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Former head coach Gao seeking second stint at Chinese national team

Xinhua, January 11, 2016 Adjust font size:

Former China coach Gao Hongbo has revealed his intention to apply for the job again after Frenchman Alain Perrin was sacked by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) last week.

The CFA said in a statement Friday that the Frenchman was departing following discussions between both sides and the search for a replacement would begin immediately.

Perrin's sacking was widely believed a result of a disappointing run of results that left China's World Cup qualifying campaign hanging by a thread. China currently sits in third place in its World Cup qualifying group behind Qatar and Hong Kong, China. China's next match is March 24 at home against the Maldives, which it defeated 3-0 in September.

"It's a difficult time for Chinese football, and I can feel the duty on my shoulder," Gao told Xinhua on Monday.

"With a lot of research on the Chinese Super League and Asian football, I think I can help the team. I hope to make a contribution to the development of Chinese football," he added.

Gao, 50, was the head coach of the Chinese national team between 2009 and 2011. Under his reign, China won 23, drew 11 and lost four games. But he was fired less than one month before the 2014 World Cup qualifiers in 2011.

Gao's successor Jose Antonio Camacho failed to work miracles in China. Under the Spaniard, China had a 7-2-11 record.

Perrin was hired in February 2015 after a lengthy search to replace Camacho, who was sacked following a humiliating 5-1 loss to minnow Thailand. Endit