By sportwriter Ma Bangjie
BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Former Chinese international Li Tie has been appointed to take over the beleaguered Chinese men's national team with the Chinese Football Association (CFA) undergoing a change in approach.
CFA did not seek a famed foreign coach as replacement of Lippi but chose an untested local coach as the replacement of Marcello Lippi, who resigned on November 14th when China lost away to Syria 2-1 in a crucial World Cup qualifier.
"What we wanted is a coach who does not need much time to know the team and fits the team well, not just a famous foreign coach," Chinese Football Association Secretary General Liu Yi told Xinhua.
"Given the fact that we don't have much time to prepare for the next World Cup qualifier, we think a local coach can do better than a foreign one because he knows our players' mentality and how to communicate with them," Liu said.
Li, 42, who managed a Chinese team for three games at last month's EAFF E-1 Football Championship, impressed the CFA, according to Liu.
"Our technique experts studied his performance and concluded that his team saw improvement at every match. The players demonstrated what they used to lack, such as upfield tight pressing and compact play," said the Secretary General of the CFA.
"He convinced our experts during interview with his strong desire to win. We hope he could impart to the players his spirit which is what the team needs," said Liu.
Li, when he played under Bora Milutinovic to help China qualify for the 2002 World Cup finals, was renowned for his fighting spirit.
Liu, a former IMG executive who was voted as the Secretary General at a CFA Congress last October, is trying to introducing new philosophy into the Chinese football governing body.
"Since the 2002 World Cup, we never managed to qualify for the finals again, we've always failed. The deep-rooted reason is a philosophical one," he said.
"Many people in the past held that we could count on an excellent foreign coach to do everything for us. We have to give up that thinking and make a significant change of philosophy," he said.
"You need a good system instead of a good head coach to chase national team's win," he said.
Liu disclosed that CFA will help set up a backroom staff team for Li Tie by introducing home and abroad experts into the Chinese team.
Chris Van Puyvelde, the former technical chief of the Belgian Football Association who serves as CFA technical director, will be in charge of the backroom staff, according to Liu.
"We are trying to solve the conundrum haunting our team since the 2002 World Cup. I cannot promise that what we are doing will guarantee wins for China, but it will increase the possibilities for sure," he added.
China, eight points behind group leader Syria, will play its next Asian World Cup qualifier at home against the Maldives on March 26th.
If China wins all of its remaining four group matches, it still has the chance to qualify for the final stage of the Asian World Cup qualifiers. Enditem
