Steel Roses stir up a new coaching cocktail

China's women's team is dipping into the nation's glorious field hockey past in a bid to ensure peak performance at next year's World Cup and 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The Chinese Football Association on Wednesday announced that South Korean Kim Chang-back, the legendary coach who helped Team China to women's hockey silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has been hired to whip the women's 'Yellow' soccer squad into shape as its strength and conditioning expert.

Kim will work alongside compatriot Park Tae-ha, who has been appointed head coach of the Yellows - essentially a reserve squad that nurtures up-and-coming talent for the 'Red' team, which competes in the major international competitions.