Benitez arrives, Shenhua plummet and ACL sides soar: The Chinese Football Podcast s3e25

We’re back with a discussion on the soul of Chinese football – are naturalized Brazilians the answer to World Cup qualification woes, or yet another example of the governing bodies making a laughing stock of the game? It’s an opinionated start to the pod as we move on to the latest mid-season rule changes from the CFA – good, bad, indifferent, or just ill-timed?

After getting back into the swing of Phenomenon of the Week, the panel turn to the CSL – there’s clear daylight between the top three and the rest of the league. Is this a European-style financial disparity or down to good management, what impact does this gap have on the title race – and what could the trailing pack do to catch back up?

This ties into a discussion of the latest PR battle between Yannick Carrasco and Dalian – are the club, the player, owners Wanda or perhaps some mysterious background figures the big losers in this mess?

Host Steve Crooks is joined by the regular panel of Chinese football experts Cameron Wilson in Shanghai and Brandon Chemers this week.

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