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New transfer rules double-edged sword for Chinese clubs

Friday, 20th February 2009 ~ Cameron ~ Link ~ Comments (1)

A flurry of transfer activity has taken place among China's top football clubs in the past couple of weeks, with a host of intriguing personnel changes being made in time to compete in this year's newly expanded Asian Champions League (ACL). A new "3+1" rule introduced by the Asian Football Confederation has in effect launched a regional transfer market for Asia. The edict allows clubs to field three players from non-AFC countries, plus one more from another country belonging to the AFC, meaning more talent will move within Asia rather than outside of it.

With the first ACL games set to kick off on March 10, and the Chinese Super League (CSL) to begin shortly afterward, Chinese clubs have been busy taking advantage of the new rule--with the biggest signings inked by China's four teams that qualified for the 2009 ACL season--Shandong Luneng, Shanghai Shenhua, Beijing Guoan and Tianjin Teda.
Australian Mark Milligan recently signed with Shanghai Shenhua
Australian Mark Milligan recently signed with Shanghai Shenhua

Shanghai Shenhua raised eyebrows by signing Australian international defender Mark Milligan from Sydney FC. Australian commentators are upset that a promising A-League player has left to take part in a competition many believe is inferior. Whilst there is no doubt that the A-League is more professionally run and has more integrity than its Chinese counterpart, results in last years ACL between Chinese and Australian clubs suggest playing standards to be roughly equal.

Nevertheless, Shenhua owner Zhu Jun, one of China's richest men, must have really splashed the RMB on this deal, as Milligan had been trialling with top teams in Europe. The Shanghai club has made three other very strong-looking signings, raiding Belorussian side FC MTZ-RIPO to sign 25-year-old Belorussian international forward Vyacheslav Hleb, and Bulgarian defender Yanko Valkanov. Not content with that, Shenhua also picked up striker Hernán Barcos from Argentinian side Racing Club. This means Shenhua have a very strong four non-Chinese players for next season.

Fellow ACL participants Tianjin Teda have signed Gilligan's teammate Mark Bridge on a four month loan. They have also snapped up journeyman French midfielder, Jean-Phillipe Caillet, currently playing for Genk in Belgium. Beijing Guoan have also been busy preparing for their campaign, signing Australian cap Ryan_Griffiths from Liaoning (which were relegated from the CSL last season, and ironically winners of the old Asian Club Championship in 1990), and his brother Joel Griffiths, on loan from the Newcastle Jets of the A-League. Beijing also signed Croatian midfielder Darko Matić from Tianjin Teda, and Cameroonian defender William Paul Modibo from Portuguese side Gil Vicente.

So it would appear the 3+1 rule is working in China's favour for the time being. Indeed Goal.com wonder why Asia did not implement such a rule sooner.

However recent developments elsewhere in the transfer system may not always be positive for Chinese clubs. Leaving Asia is China's Zhou Haibin, who has caused a bit of a stir by becoming China's first "Bosman" transfer. He leaves Shandong Luneng for top Dutch side PSV Eindhoven after his contract with the reigning Chinese champions expired. Shandong tried to block Zhou leaving as Chinese clubs hold on to players registration for 30 months after their contracts expire. But an agreement between the two clubs was reached on a Bosman basis-- named after the Belgian footballer whose landmark case in 1995 allowed all European Union players to move freely between clubs once their contracts expired. The implications of this deal are yet to fully emerge but are being hotly debated.

Tags: A-League, Asian Champions League, CSL, football, football transfers, shanghai shenhua, Tianjin Teda

Comments

  • qiuyuan
    Monday, 23rd February 2009
    Here's a little more on Zhou and China's crazy transfer rules, which apparently conflict with both FIFA regulations and Chinese labor law:

    http://www.china.org.cn/[...]

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