Walks the Walk: The Big Chinese Super League Kick Off

Former England international goalkeeper, Ian Walker played for Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers. In 2012 he moved to China to become goalkeeper coach of Shanghai Shenhua, before crossing the city divide to join Shanghai SIPG in 2014. In Walks the Walk he talks football and China. Follow him on Twitter: @IanWalks1

With the Chinese Super League kicking off on March 7, this month we take a look at prospects of the three Shanghai teams who will compete in it.

SHANGHAI SIPG

My club, and the top team in the city… obviously! Formerly known as Shanghai Dongya, outgoing president Xu Genbao basically ran the entire the show for 15 years, bringing an academy side up through the divisions to the Chinese Super League. An eccentric man with a pink-eared poodle called Manchester United, he nevertheless set the club up, developing a wealth of young talent. We ended up coming fifth last year and were pushing for an Asian Champions League spot right until the end. The club were then purchased by Shanghai International Port Group (hence the name change), and a substantial amount of money has been invested in a bid to break the Guangzhou-Beijing monopoly on the CSL and push for an ACL spot. My old England boss Sven-Göran Eriksson has joined us from Guangzhou R&F as head coach, and brought Brazilian midfielder Davi with him. We’ve also purchased pacey Côte d'Ivoire winger Jean Evrard Kouassi and South Korean defender Kim Ju-young, while the big signing is Dario Conca (see below). And let’s not forget we already have beautifully big-bottomed Sweden striker Tobias Hysen and Chinese wunderkind Wu Lei. All that cash being splashed means the pressure’s really on, though, so it’s time for the boys to deliver.

THE BIG NAME SIGNING

Dario Conca

Obviously we know him from Guangzhou Evergrande, where he won everything – three Chinese Super Leagues, a Chinese FA Cup, a Chinese FA Super Cup and most famously the AFC Champions League. Conca is a class outfit, looks very good in training and has impressed in our pre-season friendlies, even though he’s been away from China for a year. He is at a new club with new players, so it will be a bit of a readjustment for him, but he looks top quality. A set piece expert - very dangerous from free kicks, brilliant delivery from corners. Although very quiet off the pitch - a nice guy – no doubt Conca is set to be very big for us on it.

MARCH FIXTURES*
Sat Mar 7, 15.35 vs Jiangsu Sainty (H)
Sun Mar 15, 16.00 vs Shanghai Shenxin (A)
Sun Mar 22, 19.45 vs Guangzhou R&F (H)

// Shanghai Stadium, Nearest metro Shanghai Indoor Stadium on Lines 1 & 4.

SHANGHAI SHENHUA

My former club are the best supported of the city’s three sides, and have always been seen as the big boys. But with my new club SIPG usurping them as top dogs in the city, Shenhua have had their noses point out of joint of late. From 2007 until last year, Shenhua were owned by video game tycoon Zhu Jun. Something of an eccentric (a pattern is emerging here…) the running of the club was a bit of a shambles. Zhu started himself in a friendly against Liverpool a few years back, and threatened to do the same while I was there; playing himself up front alongside Didier Drogba in a Manchester United friendly (Didi wasn’t having any of it, and made it known that if Zhu tried it on, he would refuse to play). Drogba and Nicolas Anelka both left the club under acrimonious circumstances over unpaid wages, and in the end I left for the same reason - I didn’t trust that they were going to pay me. However, the club has now been bought by deep-pocketed Greenland Real Estate group, and have made a big statement with the signing of Tim Cahill (see below), so they will be looking to improve on last year’s ninth place finish. 

THE BIG NAME SIGNING
Tim Cahill

Cahill has had a great career; I followed him during his time in England – in fact I played against him! A goal threat, the Aussie is very good in the air and a fantastic finisher. He works hard for the team and has scored at international level on a regular basis, including that wonder goal at the 2014 World Cup against the Netherlands. He did well winning the AFC Asian Cup with Australia and proved he is still in top condition with a good few years left in him. A smart signing for Shenhua, he’ll probably link up well with midfielder Gio Moreno, and I expect him to be banging them in. Yet again, another immense addition to the CSL.

MARCH FIXTURES*
Sun Mar 8, 19.45 vs Shanghai Shenxin (H)
Sat Mar 14, 19.35 vs Guangzhou R&F (A)
Sat Mar 21, 19.45 vs Tianjin Teda (H)

// Hongkou Stadium, Nearest metro Hongkou Football Stadium on Lines 3 & 8.

SHANGHAI SHENXIN

The forgotten son in the city’s CSL scene, Shanghai Shenxin nevertheless managed an 11th place finish last season, defying expectations of relegation. The club was originally based in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province until moving out by the East China Sea and Shanghai’s Jinshan District in 2012. Shenxin then moved to Yuanshen Stadium in Pudong in 2013. Last season Yuanshen was being renovated, so it was back to Jinshan and the seaside. It is back to Yuanshen now though… I think - wherever they lay their jumpers for goalposts, that’s their home! Unsurprisingly, with such a nomadic existence the club doesn’t have much in the way of a fanbase, but why not get behind them if you live in Pudong - and 5 million of you do (according to Wikipedia).

THE BIG NAME SIGNING
Ummm…

MARCH FIXTURES*
Sun Mar 8, 19.45 vs Shanghai Shenhua (A)
Sun Mar 15, 16.00 vs Shanghai SIPG (H)
Sat Mr 21, 15.25 vs Guizhou Renhe (A)

// Yuanshen Stadium, Nearest metro Yuanshen Stadium on Line 6.

// Former England international goalkeeper, Ian Walker played for Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers. He is now goalkeeper coach of Shanghai SIPG. Follow him on Twitter @IanWalks1 and Weibo @IanWalks1.

*CSL kick off times are subject to last minute changes, please check back here the day before the game to make sure you don't turn up at an empty stadium!

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