Huge CSL spending to encourage more top players to Asia, says Socceroos coach

Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou said on Thursday that huge spending by Chinese Super League (CSL) teams will only attract more high profile football players to the Asian region.

Postecoglou, who took over as the Australian men's national team coach in 2013, said the Asian revolution, highlighted by high-profile CSL signings such as Alex Teixeira, Jackson Martinez and Elkeson, would only encourage other top players to consider Asian clubs in the transfer market.

"The landscape is changing very quickly and not just for Australian sport," Postecoglou told SEN radio on Thursday. "Look what's happening in football in our region, particularly in China."

"The one thing that the China thing has done is that high quality players are now looking beyond just the normal European destinations while they're still playing a good standard (of football)."

The Socceroos coach previously coached local powerhouse Melbourne Victory. He said clubs in the domestic A-League competition would be licking their lips at the prospect of joining the CSL in enticing top players.

"If you look what has happened in China I think players are more prepared to travel now and experience new things," Postecoglou said.

"It gives us a good opportunity to attract the right sort of players to our league as well."

Postecoglou said it was "critical" for whoever takes over the A-League -- after CEO Damien De Bohun stepped down from the position on Wednesday -- to take the competition to the "next level" so that it can remain competitive with other leading Asian leagues.

"I really think it is time for the A-League to go to the next level and the next few years are going to be critical for that," he said. Enditem