Former Man Utd star Dong finds calling in coaching Chinese kids

Dong Fangzhuo smiles at the memory. It was Christmas, he was far from home and legendary Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson took pity on him by arranging a holiday get-together.

The one-time Chinese star told the story to AFP in the coastal city of Xiamen, where the 34-year-old former United striker is coaching children, some with special needs.

Dong admits that his time at Old Trafford from 2004 to 2008 was a tale of injury, crippling shyness and ultimately unfulfilled potential.

But he has no regrets, calling it "a dream" to join the club he supported, and is discovering a new-found joy in passing on his football knowledge to China's next generation at the Dong Fangzhuo Football Club.

Some are barely old enough to kick a ball, some have physical limitations, but they know Dong's story.

Dong arrived in Manchester as a teenager without a word of English and stayed with a host family, using hand signals to communicate. He remains in contact with them.

He would make only one Premier League appearance, in 2007, when he played up front in a 0-0 draw at Chelsea alongside current United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The young Dong joined a squad containing the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs and Ruud van Nistelrooy and he still talks glowingly of manager Ferguson.

"The relationship between me and him -- the relationship between him and all the Manchester United squad -- was more like father and son," Dong said in Chinese, although he speaks and understands basic English.

The good-natured Dong remembers well Ferguson's thoughtful act for what was the striker's first Christmas in Britain.

"He worried that I had nowhere to go because everyone might be celebrating with family so he arranged for someone he knew to invite me to celebrate with his friend," Dong said.

"As well as helping me on the training ground, Ferguson helped me a lot in life."
- Ronaldo, Rooney and memories -
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- Special satisfaction -
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There is an enduring interest in Dong in England. In May this year, The Sun tabloid published an article with the headline: "Man United's Chinese starlet Dong Fangzhuo went from next big thing at Old Trafford alongside Ronaldo to reality TV facelift freak."
"I just did some simple make-up," he said, adding with self-deprecating humour, "If you say that I had plastic surgery, the way I am now is probably a plastic surgery failure."