Besieged Camacho hopes for Becks effect
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, March 22, 2013
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Chinese national soccer head coach Jose Antonio Camacho (right) instructs his players during a training session on Tuesday in Changsha, Hunan province. |
China boss Jose Antonio Camacho will hope a sprinkling of stardust from the visiting David Beckham will rub off on his team as he fights for his job in today's crunch Asian Cup qualifier with Iraq.
Critics have lined up to savage the former Spain and Real Madrid handler after China crashed out of World Cup qualifying, lost a series of friendlies and was beaten by Saudi Arabia in its Group C opener last month.
Now Chinese media say only a win will do as Camacho leads his players out in Changsha, Hunan Province, with Guangzhou Evergrande's World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi, his mooted replacement, in the stands.
"We are under pressure after the first loss. Every game is significant for us now," admitted the Spaniard, according to Chinese media. "It's the national team and we have the responsibility to try our best. In Changsha, we must win."
Beckham, who is on his first trip to China in his role as an "ambassador" for the country's football, has had his share of fairytale wins but today's plot is shaping as a horror story for Camacho.
His opposite number is Vladimir Petrovic, a former China coach who was sacked after he failed to steer it to the 2010 World Cup - with defeat to Iraq a contributing factor.
Petrovic now has the chance to exact poetic revenge as he returns to China, where he also coached double-winning Dalian Shide, for his first game with Iraq following the departure of Zico and interim manager Hakeem Shaker.
The statistics also read poorly for China, which is bidding to end a six-game winless run and has also not beaten Iraq in six meetings since the 2004 Asian Cup quarterfinals on home soil.
But China will draw hope from Camacho's call-up of Chen Zhizhao, 25. The skilful and pacey winger has sparkled on loan at Brazil's Corinthians, where fans have christened him 'Zizao' in reference to French legend Zinedine Zidane.
This week's other Group C game will take place tomorrow in Jakarta where three-time Asian Cup winner Saudi Arabia will be looking to continue its excellent start under Juan Lopez Caro when it faces Indonesia.
Lopez Caro replaced Frank Rijkaard in January after the team flopped at the Gulf Cup and the Spaniard has won his first two matches.
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