Time passes really quickly, it鈥檚 now already your fourth year at City, isn鈥檛 it? "Yes, that鈥檚 right. But I also had a loan spell at Crystal Palace earlier in my career." You came with the experienced Fan Zhiyi. Are you used to the English way of life now? Do you like Manchester?
 | | Sun Jihai in action for Manchester City |
"I like England very much. I just turned 20 when I played for Palace. Before, I preferred life in London, but after two years in Manchester, I began to like Manchester better. There鈥檚 a good Chinese community here and I made a lot of friends, so I like it more and more in Manchester." What are the differences between training here and training back home in China? "Basically, there鈥檚 not a lot of difference. The training is roughly the same. As for tactics, this differs with different coaches, and it鈥檚 not really a case of difference in culture." Would you be able to use what you鈥檝e learned here to help the Chinese national side? | "I think it鈥檚 important to be passionate about what you do, especially in football. So I like his style." | | Sun Jihai shares his thoughts on Stuart Pearce |
"Football is a team game, so it requires all 11 players playing well, so what I鈥檝e learned here individually may not be able to help the whole team, but if I get the chance to become a coach later on in my career, then I will have the chance to use what I鈥檝e learnt here, to maybe help develop training in China." Do you know Li Tie, who also joined the Premiership after the 2002 World Cup, and is now at Everton? "I'm good friends with Li Tie, but he lives in another city, so we don鈥檛 meet very often. I have many friends here in Manchester, but there鈥檚 one that deserves a special mention. He鈥檚 from Hong Kong, and has helped me a lot during my stay in Manchester." Unfortunately, China has failed to qualify for this year鈥檚 World Cup finals in Germany. What is now the next goal for the Chinese national team?
 | | Sun Jihai playing for China |
"The main thing for the team is to improve the overall standard. Once this happens, then winning trophies and being successful would come naturally." Being one of the first batch of Chinese players to join the English Premier League, and also the first one to score, there must have been many proud moments for you. Which one match stands out most for you? "There has been many fantastic matches that I鈥檝e played in, like the match where we came back from 3-0 down to win 4-3 (at Spurs last season), but it would be unfair to pick out just one match, as there has so been many great matches and great memories for me." I鈥檝e read recent newspaper reports saying that the City manager, Stuart Pearce, has high regards for you. What do you think of him and how is he with the players? "He was a great player, who was very tough. So as a coach, he also gives the players, the staff and the fans the same impression. He鈥檚 also a very honest guy." You know he has the nickname Psycho. Is he really as mad as people make out, or is he just especially passionate about football? "I think it鈥檚 important to be passionate about what you do, especially in football. So I like his style." | 
