AuthorJeffEyesRimmer The new season of the Chinese Super League begins this week and it was confirmed that another of the leagues so called big name imports will be leaving the league, likely before the season kicks off. This week Alex Teixeira was placed on the transfer list by his club Jiangsu Suning and it is widely reported he will be heading back to Brazil with Corinthians. It marks the end of another big name foreign import in the Chinese Super League that has failed to make the grade. Has the cashed up clubs bubble finally burst, have the clubs been burnt enough now to know throwing $50million at a player will not make the club or league a better product really? The short answer appears to be yes. There has been a distinct lack of transfer rumours around big signings. With the big name players like Tevez, Texieria, Demba Ba and Oscar failing to really set the league alight it seems clubs are more reluctant to spend big. The long answer is that it is the Chinese Governments implementation to restrict the leagues spending power is the more likely cause of the lack of big name players coming in. Last year there was a frenzy of big money deals. Shanghai SIPG splashed out £52m on Oscar and £45m on Hulk, with the two players each said to be earning more than £320,000. Two more Brazilians, Alex Teixeira and Ramires, swapped Donetsk and London for the eastern city of Nanjing after Jiangsu Suning paid at least £58m for the pair (that now appears foolish). Italian striker Graziano Pellè moved from Southampton to Jinan where he now plays for Shandong Luneng and earns a reported £260,000 a week. At the beginning of the European campaign this season stars including Falcao, Diego Costa and Dani Alves were linked with moves to China (none came to pass mind). As were English players including Manchester United’s Ashley Young and Wayne Rooney, where there was reportedly a £1m-a-week move to Beijing or Guangzhou on the cards. The vast sums on money that we were seeing spent raised eyebrows in Beijing, where President Xi was pushing high-profile anti-corruption campaigns. So last season the authorities decided to crack down on “irrational investment” as they called it and curb clubs that were “burning money” on foreign stars with huge salaries. Based on these comments the Chinese FA also tightened its rules on how many foreign players top-flight clubs could use at any one time, reducing the number from four to three, with the use of foreign goalkeepers banned too. Foreign talent does, on paper, appear to have benefits like increasing the overall talent level of the league, it makes the league more marketable and in turn it gets more local people interested. However, the failure of many of the big name players and the fact that the average attendance was down last season (2017) from the season before suggests the league might be moving away from the expensive experiment. Additionally, and crucially there is now a 100% transfer tax for signings, so that $50million player is now $100million. We would say this is probably the biggest reason for the lack of interest and rumours for big money signings at the moment.
So what of the big name players that went to China? Their tales seem to suggest that any player looking for a move to China should think twice before chasing the money. Carlos Tevez – reportedly was the highest paid player in the world but was disinterested and injured and ultimately left with his tail between his legs to head home to Argentina. He played so poorly that he was left out of the squad for the cup final. He is the biggest name to fail in the league so far and one that should provide the warning sign to those keen to move. Oscar – has not found his feet at Shanghai SIPG, with occasional moments of brilliance glossing over the mediocre. Alex Witsel – probably the player that has been the most consistent performer in the league and has been one of the few big money moves that has worked out. Graziano Pellé – 12 goals in 37 appearances for Shandong Luneng Taishan suggests a pretty decent return for Pellé but his Italian appearances have dried up a bit. Done ok but is 12 goals in 37 worth $260,000 a week? Answer is always no. Hulk – The Brazillian has done fairly well for Shanghai SIPG since his big money move, 21 goals in 34 appearances is not a bad return at all. He has had an injury hit time in China, so far I would say he has made the most of his move to China Ramires – Publicly stating you want to leave and go back to Europe is probably not the best way to keep fans onside. Ramires could only inspire Jiangsu to an 11th place finish last season that was mediocre at best; a return to Europe is desired by the player and he is even willing to lower those massive wage demands too. What a legend. What do you guys think? Do you think the bubble has burst? |
AuthorsJust Some Fans Writing About Football. Archives
June 2018
Categories
All
|