Vitor Pereira unveiled as new SIPG boss

Another week has passed since our last CSL news update, and it’s fair to say there has been plenty of action since in the Far East including the start of the EAFF E-1 Championship and the AFC Champions League draw taking place.

In terms of CSL specific news though, attention has been centred around arrivals and departures as you would expect during the league’s off-season. The most notable arrival of the week being Vitor Pereira, who has been formally unveiled as the new Shanghai SIPG boss.

Vitor Pereira Replaces Villas-Boas

For the second time in his managerial career, Vitor Pereira has found himself succeeding Andre Villas-Boas as a club’s manager having already done so at Porto back in 2011. The Portuguese manager, who has also been in charge of numerous other teams including Olympiacos and most recently 1860 Munich, takes over at SIPG having been out of work since June.

Pereira will be handed the daunting task of attempting to end the dominance Guangzhou Evergrande have had in the CSL. Evergrande managed their seventh title on the bounce this year despite SIPG spending heavily on players such as Oscar and Hulk during Villas-Boas’ reign in Shanghai, meaning Pereira’s mission is not an easy one.

Barca Players Urging Star Defender To Reject the CSL

Spanish outlet Sport insist Javier Mascherano is set to become a star CSL arrival this winter with a January move to Hebei supposedly on the cards for the Argentine to link up with ex-Manchester City and Real Madrid boss Manuel Pellegrini. Mascherano has himself admitted that he can’t see himself staying at Barcelona for too much longer, however teammate Andres Iniesta and the rest of the Barcelona squad are refusing to give up hope on the centre-back staying put.

As quoted by The Mail, Iniesta told reporters in Spain:

“We haven’t resigned ourselves to him leaving because it’s not official.’

“On a personal level I’d like him to stay because he’s very important to us as a person and as a player, although everyone has to look out for themselves. But no-one can doubt Mascherano’s commitment to Barca after all these years.”

Mascherano would certainly represent a quality addition to Pellegrini’s squad at Hebei China Fortune, so this is undoubtedly a story that will excite CSL fans.

Scolari eyeing Socceroos position

Having recently departed Guangzhou Evergrande to be replaced by Fabio Cannavaro, Luiz Felipe Scolari admits he has not been short of managerial offers and has revealed he is interested in the vacant Australia national team position. The Brazilian stated that Chile, as well as Asian international sides such as Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia had all previously enquired regarding his services, but that he is most interested in the Socceroos position.

Scolari’s interest is understandable with Australia heading to the World Cup in Russia next summer. Despite this, the 69 year-old insisted he is interested in a more long-term arrangement than simply to take charge of the Australians on a tournament-only basis.

“I am one of the names they spoke with… to see if I was interested in taking them to the World Cup”

“They can probably hire someone in February. So if they are interested they will call my agent and we’ll discuss it. But I don’t intend in just taking a team to the World Cup.”

“I intend on leading a team with an organised project for one or two years. But I am interested.”