Tag Archives: Chinese football

CSL fires another blank with dud deal

For all the back-slapping about the CSL’s new title sponsor – a four-year deal with Ping An Insurance worth 150 million per year – in reality it’s just the latest in a long list of short-sighted moves by Chinese football authorities.

pingan Continue reading CSL fires another blank with dud deal

Sports round-up: CSL, surfing, golf, tennis and the invisible Paralympics

The Chinese Super League season kicked off this past weekend, and goals were few and far between. Ominously, though, the top of the table is already occupied by Guangzhou Evergrande…

Darci Liu, China's first female pro surfer
Darci Liu, China’s first female pro surfer

That’s Online (also in the print versions) has a nice profile of Darci Liu, China’s first and so far only female professional surfer, who, amazingly, only learnt to swim at the age of 18:  Continue reading Sports round-up: CSL, surfing, golf, tennis and the invisible Paralympics

China sneaks into Asian Cup through back door

Travelling Chinese soccer fans had better start saving up for a busy 2015.

China qualifies for Asian Cup, despite another desperate performance
China qualifies for the Asian Cup, despite another desperate performance

Days after accepting an invitation to play in the Copa America in Chile in June next year (subject to confirmation from the AFC), China will start 2015 in Australia playing in the Asian Cup after qualifying on Wednesday night.

But, as usual, China did it the hard way.

Continue reading China sneaks into Asian Cup through back door

Football Focus: China enters Copa America, Li Tie returns to Everton

Lots of soccer news at the moment…

As per the excellent Wild East Football, China has accepted an invitation into the 2015 Copa America in Chile, as one of Conmebol’s two regular guest slots. No one will be expecting much from the Chinese, but competing at this level can only help the country’s quest to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Chinese players prepare to face Iraq in their Asian Cup qualifier on March 5
Chinese players prepare to face Iraq in their Asian Cup qualifier on March 5

Continue reading Football Focus: China enters Copa America, Li Tie returns to Everton

Why Reggie is doomed to fail in China

The news that French football manager Alain Perrin (pictured below) has been appointed to lead the Chinese national team has caught most of the media by surprise, with my thoughts summarized in this Beijing Morning Post article (Chinese).

The new boss of the Chinese men's soccer team
The new boss of the Chinese men’s soccer team

“Reggie”, as he was known in the UK – after the hapless TV character Reginald Perrin – when he briefly managed Portsmouth in the Premier League nearly a decade ago, seems to have lost his way and it is highly unlikely that he can get his career back on track in China.

Continue reading Why Reggie is doomed to fail in China