Yu Tao
Encyclopedia
Yu Tao is a Chinese international football player who currently plays for Shanghai Shenhua
as a midfielder
and their captain in the Chinese Super League
.
and he was premoted to their senior side at the beginning of the 2002 league season where he made twenty four league games and would score four goals. By the following season he would become an integral member of the Shenhua team due to his ability to play in numerous positions in midfield and would help them to win the league title. Despite several changes in management and the influx of players from the Shanghai United F.C.
merger Yu Tao has been a constant regular for Shanghai Shenhua throughout his career. By the 2010 league season his loyalty towards Shanghai would be rewarded when he was named the clubs captain and on September 14, 2010 in a league game against Shaanxi Zhongjian Chanba he would become the clubs most capped player when he made his one hundred and eighty sixth league appearance for the club.
in a friendly on 7 December 2002 in a 3-1 win. After that game he would become an irregular member for the national team, but this would not be enough to make the squad for the 2004 AFC Asian Cup
. After several years in the international wilderness the next Chinese manager Zhu Guanghu
would call him up for a friendly against Kazakhstan
on February 7, 2007 in a 2-1 victory. In preparation for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup
Zhu Guanghu included Yu Tao in several further squads but decided not in include him for the final tournament. The introduction of Gao Hongbo
as the Chinese manager that saw Yu Tao given his chance of a competitive tournament when he was called him up for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup
.
Shanghai Shenhua
Shanghai Shenhua is a professional Chinese football club currently playing in Chinese Super League. The club is currently owned by Zhu Jun , Shanghai SVA Group, SMEG and Huangpu Investment Ltd. . The current head coach is Dražen Besek...
as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
and their captain in the Chinese Super League
Chinese Super League
The Chinese Football Association Super League , commonly known as Chinese Super League or CSL, currently known as the Pirelli Chinese Football Association Super League for sponsorship reasons, is the highest tier of professional association football in China, operating under the auspices of the...
.
Club career
Yu Tao began his football career playing for Shanghai Cable 02 before the club were taken over by Shanghai ShenhuaShanghai Shenhua
Shanghai Shenhua is a professional Chinese football club currently playing in Chinese Super League. The club is currently owned by Zhu Jun , Shanghai SVA Group, SMEG and Huangpu Investment Ltd. . The current head coach is Dražen Besek...
and he was premoted to their senior side at the beginning of the 2002 league season where he made twenty four league games and would score four goals. By the following season he would become an integral member of the Shenhua team due to his ability to play in numerous positions in midfield and would help them to win the league title. Despite several changes in management and the influx of players from the Shanghai United F.C.
Shanghai United F.C.
Shanghai United F.C was a football club that competed in the Chinese Super League. The club played at the Yuanshen Sports Centre Stadium in Shanghai and was owned by Zhu Jun, the owner of China's second-largest online gaming company The9 since 2005.In 2004, the team was based in Zhuhai and played...
merger Yu Tao has been a constant regular for Shanghai Shenhua throughout his career. By the 2010 league season his loyalty towards Shanghai would be rewarded when he was named the clubs captain and on September 14, 2010 in a league game against Shaanxi Zhongjian Chanba he would become the clubs most capped player when he made his one hundred and eighty sixth league appearance for the club.
International career
After his impressive performances for Shanghai Shenhua in the 2002 league season he was called into the National team for the first time. He would be called up into the Chinese managers Arie Haan's first game against SyriaSyria national football team
The Syria national football team represents Syria in association football and is controlled by the Syrian Football Association, the governing body for football in Syria. Syria's home grounds are Abbasiyyin Stadium and Aleppo International Stadium...
in a friendly on 7 December 2002 in a 3-1 win. After that game he would become an irregular member for the national team, but this would not be enough to make the squad for the 2004 AFC Asian Cup
2004 AFC Asian Cup
The 2004 AFC Asian Cup football competition is the thirteenth staging of AFC Asian Cup. It was held from July 17 to August 7, 2004 in China. The defending champions Japan defeated China in the final in Beijing....
. After several years in the international wilderness the next Chinese manager Zhu Guanghu
Zhu Guanghu
Zhu Guanghu is a Chinese football coach currently under contract with Shaanxi Chanba, and was previously the head coach of the China national football team to 22 August 2007.-Managerial career:...
would call him up for a friendly against Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan national football team
The Kazakhstan national football team represents Kazakhstan in international men's association football and is directed by Football Federation of Kazakhstan. They split from the Soviet Union national football team after independence in 1991 and joined the Asian Football Confederation's Central and...
on February 7, 2007 in a 2-1 victory. In preparation for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup
2007 AFC Asian Cup
The Asian Football Confederation's 2007 AFC Asian Cup finals were held from July 7 to July 29, 2007. For the first time in its history, the competition was co-hosted by four nations: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The tournament was won by first-time champions Iraq, who defeated Saudi...
Zhu Guanghu included Yu Tao in several further squads but decided not in include him for the final tournament. The introduction of Gao Hongbo
Gao Hongbo
Gao Hongbo is a Chinese retired football player and a current coach which managed China national football team from 2009 to 2011. Appointed in May 2009, Gao became the youngest man to take the helm in 30 years. Gao was a big name in his professional life as a footballer. He was a prolific striker...
as the Chinese manager that saw Yu Tao given his chance of a competitive tournament when he was called him up for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup
2011 AFC Asian Cup
The 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals were held in Qatar on 7–29 January 2011. It was the fifteenth time the tournament has been held, and the second time it has been hosted by Qatar, the other being the 1988 AFC Asian Cup...
.
External links
- Player Profile at Shanghai Shenhua website
- Player Profile at Football-lineups website
- Player Profile at Sodasoccer.com
- Player stats at national-football-teams website
- Player stats at Sohu.com