On February 1, an explosive news went off like a heavy bomb in the Chinese soccer world. Tianjin's Daily News disclosed the serious problem of wage arrears in the Chinese Super League, pointing out that the situation in Guangzhou, Dalian and Shenzhen was not optimistic, and the news immediately triggered a wide range of heated debates.
As we all know, the last two seasons of the Chinese Super League (CSL) have been characterized by massive wage arrears due to the continuous high-intensity fixtures, the implementation of the Golden Dollar Soccer Policy and the operational difficulties of the parent companies. Traditional powerhouses such as Beijing Guoan and Shanghai Shenhua have not been spared, which has not only had a negative impact on the Chinese Super League, but has also made the Football Association determined to implement relegation for teams with wage arrears.
However, most teams have now begun to resolve the crisis, with only a few still in deep trouble. According to the Daily News, three clubs in the Chinese Super League, Guangzhou, Dalian and Shenzhen, are facing unfavorable situations, and although Henan Songshan Longmen also have wage arrears, the other clubs appear to be more prompt in resolving the wage arrears issue.
From a report in the Daily News, we learn that three teams - Guangzhou, Dalian and Shenzhen - may have difficulty in solving the problem of salary arrears. Although the media did not disclose specific details, the situation could not only deal a fatal blow to the Chinese Super League, but also make coaches Xie Hui, Li Weifeng and Zhang Xiaorui feel extremely helpless. If the wage arrears cannot be resolved, their hard work in leading the team to avoid relegation may come to naught, and the jeers of the fans will add insult to injury.
Some fans predict that the Shenzhen team may face a tougher challenge, and even if the wage arrears issue is resolved, they may suffer relegation due to the match-fixing issue. The situation is more complicated for Guangzhou, whose future will depend on whether Fuli will make concessions as the club tries to pass on the music department's debts to its new shareholder, Guangzhou Auto, which is not interested.
However, there are also fans who are optimistic about Dalian, saying that the team's situation is relatively stable. Coach Xie Hui's performance has been recognized and the transfer ban has been lifted. The issue of wage arrears does not seem to be a serious one, and may only require appropriate discounts on the wages of highly paid players. For the players who remain in Dalian, they will undoubtedly not choose to renew their contracts if they expire.
