朱广沪正式“下课”

Zhu Guanghu

Chinese Football Association yesterday accepted Zhu Guanghu’s resignation as national coach in the wake of last month's Asian Cup debacle and are looking for a foreigner to replace him, local newspapers reported.

China failed to progress beyond the group stage for the first time in more than 20 years after Uzbekistan beat them 3-0 in their final group game in Malaysia.

"Zhu Guanghu's tenure as coach of the national team has finished," the Beijing News quoted the team's general manager Wei Shaohui as saying.

Local media had previously reported China began looking for a new coach within days of their elimination from the tournament.

"There will definitely be a foreign coach for the (2010) World Cup qualifiers," Wei said.

China's Olympic coach Ratomir Dujkovic would be considered if the search for a "suitable" coach proved fruitless, he added.

"After coaching for three years, and having to give up the post to someone else, it's hard to reconcile," Zhu was quoted by the paper as saying.

Last month, former France striker Jean-Pierre Papin said he had been approached about the post, and local media have linked former Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit and ex-Germany and Scotland boss Berti Vogts with the job.

据报道，继上月国足遭遇亚洲杯惨败之后，昨日，中国足协接受朱广沪辞去国足教练的辞职申请，同时正在物色一位外籍人士担任下任国足主帅。

上月，国足在马来西亚举行的亚洲杯最后一场小组赛中以3比0惨败乌兹别克斯坦，20多年来首次未获小组出线权。

《新京报》援引国足领队蔚少辉的话说，“朱广沪在国家队的教练任期已结束。”

此前，媒体报道称，国足在亚洲杯惨遭淘汰几天后，中国足协已开始物色国足主帅的新人选。

蔚少辉说：“我们会聘请一名外籍教练带领球队争夺2010 年世界杯的入场券。”

他说，如果找不到“合适”的人选，足协将考虑启用目前国奥队主帅杜伊科维奇。

《新京报》援引朱广沪的话说：“在国家队执教三年，我不甘心就这么让出来。”

上月，前法国队前锋吉恩．皮埃尔．帕潘说，足协已就国足主帅一事与他进行了接触。另有报道称，切尔西俱乐部前主教练鲁德．古力特及德国和苏格兰国家队前任主教练贝尔蒂．福格茨也有望成为候选人。