China boss says team needs work despite E.Asia win

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BEIJING, Feb 15, 2010 (AFP) - The new head of China's scandal-plagued football association praised the national team's East Asian championship win, but said the squad still had a long way to go to regain world-class status.

China on Sunday reclaimed the East Asia title it last won in 2005, finishing the round-robin event with two wins over Hong Kong and South Korea, and a scoreless draw with Japan.

Wei Di, who was named to head the Chinese Football Association (CFA) after his predecessor was detained on corruption allegations, said while the performance was a good one, the players and their coach have more work to do.

"The East Asia Cup is not as important a competition as the World Cup or the World Cup qualifier ... so that means Gao Hongbo and his team have not been truly tested," Wei was quoted as saying by the Beijing Youth Daily on Monday.

"Although China's championship win should be celebrated, it is not a sign that the Chinese team has reached a turning point. There's still a long way before China's football team reaches a turning point," he said.

Gambling, match-fixing, crooked referees and poor performances by the national team have made the sport the laughing stock of fans and a matter of mounting state concern.

The government in 2006 launched a probe into corruption blighting football which has reached the top echelons of the game, leading to the downfall of Wei's predecessor Nan Yong and vice CFA chief Yang Yimin.

Fans welcomed the team's improved performance in the East Asia event in Japan.

"Congratulations to China's football team... Hope the national team will be just like the tiger -- be powerful, and be better and better!" one fan said on popular Internet portal baidu.com, referring to the new Year of the Tiger.

Another attributed the win to China's anti-corruption efforts.

But Wei admitted that at least part of China's success stemmed from the fact that the other squads were fielding their B-list rosters.

"Japan and South Korea's teams didn't recall their players from overseas, which surely affected the ability of those teams," Wei said, stressing China should not become overconfident.

China failed to qualify for this year's World Cup and lost miserably at the Beijing Olympics, although they have qualified for the 2011 Asian Cup.

Both Japan and South Korea are heading for the World Cup later this year in South Africa.