important.

"He used to be a midfielder himself and then moved to leftback, so he focuses a lot on details. For example, sometimes he specifically requires players to pass the ball with their left foot or right foot."

It's still anyone's guess when the new CSL season will kick off, and van Bronckhorst reckons caution remains the correct policy for the authorities.

"For me the start of league is less important," he added. "What's more important is the health of our families, the players who live in China and also all over the world. Now the virus is spreading, so I think staying healthy is our main focus until it goes away."