Chen Gang (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Chen Gang
陈刚

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|3|9|df=y}}

| birth_place = Qingdao, Shandong, China

| death_date =

| height = {{convert|1.78|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| position = Defender

| years1 = 1994–2002

| clubs1 = Qingdao Hainiu

| caps1 = 148

| goals1 = 3

| years2 = 2003–2004

| clubs2 = Shanghai Shenhua

| caps2 = 28

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2006

| clubs3 = Shanghai Stars

| caps3 = 9

| goals3 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 1997–2000

| nationalteam1 = China

| nationalcaps1 = 15

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| manageryears1 = 2007

| managerclubs1 = Shanghai Stars (assistant)

}}

Chen Gang ({{zh|c=陈刚}}; born 9 March 1972) is a Chinese former international footballer who played as a defender for Qingdao Hainiu, Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai Stars while also representing China in the 2000 Asian Cup.

Playing career

Chen Gang would start his career with second tier football club Qingdao Hainiu and was part of the team that went on to win the division title.[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/china94.html China League 1994] at rsssf.org. 19 Jun 2003. Retrieved 2012-10-01. The club's time in the top tier did not very long and after only one campaign they were relegated back into the second tier at the end of the 1995 Chinese league season.[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/china95.html China League 1995] at rsssf.org. 19 Jun 2003. Retrieved 2012-10-01. Chen remained loyal towards the team and saw the club immediately return to the top tier after only one season spent in the second tier.[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/china96.html China League 1996] at rsssf.org. 19 Jun 2003. Retrieved 2012-10-01. Back within the top tier Chen would go on to establish the club within the division and soon receive a call-up to the Chinese national team where he took part in the 2000 Asian Cup. Before the start of the 2003 league season Chen looked as if he would join Shanghai International, however he joined Shanghai Shenhua at the last minute and was part of the squad that went on to win the 2003 Chinese Jia-A League season.[https://archive.today/20140519140314/http://sodasoccer.com/search/player/BF25B493820EBFEE.html 陈刚] at sodasoccer.com. Retrieved 2012-10-01. Unfortunately in 2013 the Chinese Football Association would revoke the league title after it was discovered the Shenhua General manager Lou Shifang had bribed officials to be bias to Shenhua in games that season.{{cite web |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/2011-03/31/content_12300071.htm |title= Details of soccer referee investigation released to public|publisher=chinadaily.com.cn|date=2011-03-31|accessdate=2014-05-20}}{{Cite web|url=http://english.cri.cn/8046/2013/02/18/189s748945.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130220235512/http://english.cri.cn/8046/2013/02/18/189s748945.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 20, 2013|title=China Strips Shenhua of 2003 League Title, Bans 33 People for Life|publisher=english.cri.cn|date=18 February 2013|accessdate=2014-05-20}} Chen would go on to retire at the end of the 2004 league season, however he would come out retirement to join second tier club Shanghai Stars for a brief period and stayed on as an assistant.{{cite web |url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/18237.html |title=Chén, Gāng |website=National-Football-Teams.com |access-date=2012-10-01}}