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Coach's departure 'a blow' for soccer team

Martin Zhou

China's soccer authorities came in for a barrage of criticism yesterday after the decision by the popular women's national coach, Marika Domanski-Lyfors, to quit.

Players - both active and retired - said the Swede, 47, would be sorely missed and her departure was likely to throw the team back into chaos.

'For sure, it deals a blow to our preparation for the Olympics,' said Zhang Tong, a midfielder on the team.

Sun Wen, the country's greatest woman footballer and the 1999 Fifa player of the year, told Oriental Sports Daily: 'After so many arrivals and departures, I have become numbed to such news.'

Domanski-Lyfors cited a desire to spend more time with her family as a reason for not staying on with the Steel Roses, but it is understood she had become frustrated with official interference with her squad selections and tactics.

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