Interview with Hou Yu: In the second year of the captain of the Guangzhou team, he learned to deal with pressure

Reporter Wang Wei and intern reporter Huang Hao report This season, Hou Yu continued to help the team move towards higher goals as the captain of the Guangzhou team. In the home game with Dalian InBev, Hou Yu contributed a domineering cushion shot in the second half. It was a goal that became a classic moment for the team in this year's league.

Last month, this newspaper invited Hou Yu to come to the newspaper office to listen to him share the details of the Guangzhou team this season. During the interview, Hou Yu chatted with reporters while paying attention to the final of the Guangzhou U15 team in the Chinese Football Association Youth Football Championship (professional club U15 group). After witnessing his junior brother Wang Feinia score a goal that exceeded the score, the corners of Hou Yu's mouth rose slightly, as if he saw himself back then.

◆"Football": From the completion of relegation in the all-Chinese class last year, to the final third place in the Chinese League this year, and the suspense of overtaking continued to the last round, what changes do you think the team has made compared with last year?

Hou Yu: This year's tactical style is similar to last year, and the young players have grown up for another year, so it should be said that their abilities in all aspects have improved to a certain extent.

◆At the crucial stage of the end of the season, the team once saw the hope of overtaking, but in the end it failed to achieve this goal, what do you think the team could have done better?

We are still a relatively young team and we need more patience on the pitch. In the face of different styles of opponents, we need to deal with them in different ways, and we need to work harder in this regard, with a variety of changes to deal with them, if we can't do this, we will be anxious when we can't open the situation. It takes experience, it takes time, and then we need to be more patient.

◆You regretted crying after being drawn by Jiangxi at home, what do you think of this game?

The opponent was defending in depth and we played the same way we were, there was no better way to attack the opposition defence. Looking back now, I think we should have been more patient, drawing the opponent out first and then attacking, it might have been better. In a lot of games this season, the team has a rush mentality when there is no chance to score, and it takes time to develop and be more patient.

◆The team's morale was high after the home win over Dalian InBev, but then immediately after three consecutive draws, how did the team's mentality change in the process?

After playing Dalian InBev, I said in an interview that we couldn't open the champagne at half time because everyone realized that winning that game was just a little closer to our ultimate goal and didn't achieve our ultimate goal. Although we are all saying not to be overly optimistic about the game because of this victory, we may still underestimate the difficulties, which leads to a bit of anxiety and loss of patience in the game.

◆This season, young players such as Zhang Zhixiong, Bai Yutao, Wu Zitong, and Waili Kurban have begun to emerge, as a person who has come before, how do you see their growth?

This is their first season in the professional league and they are all capable enough to make such a good impression on the fans in their first season is the result of the efforts of these young players, not to mention the careful training of the club and the coaching staff. Now that they have a good start, they should cherish such a platform and starting point in the future, and strive to move towards the goal in their hearts, I think these future waves will definitely get better and better.

◆What are some of these young teammates that stand out to you?

I think every single one of them is very confident. Playing on the pitch is about having that kind of confidence in order to play to your abilities. As older players, we have a lot more experience and sometimes we interact with our teammates who are playing in the professional league for the first time this year, such as how to deal with some balls and how to control their mentality in some situations. At the technical level, they still need coaching guidance, and they also need to understand it themselves.

◆Football: This season when teams have picked up points against strong teams, which game was the most memorable for you?

Hou Yu: I think it was still the home game against Dalian InBev, and the confrontation was very fierce, and I remember that the ball didn't have much time to roll on the grass, and the ball flew around in the air most of the time. At that time, everyone was very cautious and pushed the ball forward in case of emergency. Also, it was the first time I had played a game of this kind and playing under this pressure was a special experience and very helpful to improve my ability to work under pressure.

◆You scored four goals this season and scored a world wave in a crucial match against Dalian InBev, what factors have improved your performance in attack?

On the one hand, because of the formation, I am more advanced this year than last year; On the other hand, my teammates have helped me a lot in terms of running, taking a lot of pressure off for me, so that I can focus on what I am good at, such as Liao Jintao is a very key figure for us on the field, as well as Zhang Zhixiong, Wang Junyang, etc., they have given me a lot of help. Anyway, it's the strength of the team that has allowed me to do the way I have this year, and when the opportunity arises, if I had the idea of shooting, I would have been decisive and I might have chosen to pass the ball before. It's the strength of this team that has allowed us to perform like this year.

◆This year, you formed the "iron triangle" of midfield with Liao Jintao and Zhang Zhixiong, what are your respective divisions of labor on the field?

The coach's requirement is to attack and defend all the time, so there is no too detailed division of labor, the three of us fill each other's positions, some people go up, some people will fill in the back, what everyone can see in the game is all of us.

◆This is your second year as a captain, what new experiences and feelings do you have as a captain?

This year, the whole team is younger, and as a captain, I need to take on more things, which is also a kind of training for me. Also, we've played a couple of really important games this season and I've definitely had to take on more responsibilities in the team because I feel like I've been on the pitch a lot more than I used to and I've learned how to deal with pressure.

◆You've played more calmly this year and looked stronger in key games, how did that improve come about?

Actually, I am not a particularly strong person who can cope with pressure, but of course I will have the courage to face pressure. When I'm under pressure, I think about it: for example, I've played in the Super League before, and I've played with a lot of big brothers, so I keep what they say to me to heart and keep encouraging myself, which will help me play.

◆Before the start of the season, you said that you wanted people to give more time to the new arrivals, because you saw what they were capable of. Later, the three foreign players really played well. What are some of the most memorable experiences you have had as a captain?

I would like to thank these three foreign players in particular, they have had a great impact on me and their teamwork spirit is worth learning from. For example, Sadaeuskas used to be the captain of another team, and he would tell me how to be a good captain, how to communicate with his teammates, and how to take the initiative to command the team. Alegria often reviews with me, and he asks me what I thought before I passed the ball to him, and what I thought before he took my pass. Berniarosa was very happy every day, and when he saw me echoing him, he thought that he could speak Spanish, so he often talked to me, but in fact, I couldn't understand Spanish, so I could only smile at him.

◆Football: You mentioned the experience of playing in the Chinese Super League, how have those games and experiences helped you now?

Hou Yu: I remember when I played against Zhejiang in Haikou in 2022, I chose to pass back when the pressure on the front side was not too great, and Brother Zhi (Zheng Zhi) was directing from the sidelines, and I passed the ball back under his nose. When he saw it, he immediately criticized me loudly and fiercely. Coincidentally, the ball was back at my feet immediately after I passed it back, and I tried to link up with my team-mates, and although it didn't create a good chance, the ball eventually developed near the opponent's penalty line. Later, Brother Zhi told me that I had to be bold and try forward on the court in order to create opportunities. It made me realize that if you don't dare to try on the field, you can't do anything, and if you always try to be safe, the ball will never go where the opponent feels dangerous. This experience gives me a lot of confidence.

◆In the second half of the season, the team went 12 games unbeaten and finished third in the league, what do you think made the team have such a good momentum in the second half of the league?

At the beginning of the season our first goal was relegation. After the first half of the game, the whole team has more confidence to compete with other teams. At the end of the off-season, the coach stressed that we must defend well so that we can score more points, and in the second half of the season we continue to build up defensive awareness, and I think the improvement of defense is one of the important reasons to ensure our results.

◆This year, you have expressed your gratitude to the fans at the end of the match more than once, can you take the opportunity of this interview to elaborate on the story between you and the Guangzhou fans?

Fans are a very important part of football, and football without fans cannot be football. We are very grateful for their continued support for us, especially in these two difficult years. They are a very important asset for our Guangzhou team and an important source of motivation for us. I remember that when the tournament was held in Guangzhou in 2021, the fans waited outside the fence after the last game to come out, and I was very moved by that scene and I will never forget it.

◆What do you want to say to the fans?

As players, we would like to repay your support with our on-field performance and thank everyone who has helped the Guangzhou team, especially Langqi and other companies that have helped the Guangzhou team in the snow. I hope everyone will continue to support us, believe in the club and we will see you next year.

◆What are your goals for next year?

I still hope to do a good job in the short-term goals, and move towards a higher platform step by step in a down-to-earth manner, and many things cannot be rushed. Hopefully next year will be even further than this year.