Dong Fangzhou is determined to prove he is more than
just a Manchester United shirt seller after penning a three-year
contract at Old Trafford.
The striker is now a fully-fledged Red Devil after being granted a
work permit in January and became the first Chinese player to
appear for United in the Premier League draw at Chelsea in
May.
After three years in Belgium with United's feeder club Royal
Antwerp, it means Dong has the opportunity to try and impress Sir
Alex Ferguson in training on a daily basis.
And, buoyed by the award of a contract to celebrate his
newly-acquired status, Dong is keen to show he can be as effective
on the field as he is in United's Far East marketing
campaigns.
"I am trying to prove I am good enough to play for Manchester
United," he said.
"I need to train hard and work hard, but that is no problem for
me.
"Like every Chinese player, it is tough when you move to a new
country because of the language and the fact it is a different
culture.
"But, while those three years at Antwerp were hard, in a way they
may help me because I am used to playing in Europe now."
Dong was speaking at the launch of a 'Goals for Kids' initiative in
Macau, backed by United's sponsors, American banking giant
AIG.
For each goal the Old Trafford outfit score on their current Far
East tour, AIG have pledged to give £2,000 to TREATS, a Hong
Kong-based charity group committed to promoting integration among
children, youth and families.
