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China seeks new soccer coach
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With the 2008 Olympic Games is just 10 months away, China is seeking a new foreign coach to lead its women's national soccer team after the Swede Marika Domanski quit her post for "health, family and social reasons".

"After the World Cup, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) showed Marika a sincere wish to extend her contract," team media officer Meng Hongtao told a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday.

"We discussed Olympic preparation plans as well as team development several times, and she submitted her report on the World Cup performance, Olympic preparation plans and gave many constructive suggestions.

"But recently Marika and her assistants sent us a letter requesting termination of their contracts citing health, family and social reasons. We feel deeply sorry about this decision, but we accept and understand it fully. We thank Marika and her assistants for the contributions they have brought to the team, and wish them good luck in the future," he added.

Domanski led the "Steel Roses" to the quarterfinals at the FIFA Women's World Cup last month before being knocked out by Norway 1-0. Although she didn't achieve her goal of reaching the last four, she created some big changes in morale, player confidence and instituted some technical improvements that really impressed the CFA officials and Chinese fans.

Meng told reporters that the CFA is planning to recruit a "suitable" foreign coach to take over.

"We have some basic standards, e.g. the new coach must have experiences with top teams, and his or her coaching style and approach should be in accordance with the team's general character."

Local reports revealed that former French coach Elizabeth Loisel, Brazilian boss Jorge Barcellos are both possible choices for the CFA. The nation's soccer governing body is likely to request the new coach to help win a medal at next year's Olympic Games.

Domanski felt ill during the World Cup, and she once admitted that loneliness in China was really a "big problem" for her.

(Xinhua News Agency October 24, 2007)

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