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MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2016 SPORTS Lippi to net millions as China coach: Media BEIJING: Marcello Lippi will earn almost region of 4.5 million euros ($4.9 million)” heights, leading the side to three con- The Southern Metropolis Daily, based Lippi, who masterminded Italy to $5 million a year as China coach but will said state broadcaster CCTV on an offi- secutive Super League titles between in Guangzhou, quoted sources close to their most recent World Cup triumph in pocket far more through a tie-in with a cial social media account. But the offer 2012 and 2014. the Italian as saying that “as well as the 2006, has his work cut out in his latest football academy, state media said yes- made to the Italian also includes income He was due to work with the club CFA, the highest levels of government assignment. China, the most populous terday. from Guangzhou Evergrande’s football next season, but Evergrande announced also invited Lippi” to coach the national nation on Earth, languish a lowly 84th in The 68-year-old Italian was named academy which will pay “Lippi and his Saturday it was breaking the agreement side, a move that had “a direct bearing the FIFA world rankings-sandwiched boss of the national team by the Chinese team” 15.5 million euros annually to act so the Italian could take the reins at a on his decision”. between Kenya and Guatemala. Football Association on Saturday and as official “advisors” for the establish- national level. Improving the level of football at club They have claimed just one point has the tricky goal of steering the Asian ment, CCTV said. Lippi is committed to Guangzhou’s and national level has been a priority for from four games in the latest World Cup giant to qualify for the 2018 World Cup-a The club, which is riding high atop football academy until “the end of President Xi Jinping who, even before qualification phase and are bottom in near impossible feat given recent losses the Chinese Super League, did not con- January 2019”, CCTV said. The CFA did taking office, underlined his ambitions Group A, which includes Iran, to Uzbekistan and war-torn Syria. firm the figure when contacted by AFP. not give details about the length of for China to qualify for the World Cup, to Uzbekistan, South Korea, Syria and Lippi’s annual salary “should be in the Lippi coached Evergrande to great Lippi’s contract. host the event and to one day win it. Qatar. —AFP Scolari leads Guangzhou to sixth straight China title BEIJING: Despite the hundreds of millions half of the season by Beijing Guoan and of dollars spent by a growing number of Shandong Luneng, respectively. Menezes Chinese Super League clubs in 2016, was replaced by former Bayern Munich Guangzhou Evergrande continues to domi- boss Felix Magath, while ex-Real Madrid nate, winning a sixth straight title yester- and Manchester City boss Manuel day. Luiz Felipe Scolari made it two champi- Pellegrini took over Hebei CFFC in August. onships since arriving in June 2015 as the Scolari, who has lost just three league club was held 1-1 by Yanbian Funde but games in his time in China, is one of three moved seven points clear of Jiangsu coaches in the running to be named Suning in second with two games remain- Chinese Super League coach of the year, ing. Guangzhou has dominated most of the along with Spaniard Gregorio Manzano of season, helped by Brazilian internationals Shanghai Shenhua and Henan Jianye’s Jia Paulinho, who scored against Yanbian, and Xiuquan. Ricardo Goulart, the league’s leading scorer, “I want to say thank you to the players as well as a number of top Chinese players. for their efforts and the fans for supporting “Guangzhou are a worthy champion for us so well,” said Scolari. “This win was not sure,” Mads Davidsen, assistant coach at easy. The league is getting tougher all the fourth-placed Shanghai SIPG, told The time and so it is very satisfactory to win the Associated Press. “This is the sixth title in a title once again.” row, so no doubt they are still the strongest Davidsen agrees that standards are ris- team in China.” Despite the dominance, the ing. “We now have six or seven quite equal signs are promising for the Chinese Super teams as Jiangsu, Shenhua and Hebei has League. The overall average attendance is stepped up this season,” said the Dane, set to finish close to the 25,000 mark this adding that big-spending Tianjin, promot- season, up from just over 22,000 in 2015. ed from the second tier with coach Fabio Once again, it is the highest in Asia, Cannavaro, will continue to invest in the “The fever here for football is something top tier ahead of 2017. “Tianjin will proba- I have not seen before,” Choi Yong-soo, the bly finish in the top half as they have mas- South Korean coach of Jiangsu, was quoted sive finances.” as saying by FIFA. “The stadium and the Scolari is expected to leave Guangzhou fans, it’s all huge.” at the end of the season though the CROTONE: Napoli’s Spanish midfielder Jose Maria Callejon (R) scores during the Italian Serie A football match between FC Crotone and SSC Chinese clubs such as Guangzhou, Brazilian refused to comment on his future Napoli at Ezio Scida stadium in Crotone yesterday. — AFP Jiangsu, Shanghai SIPG and Hebei CFFC on Sunday. Marcello Lippi, who led spent over $400 million in the winter trans- Guangzhou to three championships from fer window on stars such as Alex Teixeira, 2012 to 2014, had been set to return before Ramires, Jackson Martinez and Ezequiel it was announced on Saturday that the Napoli ends losing streak, Lavezzi. In the summer, Shanghai spent Italian had been appointed as the national more than $60 million on Brazilian striker team head coach. Hulk. Choi believes that all the investment The appointment was warmly received Inter lose again in Serie A will make a difference. “The infrastructure is as an up-and-down year for the national well-established and the management sys- team enters its final weeks. In March, China tem of the club is well-organized,” he said. made the third round of qualification for ROME: A visit to last-place Crotone was just what a goal even though goal-line technology showed has featured only foreign players in its starting line- “They essentially have laid out the ground- the 2018 World Cup for the first time since Napoli needed to end a three-match losing streak. that the ball wasn’t fully in. up in all nine of its matches this season. It was work for further growth. It is an indis- 2002. One point from the first four games Despite losing center forward Manolo Gabbiadini Also, French forward Cyril scored twice for Udinese’s first win since Luigi Delneri replaced putable fact that Chinese football is devel- in Group A triggered the resignation of Gao to a red card, ten-man Napoli won 2-1 yesterday to Udinese in a 3-1 win over visiting Pescara. Udinese Giuseppe Iachini as coach three weeks ago. — AP oping at an unprecedented pace.” Hongbo on Oct. 11. spoil Crotone’s first Serie A match in its home stadi- The season also saw a number of promi- Lippi will take control of China for the um. Jose Callejon scored 17 minutes in and Nikola nent foreign coaches depart and arrive. first time against Qatar on Nov. 15. His first Maksimovic doubled the lead in the 33rd, shortly Former AC Milan and Juventus boss activity as the national team boss was to go after Gabbiadini was sent off. Aleandro Rosi pulled Dembele late show sees Alberto Zaccheroni and ex-Brazil head and watch former club Guangzhou secure one back for Crotone in the 89th. coach Mano Menezes were fired in the first yet another title. —AP Gabbiadini was on the ground after being fouled by Gian Marco Ferrari and reacted by flick- Celtic beat Rangers ing his boot into the back of Ferrari’s leg. It was Gabbiadini’s first red card in 153 career Serie A GLASGOW: Moussa Dembele grabbed a late Dembele, who played Sinclair clean through, matches. Ferrari was shown a yellow. Both of winner as Celtic clinched a place in the but Matt Gilks raced off his line to block his Napoli’s goals were aided by poor defense. Callejon Scottish League Cup final with a 1-0 defeat of shot with his legs. Gilks breathed a sigh of redirected the ball in by the far post after a cross Old Firm rivals Rangers at Glasgow’s relief when his attempted pass went straight from Dries Mertens was deflected right toward Hampden Park yesterday. to Rogic in the box, but the Australian him. Recently called up to Spain’s national team, Rangers looked a much improved side couldn’t find the target with his effort. Callejon has been involved in a league-best eight from the one hammered 5-1 at Parkhead in The Rangers keeper then redeemed him- goals this season with six goals and two assists. their last meeting with arch-rivals Celtic in self as he made a point-blank save to keep Maksimovic also scored near the far post, following August, but it was the Hoops who had the out a close-range header from Dembele. The a corner. Napoli had lost two straight in Serie A best chances, with Erik Sviatchenko’s header French striker was then lucky to avoid a book- and was also beaten by Besiktas in the Champions ruled out for a foul before Scott Sinclair ing for diving after he threw himself to the League this week.