Chinese Football Association apologises for humiliating 5-1 defeat
In a statement posted on its website, the Chinese Football Association was contrite over an embarrassing 5-1 home-pitch thrashing on June 14, which led to the sacking of Spanish manager Jose Antonio Camacho.
China’s main governing body for soccer issued an official apology on Monday, in the wake of the national squad’s humiliating and controversial loss against Thailand this month.
The association attributed the team’s defeat to technical and tactical issues as well as a serious underestimation of the opposing team’s playing style and strategy. It also pointed to “lack of morale and heart” from its players.
The association's statement stopped short of fully blaming Camacho, as the group earlier had, and said that as Chinese football’s governing body, it would bear the “inescapable responsibility” for the national team’s defeat.
“The Chinese Football Association sincerely accepts this criticism from the masses and its leaders and will work hard to rectify [its problems],” the statement read.
The CFA also said it would change the selection standards for the national team and look for prerequisites in recruits such as “a never-say-die spirit and sense of honour”. Players who perform passively will be excluded from the squad for the East Asian Cup, the CFA said.