Chinese Phoenix signing will use brains to beat brawn
Gao arrived in Wellington today and was straight off to Newtown Park to watch his new teammates being put through a pre-season training session.
The attacking midfielder returns to New Zealand after a brief but notable stint with the ill-fated Knights in 2006/2007.
Through an interpreter, Gao said today he was pleased to be back in New Zealand and keen to mould his game to suit the A-League.
He said the style of soccer in the league was significantly different - and a step up - from China, where he played for Super League club Beijing Guoan before a recent stint in Finland%26#39;s premier league.
Gao, 27, was aware of his comparatively slight frame. He admitted he could pump iron all day and never obtain the physical presence of many of the players in the A-League, but would work around any issues that may present on the field.
That would involve using his %26quot;technique and brain%26quot; to their full extent.
He said there were murmurs from coaches and the media in China that he should have been made an international in that country by now, but the fact that had not happened was not of huge concern.
%26quot;I%26#39;m focusing on how to improve the general standard of football in China. That%26#39;s more important than being a member of the national team,%26quot; he said.
Gao also talked up the New Zealand beef and lamb he tried when he lived in Auckland while at the Knights.
He said it was so good it could replace Chinese food and that it made sense to eat it if he was to give himself any chance of bulking up for the season, starting in August.
While difficult to tell whether or not Gao%26#39;s tongue was in his cheek, he indicated his interest in taking some of his skills back to China further down the track went beyond soccer.
%26quot;He said he%26#39;s interested in other business in New Zealand that could be transferred to China, for example, sheep shearing,%26quot; his interpreter said.
%26quot;Very fast,%26quot; Gao said as he mimicked a shearer.
Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert, who coached Gao for five matches at the Knights, said today he was excited to secure him on a one-year contract.
He said he would have liked to have done so earlier if it had been possible.
%26quot;I think his pace is technically very good, he%26#39;s a great crosser of the ball.%26quot;
Herbert said he also had a sought-after ability to cross well from left-field and wasn%26#39;t too concerned about Gao%26#39;s lack of size, saying it shouldn%26#39;t pose too many problems.
%26quot;I don%26#39;t think so. I think you%26#39;ve always got to try and get that balance right.
%26quot;When you look through the league there%26#39;s probably a few like him from that point of view. But I%26#39;m delighted to get him, I think he%26#39;ll add a new dimension to what we had last year.%26quot;
Herbert said the buildup to the A-League was longer this year and a yet to be finalised tour to China in June would do the team plenty of good in terms of preparation.
He said, as with all clubs, the plan early in the year was to aim for the final four play-offs in the A-League.
%26quot;I think everyone has a desire to part of that.%26quot;
