Shanghai SIPG coach Andre Villas-Boas has questioned the move by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) to force Chinese Super League (CSL) clubs into fielding more young players.
Villas-Boas believes forcing players into the first team before they are ready could have a detrimental effect on their development.
The CFA announced in January -- after the transfer window had already opened -- that clubs must field one Chinese player aged under 23 and have a second in the 18-man matchday squad, while also reducing the number of players foreign players clubs can field.
"I feel sorry that the new policy came out a bit late, and that put a lot of pressure on young players," Villas-Boas said. "Everything has its own time, if you just hasten it, it's not going to help.
"We understand that the CFA wants to help develop young talent, but under that kind of pressure, they might not be well prepared."
The club will get their CSL campaign under way against Changchun Yatai on Saturday on the back of a three-game winning streak in the Asian Champions League, including the first two matches of the group stage.
Villas-Boas to make at least one change to his lineup this weekend after the 5-1 thrashing of Western Sydney Wanderers in midweek.
The Portuguese coach has fielded the permitted four foreigners in the continental club championship, with Uzbekistan's Odil Ahmedov joining Brazilian trio Oscar, Elkeson and Hulk in the starting XI.
But he will have to drop one of the quartet, with the highly rated Wei Shihao, brought in on loan from Portugal's Leixaos last month, an option to start for SIPG.
"The new season will start tomorrow and I hope we can continue our good form from the AFC Champions League as we know last season this opponent got a draw here," Villas-Boas added.
Manuel Pellegrini, meanwhile, has declared himself happy with his squad after his Hebei China Fortune side added a number of key China internationals ahead of the new season.
Zhang Chengdong was the club's key capture for €20 million from Beijing Guoan, a record for a Chinese player, after the defender had spent last season on loan at Spanish side Rayo Vallecano.
"I am very happy with the players we have brought in this season," the former Manchester City boss said. "Now we have convert their market-value into real in-game value.
"My first target of the season is to win the first CSL game against Henan [on Sunday], and from there we want to win match-by-match. Every three points will be our target.
"Overall I think we have narrowed the gap between us and some of the top teams in CSL."