Naturalized stars face uncertain future

Team China appears set to play the remainder of its World Cup qualifiers without the bulk of its naturalized contingent as the struggles of Guangzhou FC take their toll on the national program.

English-born Jiang Guangtai (aka Tyias Browning) is currently the only one of Team China's six naturalized players that has signed up for the remainder of the Chinese Super League season.

Strikers Alan and Ai Kesen (aka Elkeson) have returned to their native Brazil to spend time with their families, while their compatriot and Guangzhou FC teammate Luo Guofu (aka Aloisio) has announced he is leaving the financially stricken club. Fei Nanduo (aka Fernandinho), also of Guangzhou, is back in Brazil after sustaining an injury in May; Beijing Guo'an's English-born Li Ke (aka Nico Yennaris) is also sidelined following surgery in November.

"It's time to say goodbye. First of all, I would like to thank Guangzhou FC for everything the club has done for me over the past two and a half years. But every journey has its end, and I have reached the end of this journey," Luo Guofu wrote in Chinese on Weibo on Sunday.

"Wearing the jersey of the CSL's most-decorated club has been an honor. I want to thank the players, staff, fans and all the people who have contributed to the club. I'm grateful that Guangzhou FC helped me enter the national team, which has been a very happy experience for me.

"In the future, I will keep fighting to wear Team China's jersey. Thanks to all the Chinese fans who have been supporting me. I'm sure it won't be long before we meet again at Team China and CSL matches."

Eight-time CSL champion Guangzhou FC is currently mired in financial woes as a knock-on effect of the struggles of the club's parent company Evergrande Group.

In a sign of the CSL giant's money troubles, first-team veteran Zheng Zhi was appointed to the dual role of player-coach earlier this month, following the resignation of Italian head coach Fabio Cannavaro.

Titan Sports commentator Ma Dexing says Guangzhou FC is now facing a fight for survival, with first-team players set to contest the team's remaining CSL matches without payment.

"Even though Luo Guofu wants to stay in the CSL, his only option now is to return to Brazil－for a number of reasons," Ma wrote on his personal blog.

"The reason for all this uncertainty about the naturalized players is the high cost. Apart from the salaries, their translators and houses in China are all not cheap. Take Luo Guofu for example－it's not cheap to rent him a house in Guangzhou, and due to the language problem, the club also needs to hire a translator for him.

"And with the club simply struggling to operate on a daily basis, it's impossible to keep paying for the translator. So now it's very inconvenient for him to live in Guangzhou. And because he can't be paid, it's hard for him to keep playing in the CSL. So considering all these things, Luo Guofu has decided to return to Brazil."

In 2019, Li Ke became the first naturalized player to start a game for Team China, and soon more followed in the hope that the imports would boost the squad's chances of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.

However, a 1-1 draw with Australia on Nov 16 all but ended Team China's hopes of reaching the finals in Qatar.

With four games left to play, Team China sits fifth in the six-team Group B of Asian zone qualifying, six points off a third-place playoff spot－its last hope of advancing.

China's lackluster performances led to the resignation of head coach Li Tie, who, to the bewilderment and anger of many fans, used the naturalized players sparingly in his starting lineups.

The draw against the Aussies was the only time that Li started all four of the foreign-born contingent during the Group B campaign.

It remains to be seen how new coach Li Xiaopeng will utilize the naturalized stars.

"The next Team China training camp will very likely start on January 10. Jiang Guangtai is still playing in the CSL, so he will attend the training camp. But the three Brazilian-born naturalized players will probably miss the next training camp," read a commentary by Titan Sports.

"As per current regulations, they would need to quarantine for 14 days after returning to China, and they could then decide if they wanted to report to the national team. So whether these naturalized players will play for Team China in the remaining qualifiers is unclear."

According to Soccer News, even if the naturalized players wanted to return for Team China, finding a new CSL club to play for could be problematic－especially considering the pandemic and the league's strict new salary cap.

"The current situation and injuries of the naturalized players are not favorable to the new head coach of Team China," read the Soccer News commentary.

"On top of that, the coaching abilities of Li Xiaopeng are something of an unknown factor."