Resisting the urge to talk about the China Cup until the dust has settled, the pod takes the extended international break as a chance to catch up on some lesser-discussed topics.
We kick off with a discussion of the AFC Champions League – with a mixed start for the Chinese sides in the group stage, how optimistic or otherwise are the pundits about their chances – and will the ACL really be a priority in a year which is all about Olympic and World Cup qualification for the powers that be? We share a couple of balanced views on what the ACL gets right and wrong, and why direct comparisons to the European equivalent aren’t really fair.
The second half of a free-wheeling discussion turns to terrace fashion – do Nike deserve all the criticism their league-wide contract and template designs get? What is the fabric to be seen in on the Chinese Curva in 2019? Is the myth of fake shirt sales one we can finally put to bed – and which shirts should the football hipster consider importing (and how) for this season?
Don’t miss the chance to get involved in the discussion on Twitter at #chinafootypod – we love hearing feedback and do our best to field your questions and suggested topics every week.
Steve hosts the Chinese Football Podcast, having joined the WEF team as correspondent for Shanghai Shenhua, the side he has followed since moving to Shanghai in 2010.
Exiled from the Victorian town-centre idyll of Feethams along with his childhood football team, Steve spent many an (un)happy year on Hongkou's North Terrace along with the Shenhua Element Crew and Blue Devils before relocating to Sydney from where he continues to follow the Chinese game from afar.
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