Struggling Renhe sack cup-winning head coach Gong

Source:Global Times Published: 2014-4-23 23:33:02

Zhu Jiong Photo: CFP



Ahead of Sunday's clash, both Guizhou Renhe and Chang­chun Yatai have new coaches.

Following Svetozar Sapuric's resignation from Yatai on Tuesday, Renhe announced Wednesday that coach Gong Lei will no longer be head coach of the team.

After days of speculation of infighting between Renhe's coaching staff, the Guiyang-based club confirmed Gong is "no longer the head coach of Renhe" in a brief statement on their Weibo account.

The club went on to say Gong will serve as the deputy general manager of the club, while Zhu Jiong will take charge of the coaching role.

Zhu joined the club in December as technical director, along with former international Yang Chen as part of Gong's backroom staff, filling Guizhou fans with expectation from their ambitious coaching trio.

"Taking the job of head coach is just the first step to ­being sacked," Zhu told ­reporters.

"I'm really grateful to Gong. He brought us two trophies, which is not only a record but also puts pressure on his successor."

Renhe had already lost three games in seven rounds of the Chinese Super League (CSL), ranking seventh of the 16 teams. 

Early elimination from the group stage of Asian Champions League, where they won only one in six games, also ­fueled the changes.

Gong ended Renhe's continental trip with a 5-0 defeat to Western Sydney Wanderers on Tuesday night.

He took over the reins of Renhe at the end of 2012, and led the team to the Chinese FA Cup trophy in December and Chinese FA Super Cup in ­February, both won against runaway CSL winners Guangzhou Evergrande.

Global Times



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