Scolari, head coach of Guangzhou Evergrande reacts during the Group H third round match between China's Guangzhou Evergrande and Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2016. The match ended 2-2. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)
Scolari 'would listen to an offer' to coach China.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- Veteran coach Luiz Felipe Scolari could be interested in taking charge of China's national team following the departure of Italian Marcelo Lippi, sources close to the Brazilian told Xinhua.
Scolari's press advisor, Acaz Fellegger, said the 71-year-old "would listen to an offer" if approached by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) about the vacant role.
Scolari, who led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title, has been out of work since September, when he was sacked by Palmeiras just nine months after leading the club to the Brazilian Serie A title.
Luiz Felipe Scolari, head coach of China's Guangzhou Evergrande FC reacts after the round 6 match against South Korea's Suwon Samsung Bluewings at the 2017 AFC Champions League in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong province, May 9, 2017. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
Earlier this month, Scolari said in an interview with Xinhua that he would be willing to return to coach at club level in China, where he enjoyed a trophy-laden spell as manager of Guangzhou Evergrande from June 2015 to November 2017.
"Scolari believes that China has good potential and good players," Fellegger said. "His team, Guangzhou, had many Chinese players. He really liked working in China and the way they treated him, and he believes in the potential of the Chinese team."
In addition to two separate spells as Brazil boss, Scolari's decorated coaching career has included stints in charge of Portugal's national team and Chelsea.
In less than three full seasons with Evergrande, he steered the club to three league crowns, the Asian Champions League title and the Chinese FA Cup.
Marcello Lippi, head coach of China, gestures during the group A match between China and Syria of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 2 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, Nov. 14, 2019. Marcello Lippi announced his resignation during the press conference after the match. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)
Lippi resigned as China's head coach on Thursday after a 2-1 defeat to Syria in their World Cup qualifier in Dubai. ■
