China- “It’s pronounced GY-Nah!” as Alec Baldwin said when lampooning Donald Trump. The Chinese Super League is spending money like a drunken sailor on acquiring new players. The burgeoning football league located in the economic powerhouse nation is trying, and often succeeding, in poaching players from the English Premier League.
Chelsea has seen Jon Mikel Obi and Oscar leave Stamford Bridge for the Far East, and superstar Diego Costa had a ludicrously lucrative offer to follow suit.
As such, Chelsea Manager Antonio Conte has spoken out against the idea of players leaving a more competitive league (BPL) for one of inferior quality (CSL).
Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger has spoken out against this trend from the beginning. While Wenger has come off as a more football version of “protectionist,” Manchester United Manager Jose Mourinho has taken a more “globalist” or “free trade” stance.
“I don’t like to be critical with players that are going to China,” said Mourinho.
“It is their life, it is their organization of life, it is their organization of career.”
“The money is huge, the experience can also be very interesting. I know some of my colleagues, they think they are more important than they are. They are critical with the lives of other people. I am not this kind of guy. I think everyone is responsible for his own life. That is why I am not critical with anyone.”
While he didn’t mention those “colleagues” by name specifically, one can reasonably imply who he’s referring to. Wenger has historically been a favorite target of Mourinho, and the Portugese doesn’t often pass up an opportunity to fire a proverbial shot at him.
Wenger had this to say on China:
“My thought is that when you want to be a football player, your first aspiration is to play in the best league, against the best players. That has to be the first target.”
“After that when you are a professional football player you want to combine the fact you can play in the best league, against the best players, for the maximum amount of money. I think that combination is the best in England at the moment, so I don’t see why the players should leave the English Premier League.”
As for Conte, here’s a link to his comments asking players to look beyond money in their professional endeavors.
Conte offered this commentary after Oscar bolted the Blues, and made a £60 million move to Shanghai SIPG:
“For this reason, I can understand if some players say yes. Sometimes it’s very difficult to face this situation. But I think, also, that we are in the best league,”
“Now, to arrive in the Premier League is a great opportunity for players and for coaches, to fight for the title against fantastic players and coaches. England is the best league in the world if you have ambition to test yourself against the other teams with this reality. To play in this league is a great opportunity, and an honor. It’s the best league in the world to play.”
The rise of football in China, at least from a spending power stand point, is certainly an interesting topic, and one that will remain the headlines quite a bit moving forward. Expect more strong opinions from Mourinho, Conte, Wenger and other managers in the future.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, Bold and the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication, appears regularly as a guest on CGTN America, WGN CLTV News and KOZN 1620 The Zone.
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