WESTERN Sydney coach Tony Popovic has attempted to hose down speculation Shanghai Shenhua is set to make another lucrative swoop to sign him.
The mega-money Chinese Super League outfit, home to the world’s highest-paid player in Carlos Tevez, has reportedly already targeted Popovic as their replacement for under-fire manager Gus Poyet.
Shenhua’s 2-0 Asian Champions League play-off loss to Brisbane Roar last week has heaped pressure on Poyet.
Now, three months after Popovic turned down a multimillion-dollar offer from the club, he’s again apparently the preferred candidate due to his success in leading the Wanderers to a surprise 2014 ACL title.
Fairfax Media reports Shenhua have made informal approaches to the 43-year-old former Socceroo’s representatives and are prepared to put more money on the table.
“It’s certainly something that’s furthest from my mind at the moment,” Popovic said.
Wanderers coach Tony Popovic makes his point to referee Kris Griffith-Jones as they leave the field.Source:Getty Images
“That speculation is a little bit old (but) that’s going to happen with players and coaches alike.” Talks with Shanghai in November collapsed when the club refused to agree to Popovic’s terms of independent control over the recruitment of players and staff, and football department operations.
However, SBS’s The World Game quoted an unnamed Shenhua official on Sunday who denied Popovic was on their wish list.
“I can say categorically that we have made no approach or had any contact with Tony Popovic at all,” the official is quoted as saying.
“Of course we are aware of him and what he’s done for his club but it’s wrong to say there have been any recent talks or approaches.”
Originally published as Popa’s responds to mega-money China offer rumour
