Shanghai Shenhua preparing for possible CSL kickoff in June: coach

Beijing, April 26 (IANS) Shanghai Shenhua is holding a training camp to prepare for the coronavirus-delayed new season of the Chinese Super League (CSL), which head coach Choi Kang-Hee expects to kick off at the middle or end of June.

With the Covid-19 pandemic petering out in China, all CSL sides have began to prepare for the 2020 campaign though its beginning date remains undecided, reports Xinhua news agency.

“We suppose the CSL could start at the middle or end of June. We are making preparations for that,” Choi was quoted as saying by the Chinese Television on Saturday.

Shenhua held a pre-season training camp in January before the novel coronavirus broke out, forcing the delay of the CSL new season which had originally been scheduled to start on February 22. “We did some physical fitness training in January. And last week, when our players came back from holidays, we started over again on the fitness training,” said Choi.

“We have to keep the players in good shape for the new season,” he added.

It turns out hard for the players to prepare for an uncertain campaign.

“The pre-season training is very demanding. As we still have no idea of the beginning date of the CSL, it is possible that we will have more pre-season training camps like this,” said Shenhua defender Feng Xiaoting.

–IANS

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