Soccer association pins hopes on coach

Chinese soccer will develop along more professional lines and the national team is expected to perform better in major international tournaments, following the hiring of World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi, soccer insiders say.

"As a veteran coach, Lippi will help reshape the Chinese style of play, especially in major international competitions," said Xie Liang, a veteran soccer commentator at Radio Guangdong.

Lippi, 68, who led Italy to its most recent World Cup triumph in 2006, was named head coach of the national team on Saturday by the Chinese Football Association, at a time when the country has a slim chance of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup tournament in Russia.