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FBL-ASIA-CHN-CANNAVARO-ITA-GUANGZHOU
Cannavaro on the brink at Guangzhou after alarming slump
SHANGHAI, Oct 28, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Fabio Cannavaro’s two-year reign as
Guangzhou Evergrande coach appears to be all but over after captain Zheng Zhi
took temporary charge of the Chinese Super League leaders on Monday.
The club made the announcement following a 2-2 home draw on Sunday against
mid-table Henan Jianye, cutting Guangzhou’s lead at the top of the CSL to one
point.
The 46-year-old Italian did not attend the post-match press conference and
his side have now won just one match in nine games in all competitions.
On Wednesday, Guangzhou went out of the semi-finals of the AFC Champions
League 3-0 on aggregate to Japanese side Urawa Reds.
In a brief “special announcement”, the seven-time CSL champions said that
the 39-year-old skipper Zheng would take charge on Monday while Cannavaro
attended “corporate culture training.”
The club did not explain the move or give further details on Cannavaro’s
status.
The World Cup winner was seen on video shaking hands with people and
saying goodbye as he left the stadium.
If Cannavaro is sacked by Guangzhou — as seems likely — it will be the
second time, following a failed stint there in 2014-2015.
It has been a turbulent seven months for the former Real Madrid and
Juventus defender.
In March he was named coach of the Chinese national side, to go with his
job at Guangzhou.
But he failed to win his first two matches in charge of China and
subsequently left, saying two roles at once was too much.
Guangzhou then surged to the top of the CSL, but their form has faded
badly in the last two months and they are now just ahead of reigning
champions Shanghai SIPG in the standings.
The two sides play each other next on November 23 and there are just two
rounds of league matches to go after that.
Guangzhou bosses will use the four weeks before the top-of-the-table clash
to find a replacement for the Italian, local media said.
Chinese football fans have never been convinced by Cannavaro, who took
over at Guangzhou for a second spell in November 2017 from Luiz Felipe
Scolari.
In his first season back at the club, the team from southern China failed
to make it eight domestic league titles on the spin.
Cannavaro has also managed Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and Tianjin Quanjian,
also in China.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0927 hrs