Fit-again Hao sets sights on Premiership prize with Blades

【趣味英语】春节小知 世界节日（1）Spring

SHEFFIELD, England: Veteran Chinese striker Hao Haidong believes he can force his way into Sheffield United's first team and help the English club win promotion to the Premiership.

Hao has been at Bramall Lane since February after a January transfer window move from Dalian Shide.

But he failed to break into the first team as the Blades finished last season 8th in the Championship, two spots off a promotion play-off place.

After working hard on his fitness, Hao now believes he is ready to show his new employers what he is capable of.

"When I first arrived at the club, I hadn't been training for three months, so it was quite difficult to play," the 34-year-old said.

"Now, after training for several months, my fitness has returned and it will be no problem for me to play in competitive matches.

"I will get in the first-team, there's no doubt about that. I hope I can do very well this season and score the goals to help the club win promotion. The most important hope for me is that Sheffield United win promotion to the Premiership."

Despite speaking very little English and having to rely on an interpreter, Hao insists he has not found it difficult to settle in.

"The first time I came here was in 1996 when the Chinese national squad came to prepare for a World Cup qualifier," he says.

"I thought then that the English culture wouldn't cause a problem for me if I had an opportunity to join a club here. I left my home town at the age of 10 to pursue a career in football, so it was nothing new for me to have to settle into a new area."

As well as playing, Hao is involved in coaching at the Sheffield United academy, helping develop the clubs young players alongside United's famously outspoken manager, Neil Warnock.

"Neil Warnock is a very famous manager in English football and I have watched him closely. I've watched him issue instructions to the players and arrange the schedule for the team, so there are a lot of things I can pick up. I want to learn from him and add to my experience."

Sheffield United have forged links in China and Hao believes more of his countrymen will follow the path taken by himself, Manchester City's Sun Jihai and Everton's Li Tie.

"I think more and more Chinese players will come to England to play," he predicts.

Later this week, Sheffield United embark on an 11-day pre-season tour of China and Hao is looking forward to the experience.

"I'm very excited because it will be the first time I've represented a foreign club, playing in China. There won't be many chances to do this in the future, so its something I'm very much looking forward to.

"There are a lot of people, including football fans and the media, who are paying a lot of attention to the tour. English football has changed a lot and they want to see how big the change is. They want to see the ability of the Sheffield United players.

"If you had asked someone in China last year about Sheffield United, they would have said, 'Who's that?' But Sheffield United are getting very famous in China due to my presence. If you asked them about Sheffield United now, they would say, Sheffield United is Hao Haidong's team."

That is a state of affairs that Hao expects to continue for some time.

"My contract lasts for three years and I want to put in full effort as a player during that time. I'll then convert from a player to a coach, which may take another few years, so I'll be staying for as long as possible."