This is just beyond stupid! Just when I thought Chinese football can't get any worse! Basically they had 2 reasons: 1. If they fail to qualify, they will play in AFC Cup 2. AFC Cup doesnt have lotｓ of $$ and they are worried if they dont do well, they will look worse! They havent even tried and they already giving up! They are basically saying, we don't think we can qualify and we don't think we can do well even in AFC Cup! What kind of useless person thinks that before they even give it a try? You don't see Korean or Australian clubs backing out?! If those poor south east Asian clubs can afford to play in AFC Cup, you are telling me a CSL team cannot? This just makes CSL look even worse in everyone's eyes! I would ban them forever from AFC Champions league! Losers!
i am trying to get confirmation if an indonesian team pulled a liaoning too i know the indonesian club submitted an application to withdraw too. i am disappointed at liaoning's decision..but it is understandable they want to focus on csl and cfa cup playing long distance games (wednesday to maldives, saturday play a home game) can affect the team greatly. what makes me furious is qatar getting a total of four spots, pretty unjustificable.
yea an Indonesian team did pull out but they are still going to AFC Cup, they are just participating in the Champions league. But this is an Indonesian team after all! When has CSL clubs go down to the level of Indonesian clubs? Wasn't the whole point of doing well in CSL to get into the champions league, and now they got that chance they are backing out cuz they are scared of losing? I mean after all, they haven't lost yet and they are already worried about playing in the AFC Cup. I mean if you go by that logic, China shouldnt even bother trying to qualify for the WC cuz they MIGHT lose... this is just stupid stupid!
I actually support Liaoning's decision. First off, unlike in Europe, even when talking about the ACL, there's almost no money in it for the clubs and the 3 overseas flights can get expensive. Plus, if you look at it over the past few years, its served as a major distraction for Chinese clubs. The AFC has ********ed over Liaoning by making an end of season decision to make China's entries in NEXT YEAR's competition 3.5, forcing Liaoning to qualify. The daily reports of a "final decision" going back and forth couldn't have helped. Plus, they're pissed off about the inane AFC rule that allows Tianjin, who won 3 matches to win the CFA Cup, get in automatically while Liaoning, who achieved over 30 matches, has to go through qualifying. The AFC Cup is a joke of a competition and you're sure to have a lot of laughers if Liaoning were to face the Singapore, Thai, and Indonesian clubs in that competition. The players would be getting nothing out of the experience, no fans would show up, and the club would be spending a shitload on travel (especially if they have to go to "West Asia"). Screw the AFC for doing them like they did. There's a lot of life to this rumor, the offer Guangzhou's preparing for Park is going to be large and Park likes the idea of playing for Lee, but I just can't see United letting go of him and giving up the option that he offers.
Last I checked, Liaoning hasnt lost the qualification game yet and they can still make it to the ACL. They are giving up b/c they think they can't win against the Korean/Australian teams. I mean what can you say that about that? If they dont' think they can win against Korean/Australian teams, why even bother going to teh ACL at all? They are full of Korean/Japanese/Australian teams, shoudl they just all give up as well? I don't see anything wrong with AFC Cup either, its a good chance to play against some good teams. With the level of Chinese football, I don't think you can say these lower league teams will not provide a challange. I still think this is a stupid stupid decision
The "Korean Li Weifeng", Park Dong-Hyuk, will be joining Dalian Shide on a free transfer. Also regarding the newest update for Anelka coming to Shanghai Shenhua, Anelka just announced that he will leave Chelsea for sure on January 2nd, 2012. Troussier, the Shenzhen Ruby manager, told the French media that "Anelka shouldn't come to China, it will be a mistake". He also commented that Shenhua's financial problem will prevent to club from getting Anelka.
AFC need get the 64 teams in AFC ChamLea and AFC Cup and move all in AFC Wester Champions League and AFC Easter Champions League, with a Great All Asia Final or 2 asian teams in Club World Cup, hope they get it soon. But a team renouncing is awful.