Shanghai Shenhua footballer Duwei.[qianlong.com]
Shanghai Shenhua's troubled defender1 Du Wei relented yesterday and said that he would accept the club's decision to relegate2 him to the reserves team.
I haven't and will not dispute the club's decision, Du said, reading from a prepared statement at the team's Kangqiao training complex in Pudong yesterday.
As pointed3 out by the club leaders, I accept that I haven't met the first team standard in training and in matches recently, which justifies4 their stand.
Du had been defiant5 since the club announced its stand last week.
The Chinese international, who started five of the six games that Shenhua played so far this season, claimed in his personal blog that he had done nothing wrong and questioned the legitimacy6 of the club's action.
Shenhua officials declined to clarify yesterday when Du would be reinstated in the first team.
Domestic media has speculated that the 25-year-old defender has been a victim of internal squabbles within the club. Shenhua was merged7 with crosstown rival Shanghai United FC after United owner Zhu Jun bought out the controlling stakes in the club two months ago. The merger8 was greeted with hostility9 by Shenhua players who were clearly unhappy with the arrival of new bunch of players.
Shenhua's diehard fans have vociferously10 protested against the punishment meted11 out to Du - seen as a leader in the Shenhua ranks - during the side's Chinese Super League match against Wuhan Guanggu last Sunday.
Du's about-turn however did not assuage12 the fans.
Obviously, he was forced to accept the ruling, read one post on the online forum13 of Blue Devil, Shenhua's biggest supporter group. It makes no sense and we will continue to protest.
