1. Shide could very well end up withdrawing their sponsorship of the team at the end of this year, there's also rumblings the team may be moved to Weihai, which would be a real disaster. 2. The only REAL derbies in China I can speak to are Shenhua-Beijing and Beijing-Tianjin, I imagine the Shenhua-Hangzhou/Jiangsu matches also rise to that level, but I'm not properly placed to speak on that. 3. The rivalries are different from the derbies and are more related to fan banter, and there are rivalries between all 4 of the "old guard" (Beijing, Dalian, Shanghai, Shandong). There is a definite rivalry between Dalian Shide and Liaoning, there's also a bit of a rivalry between Shandong and Qingdao. 4. Chinese supporters sections and "ultras" tend to have good relationships with each other. For example I just got back from Changchun where we sat down and ate and drank with the local supporters section. I know the Guoan fans are on especially good terms with Shide and Jiangsu, but even when Shanghai came to town, the ultras groups drank together. 5. You'd be surprised (maybe) with how much Italian fan culture influences Chinese fans, many of the ultras groups take Italian names and you will see things like "curva nord" (or sud) in a lot of the scarves and banners.
not sure should i count shanghai shenhua and guangzhou evergrande as big rivalry. the chinese news made big headline out of it, especially citing the shenhua fans' disapproval of sun xiang, gao lin (both former shanghai players), and conca (for some reason).
A bit of news, Clarence Seedorf is in Beijing and was at Worker's Stadium yesterday. Italian media says he's going to sign with Guoan, Evergrande, or Shenhua, though it seems Aerbin is persuing him the most. That said, Guoan is saying their talks with him had nothing to do with playing for the club and were related to a youth training program that Seedorf is working on. Also, if the reports I'm hearing are right, Lee Jangsoo is in Zhengzhou and may be announced as the new Henan manager as soon as this afternoon.
There is a Xian team, its just that they are in the third division. Also, going back to the topic of rivalries, there's a pretty intense rivalry between the (small) set of supporters in Chengdu and Chongqing.
From the very start (the Jia A era) the league would only have Chinese keepers so that more Chinese goalies could be developed. At first the league was very strict about foreigners, but in an attempt to get fans, it was decided that they had to allow foreigners in to make the games more exciting and that's why from about 1997 to today, every team tends to have a foreign striker. Perhaps its also why China hasn't developed a seriously quality striker since the start of professionalism in China.
To an extent, you're right, but perhaps because of tourists and others, the stands always remain packed at those clubs. In China, its nearly impossible to get fans if you aren't winning.
Well, Koreans seem to have different definitions of extended breaks. Chang Woe-Ryong who "resigned" from Aerbin over a month ago due to family medical issues is now returning to manage Qingdao, where he managed last season before leaving for Aerbin.
I see that there bis a second team in Xi'an: Shaanxi Daqin FC. Curiously, one in north division and the other in south... I cannot find attendance stats for the third division (League Two). I know it's OT because it isn't CSL related, but... does anybody know which of the two teams (Laochenggen and Daqin) has more followers in Xi'an?
As the master once said, he who really knows what's going on knows what's going on even when he doesn't know what's going on. The fundamental difference between Chengb and I is that he spends a lot of time with trivia and always fails to see the forest.
That you think time spent equals to insight gained shows how little idea you have about things in general. Little wonder that you would use the term "Chinese" as a derogatory term and call me nationalistic when I do the opposite. Irrational indeed. Hao Haidong never tracks back too. So? Gao Lin does what he does best by creating for his teammates. And in my books that's more than enough of a team player.
It looks like Daqin had better attendance than Laochenggen: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_China_League_Two
Hmm that sound efficnent and good practice. But still. I would love to play GK for Chinese club ... aha well... I'll just admire from the stands one day. Thanks for the input.
Haha this comment made me chuckle. I've been a Chelsea fan ever since I came to the UK, my house was 2 streets away and the school I went to was also the school Zola sent his kids. He'd pop up every friday to sign shirts. So if you're going to quote me as a 'glory hunting' fan, you couldn't be more wrong. Oh and yes. Bayern lost. We hit 2 birds with one shot.
I'm a northerner...from Beijing. I dont really give much towards northern/southern stereotypes as I left China when I was only 6. But if its anything like the UK North/South divide...then I can see why this tit-for-tat exists. Plus I didn't say anything against chengb except he shouldn't brush off teamdragon as someone who isn't knowledgeable. Without teamdragon, ntg, greenlion, xfactor and chengb, this forum on BigSoccer would have died like 2 years ago. And chengb you're right, I haven't been posting as active as I want to. But I've been around since 2005, I only joined in 2007 to post some views but had been reading since 2 years prior. For me the football is what matters, I don't care for where they came from and whether or not they are playing for the 'right' team. As with Gao Lin, strikers have form issues all the time and like I said before, its not seriously important the amount of goals he scores. Even if you do look at goals, he scores around 1 in every 2 games for GZ (albeit in a weaker league for a season), thats enough to warrant him a serious consideration. China never has had decent strikers which makes his case even more important. Personally I'd like to see more of the foreign playing strikers, of which there really is only one atm, Zhang Chengdong..and with his red cards, it won't help his case any better. I would like to watch more NT matches but everytime I either miss one or theres not another match for months...especially this year.
Marcello Lippi only has one game under his belt with Guangzhou Evergrande with a near 1-0 win and already claiming he has the best players in China. http://www.goal.com/en/news/3801/ch...2/3119955/lippi-i-have-the-best-team-in-china