Guangzhou, July 23 (IANS) German football club Bayern Munich’s manager Pep Guardiola has shrugged off a potential future coaching job in China.
Guardiola said he has not considered a journey to the east so far and unlikely to do so.
“No, at least not the next few years,” the Spaniard said on Wednesday before the German giant’s third and last friendly match here.
China has launched an ambitious football reform plan as the sport is climbing back from a terrible corruption scandal. A profound reform plan was launched early this year in the country.
It set targets to achieve for China’s football and put forward favourable policies to encourage investments.
Even before the reform, wealthy club owners have started to sign world renowned coaches and players.
Italy’s World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi was the most famous coach to join a Chinese Super League club when he arrived in Guangzhou Evergrande in 2012. The Italian resigned last year, succeeded by his protege and former Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro.
Frenchman Philippe Troussier and former England boss Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson also had their experience in China.
It was followed by recent arrivals of Brazil international Robinho, signed by Evergrande with a monthly salary of a million euros.
But these foreigners have found it hard to adapt and meet the expectations.
Cannavaro had to step down just over 200 days in charge before Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari took over the reigns last month.
Eriksson parted company with Guangzhou R&F and this year joined Shanghai East Asia, where the former England boss is reportedly paid 5.5 million euros.
Troussier, 59, was less lucky than Eriksson as he stepped down as Hangzhou Greentown coach early this month following a three-year stay in Shenzhen Ruby, which was relegated to the second division in 2011 and failed to return to the top flight under his rein.
Troussier, who led Japan to pre-quarters in the 2002 World Cup, admitted coaching job in China was not easy when he was about to leave Shenzhen.
“In the past, I was used to using my heart to make decisions, when I believed I could get through all the difficulties with my passion and hard work. But now I think I will use my brain more in the future,” he said.