Chinese footballers ‘weak’ and tactically inferior to South Koreans, says former coach of struggling big-spenders Jiangsu Suning
South Korean resigned this week after Chinese Super League strugglers exited the AFC Champions League at the hands of domestic rivals Shanghai SIPG
Departed Jiangsu Suning coach Choi Yong-soo claimed he was let down by “weak” Chinese players who were 25 per cent less able to carry out instructions than their South Korean counterparts following his exit from the Chinese Super League club this week.
Jiangsu’s midweek AFC Champions League exit at the hands of fellow Super League side Shanghai SIPG was the last straw from Choi, who claimed he resigned with the last season’s runners-up struggling in the lower reaches of the table with just one win all season.
But after the under-pressure strugglers were hounded by unhappy supporters following Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by high-flying Hebei CFFC, fans claimed the former South Korea international had been made a “scapegoat”.
Choi’s departure did little to ease the anger of fans as they encircled the exit from the dressing room and demanded answers from the team following the latest defeat.
“CSL clubs possess world-class hardware facilities and the level of the coaching staff is quite high, but Chinese players’ understanding is relatively weak,” said Choi after returning to Korea to rejoin FC Seoul, who he left in June last year to take up the role with Jiangsu.
Watch: Jiangsu Suning 1-2 Hebei CFFC highlights