How wealth from the Far East is changing the face of English football

Add as preferred source on Google

It’s Thursday the 16th of February and Sky Sports News is awash with the latest ‘transfer’ news. But, didn’t the transfer window close on January 31st? This time the transfer isn’t regarding a player, but referee Mark Clattenburg, one of the Premier League’s top referees since 2004, who was announced to be moving to Saudi Arabia after accepting a role from the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.

Although not specifically a transfer, Clattenburg has follows a string of players to the Far East. Have we reached a point where the splendour of playing in the Premier League is not enough to compete with the cry of wealth from the East?

The Premier League has been affectionately labelled as “the best league in the world” for much of its existence. But, with the recent results of English clubs in Europe, and a stream of ‘big-name’ players snubbing England for the likes of Saudi Arabia and China, has ‘the beautiful game’ become more about money than it has about glory?

The likes of Hulk, Oscar, Graziano Pelle and Carlos Tevez have all upped sticks and moved to China, greeted by masses of adoring fans, lured by the promise of huge wages that surpass even the likes of Manchester City and PSG.

A huge offer for Diego Costa, promising wages of over £30m a year, came in January and unsurprisingly turned his head. The offer threatened to derail Chelsea’s title challenge. There can be no doubt about it – money from the Far East is influencing the way football functions.

http://gty.im/645309044

Let’s look at China. England and China are worlds apart in terms of football. The Three Lions are ranked a huge 73 places above the Chinese, so if it isn’t money that drives players to move, then just what is it?

You have to look at the state of English football as well, to really make a judgment. England had an abysmal tournament at Euro 2016, followed by the embarrassing dismissal of Sam Allardyce as national boss. Fast forward a few months and England are now ranked 13th in the world, one place below Wales.

Away from the international stage, English football has done itself few favours. After Arsenal’s recent 5-1 demolition in Munich, and  Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 defeat to Belgium minnows Gent, the Premier League’s reputation has taken a bit of a battering. A recurring threat from Italy to take England’s fourth Champions League spot has become a very real possibility based on the recent performances of English sides.

Players’ dream destinations are no longer in the heart of English cities and towns but instead rooted in the likes of Catalonia, Madrid and now the Far East. English clubs could already not compete when the likes of ‘The Galacticos’ came calling. But the influence of Chinese money has certainly shifted the balance of power.

Take Alex Teixeira, for example. He looked set for a move to Liverpool but ended up moving to Jiangsu Suning, back in 2016. One can only assume this was on the basis of the wages, rather than the prestige of the Chinese League.

In addition to being unable to seal the deal for the likes of Teixeira, it has not helped that English clubs failed to keep hold of star players such as; Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Luis Suarez, all three of whom have gone to the Spanish League. The Premier League is no longer the pinnacle of world football.

Granted, English football has had some success in Europe, as recently as 2013/14, when Chelsea won the Europa League, a feat which Liverpool so nearly mimicked last season against Sevilla. But, although the league may be the most competitive in the world, financial fair play rules and a typical English resentment of teams “buying” league titles have been somewhat restricting for Premier League clubs. Paul Pogba’s world record transfer is, of course, an exception to this, but my point is that 10 years ago you’d have been sectioned if you were considering moving to China or Saudi Arabia, to pioneer a football career.

We have seen the strange and downright bizarre come out of leagues in the Far East, most recently Asamoah Gyan, being told that his haircut was unsuitable for the Saudi league. Heaven knows what they will make of Mr. Clattenburg’s tattoos.

With unconfirmed reports coming out of China, that the league hoped to introduce a rule by which would mean any goal scored by a Chinese player counted as two, it seems China will stop at nothing to become a leading force in football, and this is something that the Premier League will have to contend with. It can no longer be ignored.

And with Mark Clattenburg earning a reported £500,000-a-year salary, according to The Sun, it raises the question that if the Premier League can no longer compete financially with football clubs in the Far East, and continue to be outclassed by Europe’s best sides, then will the lure of glory and greatness be enough to attract the top talent? Or perhaps, a bigger worry, retain the stars it already has?

Featured Image: All rights reserved by bablubadmash