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Fan Zhiyi Gives Palace Boss Smith A Taste for Cup Glory
Crystal Palace are relying on Fan Zhiyi to end their reputation as London's joke club, the London-based tabloid Sun said in London on Wednesday.
Chinese defender Fan has the job of halting Liverpool's strike force in the first leg of Palace's League Cup semi-final tonight.
And Eagles boss Alan Smith is enjoying his Chinese player so much, he wants to order another three.
The club have signed defenders Li Ming and Sun Jihai -- who has already had a stint at Selhurst Park -- for 2.8 million pounds from Dalian Shide.
They also hope to pinch Zhang Enhua, currently on loan at First Division rivals Grimsby. And it is the attitude of center-back Fan which has convinced Smith to go Oriental again.
Fan has endured a two-year rollercoaster ride after being brought to England by former Palace chief Terry Venables, along with Sun in 1998.
It all went pear-shaped as then-owner Mark Goldberg saw millions disappear down the drain, Venables make a hasty exit and the club fall into administration.
Smith, now in his second spell as Palace manger, said: "Fan epitomizes everything I want from a player. It took exceptional courage to travel halfway around the world to come here.
"He is the Chinese equivalent of David Beckham yet he was expected to train with terrible facilities and no proper kit.
"I'd love him to become the first Chinese player to appear in a cup final because he deserves any success going.
"When players arrive from aboard and don't speak the language they tend to be ignored - Fan has had to fight all these things. I don't think he'd ever seen anyone behaving like me when I lose it in a dressing room."
Fan, 30, admitted: "It was a difficult time for me, particularly when they had to sell Sun Jihai back to China and I was left on my own.
"It has taken me a long time to learn the language and there seemed to be so many problems for the club.
"But I never thought about leaving Palace. I was determined to do well in England and now the team seems to be doing well at last.
It has not been easy but now I am very happy to be a Crystal Palace player."
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