Perrin plots China’s path to glory on world stage
Print Edition
WHILE 32 of his counterparts ponder the make-up of their squads for this year’s World Cup, Alain Perrin is tackling a conundrum that has defeated many coaches before him — how to get China to punch its weight in international football.
China, which has failed to qualify for the World Cup finals since its single appearance in 2002 and is languishing at No. 96 in the FIFA world rankings, appointed the Frenchman as its new coach in late February.
Perrin succeeded former Spain coach Jose Antonio Camacho, who was sacked in June last year following the failed campaign to qualify for Brazil and a 1-5 thrashing by Thailand in a home friendly.
The 57-year-old clearly has his work cut out but thinks there is enough talent in the Chinese Super League to build a national team that can compete at regional and global level.
“I’m confident because I have seen a lot of games in China and there is a good spirit,” Perrin told reporters at the recent Asian Cup draw at Sydney Opera House.
“I’ve seen many games in the Asian Champions League and I think that will make my job difficult. It’s a good thing for a coach to have a difficult choices to make and I’m happy for that.”
Perrin, who has coached top French sides Olympique Marseille and Olympique Lyon, believes his job is not just about assembling a squad of players but also changing their outlook after a decade in which the national team has been a byword for incompetence and failure in China.
The success that Guangzhou Evergrande had under Marcello Lippi last year in winning the ACL — the first Chinese team to be crowned continental champions in nearly a quarter of a century — would help, the Frenchman thought.
“I have asked the players to follow their example and to create the same spirit,” he said.
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