Shanghai Shenhua coach Gustavo Poyet has been impressed by the improvement of Chinese Super League (CSL) during his first season at the club.
Poyet arrived at Shenhua earlier this year in a wave of high-profile coaches and players into the CSL. However, in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS, the former Real Betis coach thought that the standard of the Chinese top league had already risen.
“I’m in no doubt that Chinese football is growing. There are some players who think that coming here would diminish their chances with their national team, but Paulinho provides a clear example that they are totally wrong,” the Uruguayan coach said.
On the other hand, the arisen rumors about the pursuit of Barcelona to buy Brazilian striker Paulinho from Guangzhou Evergrande also sparks Poyet’s optimistic about raising the standards of the local game to the level of the elite.
“That shows that the level [of Chinese football] is higher than people say. As there is money here, people are jealous and try to insult Chinese football. It’s a shame, and it annoys me,” he added.