Huge name ... Marcello Lippi is the latest big name to visit our shores. Source: Fang Yingzhong/ColorChinaPhoto / AP
We have the Socceroos matches. Manchester United. Liverpool.
First, though, is Wednesday night, in a competition Australian football hasn't quite got it's head around, but really should if night's like this are possible.
The humble little Central Coast Mariners, who overcame the marquees, superstars and skeptics to finally win a Grand Final now REALLY have a challenge.
Coverage on Fox Sports 3 HD begins at 7pm (EST) from Wednesday.
Guangzhou Evergrande. A club that couldn't just afford to buy the Mariners, but it could buy the Central Coast. Sauce bottles, beaches and all.
Rostyn Griffiths knows both well.
A former Mariner who always gave his all - he ended up in the back of an ambulance after the grand final loss in Brisbane - the 25 year-old now plays in Guangzhou with Evergrande's crosstown rivals, R & F.
From Terrigal to a city of 12 million, he loves it.
"Bit different to Terrigal, yeah, little bit busier, up there after 5 o'clock you couldn’t even get a coffee so, in Guangzhou you can get your haircut, go to a restaurant at 11.30 at night."
He, like the club, is relatively new to town. Griffiths moved here at the start of 2012; the money, the broadening of horizons for someone who likes to give things a try, too irresistible to turn down.
His team has only been in Guangzhou for the same time, after local property developers R & F (R means Rich, F means Force) took over with business booming. "Look around Guangzhou at the building going on, half the properties say R & F on it," says Griffiths.
Yet in this town, they are the paupers. Evergrande are the glamour club.
Guiyang Olympic Centre Stadium | |
Bluetongue Stadium | |
Suwon World Cup Stadium | |
Hitachi Kashiwa Stadium | |
Guiyang Olympic Centre Stadium | |
| All times are listed in EST | |
Central Coast vs Guangzhou Bluetongue Stadium | |
| All times are listed in EST | |
"If they walk around Guangzhou (their players) are mobbed. They are more of a superstar team than we are, their fans are just fanatical. You look at the money they are paying, it's not a surprise players want to come out here, I don't think it's possible to get that money anywhere in the world and the foreign players they have are the best, the Chinese players they have are the best too."
Those foreigners are the ones who get the headlines, like playmaker Dario Conca - the highest paid player in Asia - and striker Lucas Barrois, signed from Borussia Dortmund.
And then there's the boss, Marcelo Lippi. World Cup, Champions League, Serie A winner who didn't go to China to wind down into retirement.
"From what I've heard Evergrande is run like a proper European club, great facilities. Even the way they play - in China not many teams have a lot of structure, but they seem to have a solid structure as well as the best players."
Having played against them a few times, Griffiths reckons Lippi doesn't over complicate things - simply, Evergrande play to their strengths.
"They've invested all their money in the foreign players and the attacking third. So they just get the ball to their attacking players as quick as possible, play in your half as much as possible."
China-based ... Rostyn Griffiths. Source: News Limited
Which is a slight deviation from the big reasons Lippi won a World Cup, on the foundations of the impregnable Gianluigi Buffon and Fabio Cannavaro playing as if he was 10 foot 9, not 5 foot 9.
It's working - Evergrande are undefeated in eight to start the Chinese season, scoring 25, letting in just four
.
Which brings us to Wednesday night, and why it'll be fascinating and will have Griffiths at home watching instead of grabbing a late night feed and/or haircut.
"It's the best structured team in China against the best structured team in Australia. I've watched a lot of the Mariners' games, even in the ACL and the underlying difference between the Mariners and the Asian teams is that little bit of quality in the final third," he says.
And that's no sledge.
"They will be able to compete all around the field - just if they can finish off their chances. (If anywhere) Evergrande are probably weakest defensively. At home is the best chance because here in China is going to be really tough for them."
40,000 screaming fans will be waiting next week.
The good news is, win or lose, Griffiths will also be waiting to help his former teammates celebrate their season.
Someone has to play tour guide!
They deserve an enjoyable off-season.
With Lippi and his burgeoning Asian superpower, Liverpool, Manchester United and the Socceroos - we're getting one.
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