Soccer looks to life after Loisel

With current women's soccer coach Elisabeth Loisel on her way out the door, the China Football Association (CFA) is scrambling to find the right person to replace her.

As Frenchwoman Elisabeth Loisel, coach of China's women's soocer team, is likely to be axed soon due to a public row with team officials, reports say local coaches Wang Haiming (left) and Chen Jingang have become favorites to replace her. [Sina.com]

The announcement of Loisel's sacking is expected to come any day, amid speculation that former head coach Ma Yuan'an or men's coach Zhu Guanghu may get the job.

Now some new local names have entered the mix as well. Veteran coach Chen Jingang and another former women's head coach Wang Haiming have emerged as hot favorites for what has been a revolving post.

Wang led his team to rock bottom in last year's Algarve Cup, losing all three group matches before a shocking 4-1 drubbing at the hands of minnow Iceland in the ninth-place playoff. Wang was then replaced by Loisel's predecessor Marika Domanski-Lyfors.

As Frenchwoman Elisabeth Loisel, coach of China's women's soocer team, is likely to be axed soon due to a public row with team officials, reports say local coaches Wang Haiming (left) and Chen Jingang have become favorites to replace her. Zhong Ti

Wang's history of failure opens the door for Chen, who used to be the women's assistant coach during the team's glory years of the 1990s.

Weary of the heavy pressures and unrelenting criticisms, Loisel said it would be wise for CFA to choose a Chinese coach to lead the slumping team.

"It's too complicated to coach in China. It's impossible for a foreign coach to get used to everything here," Loisel said. "I think China should have chosen a local coach right from the start."

But CFA is still trying to figure out how to get out of the contract it signed with Loisel late last year.

The coach has not resigned, meaning CFA will have to pay her about 1 million yuan for a breach of contract if it decided to sack her outright.

A tired coach

Loisel is now back in France after China's disastrous Algarve Cup in southern Portugal earlier this month, relaxing and spending time with family.

Source: China Daily