AVB decries CFA short notice
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Shanghai Daily, January 18, 2017
 |
|
Andre Villas-Boas. |
Shanghai SIPG manager Andre Villas-Boas says the Chinese Football Association was wrong to change foreign-player rules for the Chinese Super League "at such short notice".
"I think it's wrong," said AVB, who is leading the team's winter training in Doha, Qatar, to prepare for the AFC Champions League qualifiers early next month. "The season is about to start, and we have made all the signings. We prepared the team and organization bearing in mind the regulations. To end up seeing the regulations changed a few weeks before the Champions League starts, I think it's a totally wrong decision.
"You can take these decisions after a season, not one month before a season starts, because most clubs prepare and make decisions based on what they think the regulations would be."
The CFA issued a notice to CSL clubs last week saying that the number of foreign players allowed for each match will be cut from four to three for the 2017 season. Also, at least two under-23 Chinese players will have to be included in the 18-player list, one of them in the starting line-up. Each club can still register five foreign players.
"I think the new regulations will put a lot of pressure on the young boys," the former Chelsea and Tottenham coach added. "We know China wants to see development of young boys, but you should develop young players by investing in the youth levels and the quality of youth coaching.
"Under the new regulation, the young boys will be now considered "golden boys", agents will want them and their market value will be more expensive.
"The policy is to curb spending. However, the clubs have already done their business, so you end up spending more money. The transfer market in China for Chinese players was just crazy, as we saw, and it's just becoming more crazy by this decision. We move on, we accept. But I think you need at least one year to make such a decision."
The new rules will take effect once they are approved by the ongoing CFA national congress in Wuhan, Hubei Province.
SIPG, which is aiming for at least one title in 2017 and has therefore invested big for the new season, will be among the most affected clubs by the new rules. AVB will have to make choices among newly purchased former Chelsea star Oscar, Uzbekistan international Odil Ahmedov, as well as Oscar's compatriots Hulk and Elkeson.
SIPG signed the four players bearing in mind the old rule that a team can start four foreign players — with one from Asia — for each match. The rule also was in line with the AFC's current regulations.
In Doha, AVB was seen putting the four players in one team in training, as SIPG's first match in 2017 will be against either Thailand's Sukhothai or Myanmar's Yadanarbon on February 7.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)