Shanghai owner plays alongside Anelka
Reuters - Thursday 31 May 2012, 12:29
Shanghai Shenhua's flamboyant
owner Zhu Jun fielded himself alongside striker Nicolas Anelka
during a friendly match on Thursday.
The 45-year-old Chinese internet tycoon donned the number 11
jersey and played for the first half of the game against
Argentina CN Sports Football Club in a frontline partnership
with Anelka.
Zhu stole the limelight from newly appointed head coach
Sergio Batista, the former Argentina manager who did not take
charge of the game and instead chose to watch from the terraces.
The partnership with former France international Anelka
ended when Zhu was substituted at half-time after missing some
good chances.
The game ended 1-1 with Anelka having a penalty saved in the
second half.
Batista was appointed head coach on a six-month deal on
Wednesday to replace sacked Frenchman Jean Tigana.
Batista wants to sign Chelsea's Ivorian striker Didier
Drogba, who helped the London club win the Champions League, but
Zhu remained tight-lipped when asked whether he was confident on
Drogba's transfer to his club.
"That is a good question. But I won't tell you today," he
said.
Shanghai, who are ninth in the Chinese Super League, fired
Tigana in April after a poor start to the season and replaced
him with interim coach Jean-Florent Ibenge.
Batista will formally take charge of the side in a friendly
against South African side Moroka Swallows on Sunday.
Chinese clubs have splashed out on big name foreign managers
and players to try to raise the profile of domestic football.
League leaders Guangzhou Evergrande this month appointed
Italy's former World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi after
sacking South Korean Lee Jang-soo.