Although China's top soccer league, the Chinese Super League, has suffered unprecedented challenges in the past two years, its former glory still shines in the hearts of foreign aiders and foreign coaches. Recently, former Beijing Guoan and Shanghai Shenhua boss Manzano, in an interview with the Spanish media, fondly recalled his coaching career in the Chinese Super League, saying that the experience was invaluable to him.
"At the end of my coaching career at Mallorca, I received an invitation to go to China." Manzano recalled, "but being told that a decision needed to be made within 24 hours, I politely declined. I was then approached by a Chinese Super League club - Beijing Guoan. We had two exchanges and got to know the club thoroughly. In the end, I took the brave step of becoming the first Spanish manager in the history of the Chinese Super League. This experience has been so wonderful for me."
Speaking of his time coaching in the Chinese Super League, Manzano was impressed with the treatment offered by the club: "The working environment is unrivaled, I dare say it has everything, whether it's a driver, a translator, comfortable accommodation ...... We even found a Spanish restaurant. For coaches, you can even lie in bed when working in China, other clubs take care of it all for you."
As described by Manzano, he enjoyed extraordinary privileges during his coaching career in the Chinese Super League. Whether it was Beijing Guoan, Shanghai Shenhua, or later Guizhou Hengfeng, they all offered him superior job packages. Even when he was coaching in Guizhou, Manzano's annual salary was as high as 8 million euros. However, the Chinese Super League is not what it used to be, I do not know when Manzano saw today's Chinese Super League, whether the heart will surge a trace of emotion.
