Stanojevic says Beijing Guoan ready for greater things in Asian Champions League
Stanojevic says Beijing team have the fans and history to compensate for lack of riches
Beijing Guoan have the fan base and the history - now the club are emerging as serious contenders in Asia's Champions League.
Beijing will put their credentials to the test again tonight in the Chinese Super League against defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande at Workers' Stadium, with confidence flowing thanks to a fine start in both the Asian competition and domestic league.
Three wins and a draw in coach Aleksandar Stanojevic's first four games in charge, featuring back-to-back successes in the league and a win and a draw in the AFC Champions League, ensure Beijing have an identical record to the men from Guangdong.
Stanojevic, a 39-year-old Serb, was appointed head coach by Beijing at the end of last season, replacing Portuguese Jaime Pacheco after impressing at Dalian Aerbin, another club who recently enjoyed a major influx of cash.
"It was my first job in China and Dalian are a club who will have big success in the future because they have a lot of money," said Stanojevic, who steered Partizan Belgrade to back-to-back Serbian titles before moving to China.
"But the capital is the capital, and that's the same everywhere, not just in China. When I was in Serbia, it was the same. I was working in the capital and it was a similar situation, because you have the greatest expectations and it is the same with the fans, so I know the feeling.
"Of course, it's bigger here because everything is bigger here than in Serbia, but I'm happy with that. I like to work with the pressure. I know how to work in this situation.