China soccer head coach to be unveiled in a few days

BEIJING - The Chinese Football Association (CFA) is expected to appoint the successor to Marcello Lippi as its men's national team head coach in a few days after talks with three local candidates on Thursday.

Li Tie, Li Xiaopeng and Wang Baoshan, all coaches of the Chinese Super League (CSL) clubs, were interviewed by a panel of experts at a secret place, a CFA insider told Xinhua.

"Most of CFA staff had no idea of where the interview was held," he said.

"As the national team will set up training camp on 5th of next January, the new head coach will be unveiled at or before that date," he added.

Li Tie, 42, is considered to be the favorite to fill in the vacancy left by Lippi's sudden resignation on November 14th when China lost away to Syria 2-1 at a crucial World Cup qualifier.

Lippi's resignation caught Chinese football decision-makers unprepared.

"We did not expect it, his act threw all things concerned into turmoil," an insider of the Chinese team said.

The Chinese football chiefs, shaken by Lippi's walkout, decided to appoint a local coach who knows the team well and is responsible.

China, eight points behind group leader Syria, will play its next Asian World Cup qualifier at home against Maldives on January 26th.

If China wins its entire remaining four group matches, it still has the chance to qualify for the final stage of the Asian World Cup qualifiers.