The new Chinese partnership involving ex-Bluebird Charlie Oatway, Gus Poyet and Carlos Tevez has hit an early problem.
Oatway and former Spurs midfield player Poyet are key members of the management team at Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua, while Tevez is their star signing and the highest paid player in the World on £615,000 a week.
But the former Manchester United and Manchester City star endured a debut to forget when Shanghai crashed to a humiliating 2-0 Asian Champions League defeat against Australian team Brisbane Roar.
Tevez made his debut and Brisbane could not help roaring their delight, sending a message out on the club’s official Titter account saying: “Carlos who?”
Tevez signed for Shanghai from Boca Juniors, but could not help his new club crashing to a shock defeat.
Brandon Borrello fired roar ahead with ex-Ipswich player Tommy Oar netting the second.
Shanghai are the first Chinese Super League team to lose a Champions League play-off in 14 years.
Tevez is one of a number of players who have chased the money to China, including Southampton striker Graziano Pelle and Chelsea forward Oscar.
Manager Poyet had said the fixture against Brisbane was a ‘must win’ fixture, saying reaching the Champions League groups and qualifying for next year’s competition were his major targets for his first season in charge.
Chinese Super League fixtures start next month.
Former Brighton and Sunderland manager Poyet replaced Spaniard Gregorio Manzano after club bosses were far from satisfied with the fourth-placed finish last season.
Poyet, 49, was sacked by struggling La Liga outfit Real Betis after 11 games in charge and made the move to China.
Londoner Oatway is a close friend of Poyet and the pair worked together at Brighton, Sunderland, AEK Athens and Real Betis. He has the role of analysis coach at Shanghai.
