Beijing Guoan 90 minutes away from history first Championship
Friday, 30th October 2009 ~ Cameron ~ Link ~ Comments (0)
Streets around Beijing's Workers Stadium will be crawling with green-clad fans tomorrow night--in celebration or mourning.
In a post titled "China's Top 10 Sports Stories in 2009" earlier this year, we predicted the headline "Beijing Guoan win Chinese Super League thanks to government subsidy," after the local government injected cash into the club as part of an Olympics-related boost.
And now, victory over relegation threatened Hangzhou Greentown FC will secure the Chinese Super League title for the first time since professional football was launched in the country back in 1994.
Beijing face several obstacles, however, in a thrilling four-way title race which is going right down to the wire. They are tied in total points with Henan Jianye, but have a goal difference advantage of plus five. Henan play Shenzhen away and are unlikely to make up the 5 goal differential. Changchun are a point behind and can snatch the title if both Beijing and Henan lose. Back in fourth place, Shandong mathematically still have a chance, but would have to rely on all three teams above them losing and overcoming Beijing's goal difference of plus 10. At the other end of the table, Hangzhou, who pooped Shanghai Shenhua's title party last year, must do the same to Beijing this year if they want to remain in the CSL. Shenzhen, Qingdao and Changsha are instead at risk of relegation should Hangzhou make themselves deeply unpopular in Beijing.
Beijing's match with Hangzhou is a 64,000-seat sell-out at The Workers' Stadium, and riots have been reported at some fans' failure to secure tickets. Ironic considering Chinese league games average attendance is around 16,000 in stadiums usually capable of holding many times that number.
Regardless, it's certainly a chance for Chinese football, and Beijing Guoan, to show that its domestic league is not all doom and gloom. Despite being one of the country's leading clubs, Beijing have never secured a league title; their best finishes being as runners-up in 1995 and 2007. Quite how the side has never managed to pick up a title has left Chinese football observers scratching their heads for quite some time--the team from the capital city is one of the best supported in the country and is usually there or thereabouts at the end of the season.
But tomorrow could see Beijing finally break their duck...
Tags: beijing guoan, CSL, football, gongti stadium
New Year, New Hope for Chinese Football
Saturday, 21st March 2009 ~ Cameron ~ Link ~ Comments (0)
2008: An all-time low
This time last year, the Chinese football world was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The fear factor was at an all-time high--embarassing scenarios beckoned at every corner in 2008, in the shape of World Cup qualifying elimination and Olympics football tournament humiliation. So much so, that a particularly bird-brained proposal to cut the CSL 2008 season to a three-month mini tournament to allow the Olympic squad to concentrate on training was passed. Quite how denying the Olympic squad the only competitive football they would get would help their preparation was anyone's guess. But thankfully the ruling was overturned. Sadly it was not enough to prevent a dismal Olympic football showing for China, nor World Cup elimination for that matter.
Last year, on the domestic front, the withdrawal from the league of Wuhan in protest against defender Li Weifeng's (李玮峰) 8-game suspension for on-pitch fisticuffs, scandalized the competition yet again, as did CCTV's decision to take the league off-air for the last few weeks of the season in response to brawling players in the Beijing-Tianjin derby. As it turned out, it was CCTV's loss--the title race went right down the wire in the most exciting CSL finish in years.
Li Weifeng (l)
2009: The pressure is off and the sponsors are in
However, with no Olympics or World Cup to worry about in 2009, Chinese football can relax. As a matter of fact, the outlook is uncharacteristically bright for the CSL in 2009. The league is back on state television, and there is rumoured to be a TV show dedicated to questioning dodgy refereeing decisions in the offing. They'll have plenty to discuss. On the business side, major new sponsorships have been found in the shape of Pirelli, who have signed a three-year deal with the CSL. Financial details are scant but CSL chief Nan Yong said it was less than the 5 million Euros a year reported by some sources. Nevertheless, to have a multinational company sponsor the CSL is a huge boost. So is news that Nike are to provide kits for all teams for the next 10 years, pending the expiry of individual teams' existing deals with other manufacturers.
Season preview: Beijing vs. Shanghai for the title?
On the pitch, it looks like it's going to be another exciting title race with no one team an obvious favourite. China Sports Today puts its money on a fight to the death between two old rivals, Beijing Guoan and Shanghai Shenhua. Beijing have gotten one over Shanghai already by signing last year's CSL player of the year Emil Martinez--the Honduran midfielder returns to China on loan from CD Marathon to Guoan rather than Shenhua, where he spent last season. Beijing are also benefiting from a three million USD cash injection from the city government, and hopes are high that this will be the year they finally break their championship duck. Shenhua on the other hand are desperate to make for the agony of throwing away the title on the last day of the 2008 season and have made some impressive signings, including Australian international defender Mark Milligan.
Reigning champions Shandong Luneng may struggle this year after losing midfield dynamo Zhou Haibin to PSV Eindhoven. Roda Antar, a Lebanon international who spent the past eight years with Hamburg, Freiburg and Cologne in the German Bundesliga, is his replacement, but it remains to be seen if the three-times champions can win a third title in four years.
Of the other top sides, Tianjin Teda are usually a solid bet for a top five finish, but rarely if ever look like winning the title. Along with Shenhua, Shandong and Beijing, they will carry Chinese hopes in this season's Asian Champions League--in which two group games have already been played by the competing Chinese quartet.
The best of the rest
Looking elsewhere around the league, shock 2007 champions Changchun flattered to deceive last year but may mount a challenge, as might Shaanxi Baorong, who led the table for much of 2008. Fallen giants Dalian weren't far away from being relegated last year, but unless recently returned Dong Fangzhuo (董方卓) can find the scoring touch which first took him to Manchester United, it looks like another barren season for the Northeastern side. Last season's newly promoted sides Chengdu and Guangzhuo enjoyed solid first seasons and both now look like established CSL outfits.
The CSL wouldn't be complete without at least one team name change and this year Zhejiang Lucheng become Hangzhuo Lucheng. They have made a clutch of signings including Hong Kong international Ng Wai Chiu from Shanghai Shenhua, and they could be this season's dark horse.
Newly promoted is Jiangsu Shuntian who return to the top league after last competing in their inaugural season back in 1994. The Nanjing side will be amongst the relegation favourites, but in recent years newly promoted sides have fared relatively well. Fellow newbies Chongqing are back in the CSL after a two-year break, but even prior to this they were perennial strugglers.
Worth reading elsewhere on the net for a look ahead to CSL 2009 is John Duerden's in-depth preview of the new season on Goal.com, and FIFA's offical website which gives a good account of what's in store for this year's CSL.
The first game kicks off tonight when Henan Jianye take on Guangzhuo Pharmacuetical. The remaining first round fixtures all take place tomorrow.
Related: Dong Fangzhuo leaves Man U for Dalian
Li Weifeng image: Fourfourtwo.com
Tags: chinese football, csl, football, soccer
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
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
Shandong crash 5-1 to MLS opposition in warm-up game
Tuesday, 10th February 2009 ~ Cameron ~ Link ~ Comments (1)
2008 Chinese Super League (CSL) champions Shandong Luneng crashed 5-1 in a scratch game against MLS side Chivas USA on Sunday in Los Angeles.Shandong got their preparations for the Pan-Pacific Championship (which starts next week) off to an inauspicious start, allowing a spectacular free kick from veteran Carey Talley, that would prove to be the highlight of Chivas' victory.
Shandong will take part in the second edition of the new tournament launched last year for top teams from the USA, Australian, Japan, China and Korea.
Shandong earned the right to take part after pipping Shanghai Shenhua to the 2008 title on the last day of the season to win their second CSL championship in three years.
They will play their first Pan-Pacific match against Suwon Samsung Bluewings from Korea on February 18 at the Home Depot Center--home stadium of both LA Galaxy and Chivas USA from the MLS.
Tags: A-League, CSL, football, J-League, K-League, MLS, Pan-Pacific Championship, Shandong Luneng, soccer
Shenhua hand Chinese football championship to Shandong in closing minutes
Thursday, 4th December 2008 ~ Cameron ~ Link ~ Comments (0)
Just one victory in their last five games and a shocking penalty miss saw Shanghai Shenhua hand the Chinese Super League title on a plate to rivals Shandong Luneng on the final day of the 2008 season on Sunday afternoon. (video highlights)Shandong started the day two points ahead of Shenhua in the table, and were expected to beat mid-table Guangzhou at home to wrap up the title. Shenhua knew that a victory against local rivals Zhejiang Lvcheng, combined with Shandong failing to win their match, would see them snatch the title on goal difference. So with an air of tension, all games in the final round of the season kicked off simultaneously at 3.30pm, to avoid the potential for match-fixing allegations to arise if teams already knew the results of other games affecting their final standing.
Thanks to Kylie Minogue, Shenhua were playing at the soulless Yuanshen Athletics Stadium in Pudong instead of their spiritual home, Hongkou. An air of tension filled the air, as home fans had one ear on how events were unfolding elsewhere – news of a goal in Shandong's match against Guangzhou would surely poop the party. Just to add even more spice to the already flavorsome mix, it was also a local derby for Shenhua as their opponents, Zhejiang Lvcheng, are based just down the road in Hangzhou. Ominously, since their promotion to the CSL last year, all the previous three league games between Shenhua and LvCheng had been drawn.
Shenhua started positively and indeed spent much of the first half camped in their opponents box. It was no surprise when Paraguyan striker Justo Rolando Meza put the home side in front after 10 minutes with a well-taken header. Shenhua continued to push forward, only for Zhejiang to equalize after a rather fortuitous break of the ball fell to Algerian striker Karim Benounes who slotted home neatly to send the sizable away support behind the goal into raptures.
Somewhat perturbed, The Blue Devils, Shenhua's largest fan group, then took advantage of their opponents being the only other team in the league to come from a city speaking a similar dialect to their own, by abusing the visiting fans in Shanghainese. An angry chanted chorus "Lvcheng Dui, gang lu Dui!" (Greentown team, stupid cock team!" This drew amusement from the rest of the derby match crowd.
Encouraged by news that Shandong were being held 0-0, Shenhua pushed forward again. Chance after chance went begging, before Cheng Liang finally put the Blues in front again on the stroke of time with another header. Half-time, 2-1 to Shenhua, and critically, Shandong were still drawing 0-0 with Guangzhou. The stands buzzed with excitement at half time – Shenhua were 45 minutes away from their third league title.
The second half followed the first half closely. Shenhua controlled the game and wasted numerous chances. On around the 65 minute mark, a blatant handball resulted in a penalty to Shenhua and the chance to put the result beyond doubt. The anticipation was electric as Hamilton Ricard stepped up to take the penalty. The crowd waited with baited breath and bit their nails. Zhejiang's players looked on knowing the game was as good as over if it went in. All eyes in the stadium focused on the ball as it was placed on the spot. With the score still tied at Shandong, the stakes couldn't be higher. Ricard stepped up….
And fired his shot right at the Zhejiang keeper.
The crowd could scarcely believe Shenhua had scored yet another chance to make the game safe. And it was inevitable when Zhejiang equalized with just 15 minutes to go, the product of some rather slack defending at the back. Shenhua huffed and puffed for the remainder of the game, and young striker Gao Lin spurned a great chance when he elected to dummy the ball rather than shoot; his attempt to wrong-foot the visitors defence failed as there was no team-mate there to take advantage. Try as they might, Shenhua could not find a winner. And with that… the title slipped through their grasp. Final whistle – Shenhua 2-2 Zhejiang Lvcheng – and, cruelly, Shandong 0-0 Guangzhou. In other words, had Shenhua won, the title was theirs and the whole season essentially turned on Ricard's missed penalty.
If the game itself was not hard enough to swallow, the run-in made things even worse. Shenhua had their chances to at least go into the final game in pole position. But they won just one of their last five games, and even contrived to throw away a four goal lead in their match relegated Liaoning two weeks ago, who scored four times in the last 30 minutes to draw 4-4. A 0-0 draw to fallen giants Dalian last week did Shenhua no favours either – it was a game Shenhua were expected to win, Dalian only just avoiding relegation this year.
Shenhua have the consolation of joining Shandong, Beijing Guo'an and Tianjin Teda in next seasons revamped Asian Champions League. But that was scant consolation for the fans, some of whom found the disappointment all too much. Xiao Tan, a 26-year-old Blue Devils member, told China Sports Today, "I cried today. At least if we had won, and Shandong won, it would have been better. But not like this. And that penalty miss… good heavens. I have no idea."
Shenhua's reputation for being bottlers and under-achievers is, it has to be said, well-deserved. Former coach Wu Jingui told the Shanghai Daily, "Shenhua takes the lead but doesn't know how to keep it. It has been a problem for the team for years," adding, "The team tends to make mistakes at critical moments."
Shandong overtake Shenhua in the all-time championship table to claim their third title, on the back of wins in 1999 and 2006. A new season awaits Shenhua however and the team can take comfort from some very encouraging performances of attacking football. If they can carry this form into next year, they will once again be among the front runners.
Next season's CSL will offer more derby action to Shenhua – Jiangsu Shuntian of Nanjing return to the top league after an absence of 15 years. The 2009 season will kick off next March.
Picture of Hamilton Ricard courtesy of Sina Sports
Tags: CSL, football, Shanghai Shenhua, soccer, sports, yuanshen stadium
Four-way battle for CSL 2008 run-in
Thursday, 30th October 2008 ~ Cameron ~ Link ~ Comments (0)
Shenhua players celebrate their 3-2 comeback against Guangzhou
Certainly, anything is possible in the last six games to decide the destiny of the championship. To illustrate this, the past two weeks saw form side Shenhua overhaul Shandong's six-point lead to currently sit one point ahead of the 2006 champions. They achieved this by beating Shandong at home 3-2, and Guangzhou by the same score line on Sunday night, despite being two goals down after 35 minutes.
Shenhua's third victory was a more hollow one, a 3-0 win against Wuhan awarded by default following the Hubei side's decision to withdraw from the league in protest against an eight-game suspension handed out to blockbuster signing from Shenhua, defender Li Wei Feng. All of Wuhan's previous results this season have been nullified and a 3-0 victory awarded to all opponents. Fortunately, of the games Wuhan played before their expulsion, they had lost all against the top three so the standings were unaffected.
The form table says it all. Shandong have taken just nine points from their last six games, whereas Shenhua have won five and drawn one of their last six fixtures. Early season pace setters, and very much underdogs Shaanxi Zhongxin, have ten points out of a possible 18 from their last six, but they remain very much in contention. Shenhua currently sit top on 51 points, Shandong just one point behind, and Shaanxi on 48 points. Tianjin Teda, on 44 points, are in with an outside chance if they can replicate Shenhua's recent spurt to the top, but it seems unlikely. In a rather unfortunate metaphor, considering the CSL's scandal-hit history, your correspondent's money is split between Shenhua and Shandong for the title.
This weekend sees Shaanxi host Shenhua--which is surely a must-win game for the Xi'an-based side. Don't forget Shaanxi used to be called Inter Shanghai before changing name and relocating west in 2006 so that will add spice to the occasion. There is also the small matter of Xi'an being one of China's footballing hot beds in terms of large and vociferous supports – check out this clip of them burning a Beijing Guoan team jersey after a game. They have done far worse in the past. Shandong host 12-placed Changsha in a game which they are expected to win. There will be many twists and turns on the pitch before the end of the season, and let's hope no more off-field mishaps distract from what should be an exciting climax to the season.
Tags: Chinese Football, CSL, CSL 2008, Shaanxi Guoli, Shaanxi Zhongxin, Shandong Luneng, shanghai shenhua
Dong Fangzhuo leaves Man U for Dalian
Saturday, 30th August 2008 ~ Cameron ~ Link ~ Comments (0)
In a move as unsurprising as it was predictable, Manchester United's Chinese international striker Dong Fangzhuo has left the club by mutual consent following a rather fruitless five years with the reigning English champions. Dong will re-join his former club, eight-time Chinese Champions Dalian Shide who are currently languishing at the wrong end of the CSL table.Dong was ineligible to play for Manchester when he first signed due to work permit issues, and was farmed out to Belgian side Royal Antwerp to take advantage of slacker employment regulations. He spent four seasons in Belgium, all but one of them in the second division, making 70 appearances and scoring 34 goals – a respectable rate of goal every two games. However, as even the most casual football observer would doubtlessly concur, the gulf in class between the Belgian second division and the top of the English Premiership is massive and Dong made only three appearances for Man U once he was granted a work permit, and none in an important match.
Reaction in the UK sports press to the 23-year-old's departure was somewhat unkind, with The Guardian claiming Dong would be as "remembered as one of the worst players to have ever appeared for the club." Whilst such a description may seem a little harsh for the man who scored China's only goal of the Olympic Football tournament, there can be little doubt that the main motivation behind his signing was a business, and not a sporting one. One hopes that Dong's confidence is not shattered by the naked greed of Premiership chairmen and their desire to empty the pockets of China's long-suffering football fans.
Elsewhere in Chinese football, more foreign disappointment Shanghai Shenhua's highly-rated young goalkeeper Wang Dalei is to return to China following un unsuccessful trial with top Dutch side PSV Eindhoven. The 19-year-old keeper, who had a trial with Inter Milan two years ago, is one of China's most highly-rated youngsters and will be in Shanghai's squad as it makes the short trip south for a derby match against Hangzhou's Zhejiang Lvcheng. A match report of this game will follow on China Sports Today.
Following a lay-off for the Olympics, the Chinese Super League gets back into full swing this week with a full fixture card. Surprise leaders Shanxi Baorong take on Henan Jianye, basement boys Liaoning FC face Changsha Ginde, struggling Dalian Shide take on Tianjin Teda, newly-promoted Chengdu Blades face capital side, Beijing Guoan, Wuhan Guanggu host Shenzhen Shangqingyin, and last season's second division chamipions Guangzhou Yiyao take on second-placed Shandong Luneng.
Tags:
Olympic football kicks off... but who will be watching?
Wednesday, 6th August 2008 ~ Cameron ~ Link ~ Comments (2)
The Olympic countdown has been a long and tedious one but mercifully for football (soccer) fans like ourselves it reaches zero a day earlier – the men's Olympic Football tournament kicks off tomorrow evening. And fans of the ladies game need wait no longer - the action commences tonight in Tianjin.Regardless of the merits of women's football, the focus in China will be on the men and specifically of course, the home team. You can read a great many opinion pieces, blog entries, and all manner of football punditry endlessly dissecting the reasons for China's miserable failure to find 11 players from their massive population good enough to make a respectable mark on the world game. But there is a question one will seldom see asked amongst all this pontificating.
Does Olympic football matter and does anyone really care about it?
The answer in the eyes of this columnist is a resounding no. Olympic football has always been the black sheep of international football competition, with a long and awkward relationship with the governing body of football, FIFA. The tournament itself is basically a glorified youth world cup, with each side able to field three players over the age of 23. Whilst that allows a few super-stars, including Brazil's Ronaldinho, to appear at this year's Olympics, it prevents full national sides from appearing – this is something FIFA does not want to see hence its insistence on the under-23 rule to stop the Olympics overshadowing the premier world football event, the World Cup.
If you ask any football fan, "who won the last world cup?" most would be able to say Italy. If you were to ask who were the gold medalists at football in Sydney 2004, the chances are few would be able to come up with the winner. Frankly, I can't even remember myself and I have been a football aficionado as long as I can remember. Whilst the tournament is a useful pointer towards emerging young talents, there is an increasing tendency amongst the big European clubs to refuse to release their players for any tournament without considerable arm-twisting. With the Olympic football tournament well down the pecking order in terms of footballing prestige, its been no surprise to see several club sides reluctant to release their players for this tourney. Fixture congestion is a hot topic in football these days, and with utterly disgusting money-grabbing schemes like the EPL's game-39 being put forward recently, this all adds more pressure on clubs to avoid the ignominy of their young stars getting injured at the Olympics. In short, the Olympics is the pinnacle for all sports—except football, so why bother?
Tim Vickery, the BBC's South America's football reporter, points out that the Olympics is serious business for the South Americans. It's certainly taken more seriously in that most roasting of football hotbeds. However, Brazil have never won an Olympic gold. How can a team win five world cups but not one Olympic gold? Perhaps it's not so important after all.
For the Chinese, the argument that Olympic football is of little consequence in the grand scheme of world soccer will fall on deaf ears. One can only imagine the entire Chinese football world being torn between diametrically opposed emotions – the burning desire to make a decent account of themselves at their own party, with the cold, paralyzing fear of losing yet more footballing face and making an undignified early exit. Shanghai Shenhua's Li Weifeng, Shandong Luneng's Han Peng and Charlton Athletic's Zheng Zhi are the three over-age players in China's squad who will have hopes of Olympian proportions placed on their shoulders in an effort to get past New Zealand, Belgium and (gasp) Brazil and meet their coaches' goal. With almost casual disregard for his own sanity, Chinese Olympic football coach Yin Tiesheng has stated that he believes a top-four finish should be achievable for his team. Such foolish aims will only serve to compound the team's inevitable failure.
China kick off their campaign against New Zealand in Shenyang tomorrow night.
Tags: football, Olympics, soccer
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