Zhiyi is still very much a Palace fan

Leo Spall13 April 2012

Crystal Palace manager Alan Smith has been trying to find time this week to sit down with defender Fan Zhiyi and talk about a new contract.

His Selhurst Park club have had a very busy time, drawing against Crewe in the league last Saturday before booking their place in the Worthington Cup semi-finals with a win over Sunderland on Tuesday .

They are back in First Division action tonight with the visit of Blackburn, but Smith wants to bring Zhiyi's wages up to the level of some of the new players as soon as possible.

China's captain has been one of Palace's most consistent performers since he arrived two years ago and has impressed Smith with his dedication and commitment. He will soon pass the 100 appearances mark and it has become hard to imagine them doing without him.

Zhiyi said in his broken but improving English: "I feel like I have adapted to living in a foreign country very well. Everybody has been really nice and helpful. Life here is very good and I am enjoying things again now after all the changes."

He moved to London in August 1998 when manager Terry Venables signed him from Shenhua of Shanghai and countryman Sun Jihai in a £1 million deal.

Jihai, 22, has since returned to China after being convinced by friends and family, but recently attracted new interest from Palace and Newcastle.

Both players came to the attention of Palace through Ted Buxton, who spent 14 months as China coach and was at Palace during Venables' time.

They are key figures for the national side who have realised how limited football is at home and the rewards on offer abroad.

Zhiyi added: "As a foreign player in England you can prove to yourself and your country your real value.

"That's important and I know it makes people at home very proud, which I am very pleased about. I have won almost everything in Chinese football and I came to England because I wanted a new challenge.

"I am something of a superstar at home, but here there are lots of other very good players.

"It would be great to be as popular here, but I like Palace and the environment here anyway. The fans are also great."

Interest in Zhiyi's career in China has brought a small fortune for Palace in additional television and advertising. The club have also toured in the Far East because of Zhiyi's connections, but if proof were needed that the player is settled here, he has bought a house in Purley where he lives with his wife Lisa and their two-year-old daughter.

The 30-year-old plans to carry on playing in this country for at least the next three years and would then consider a coaching job back home.

Zhiyi must also be one of the fittest players at Palace and has clearly benefited from the military-style training he had for most of his career in China.

He has made many friends in London and his family enjoy living with a different culture, but he is still ambitious.

He admitted: "My dream is to play in the Premiership, but we have to deal with where we are now. I think we can do quite well this season and I am very pleased we are in the Worthington Cup semi-final.

"We can beat Liverpool in the semis because the team have really come together. It is the first time I have felt this confident for a long time as last season was very difficult with the club's money problems.

"I thought about leaving and I think my agent may have started to look around, but a lot of things have changed now and I am happy."

Zhiyi is set to feature alongside Neil Ruddock at the heart of the defence tonight as Palace try to extend their unbeaten run to 13 games. Latvian winger Andrejs Rubins has recovered from an ankle problem.

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