Conte's comments on the Chinese Super League

[ChungaHungry]

Amidst all the bids from China and ensuing transfers, the issue that got to me was hearing about Conte calling the Cristiano Ronaldo offer 'not right': "I don't want to trust in this. I don't want to believe in this, because, I think, we are talking about an amount of money which is not right.''

It's all absurd amounts of money relative to what we're used to so far in football, but supply and demand determine valuation. His comment simply hinted at colonial entitlement. After all, it's a century of colonially acquired money being consistently pumped into football that has made Europe, and its competitions, the world's footballing epicenter. Does he think that footballers from around the world want to move to Europe and not, say, South Africa, because the pay packet is the same?

What are your the thoughts on the Chinese Super League? Is the European centric view of the footballing world under threat? Would it be a good thing if the CSL, MLS, etc. are a genuine option in 10 or so years' time?

 

[Sir Didier Drogba]

I'm feeling pretty good about it right now after receiving 60m for Oscar. But I think the new restrictions on foreign players will dampen the current hysteria, it appears to have already led to offers for Costa and Falcao being withdrawn.

I will be curious to see if players start coming back from China after a couple of years, and at what level they come back at.

 

[Pogba4Now]

Conte will be the first manager himself to "go to China".

 

[Sir Didier Drogba]

AVB is already there.

 

[ChungaHungry]

Conte will be the first manager himself to "go to China".

hah!

AVB is already there.

So is Big Phil Scolari and Gus Poyet. It's like a Chelsea alumni party out there.

I will be curious to see if players start coming back from China after a couple of years, and at what level they come back at.

Didier Drogba, your unknighted namesake, has already done this. What did you think of him?

I'm feeling pretty good about it right now after receiving 60m for Oscar. But I think the new restrictions on foreign players will dampen the current hysteria, it appears to have already led to offers for Costa and Falcao being withdrawn.

The restrictions are just like the Non-EU rule in European leagues. It'll stop Chinese teams having a full Foreign Import XI, but it won't stop them splashing out for star names.

 

[Sir Didier Drogba]

Yeah but they were recently tightened, whereas I think many chinese investors were hoping for the opposite. any dream of having an NHL style league where teams of almost entirely foreign superstar players battle it out under Chinese club names, which would undoubtedly draw attention, seem to be dead now. the tianjin (sp??) owner is on record saying the new restrictions killed the potential Costa deal. I will be curious to see if the investments in youth soccer start to bear fruit, after all, you have a billion people so there should be some potential talent pool there.

wrt to players coming back, drogba had a decent(ish) swansong but I more meant players like oscar or Alex texiera going over in their mid twenties to try and bank some cash and then returning to Europe after a couple of years - would they be able to maintain their ability and fit back into a top club or is it a case of 'once you go to China (/mls /qatar) you don't come back...

 

[Arnau]

I don't understand the rule that doesn't allow clubs to sign a non-Chinese keeper