World Cup-winning manager Marcello Lippi announces retirement following championship win
Italian announces Chinese champions will have a new manager next season following 1-1 draw which sealed third CSL title for Guangzhou Evergrande
World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi has retired from football management.
The 66-year-old Italian announced his decision on Sunday, after a 1-1 draw away at Shandong Luneng clinched a third successive Chinese Super League title with Guangzhou Evergrande.
Lippi, who also won the 2013 Asian Champions League, said: “I don’t want to coach anymore, I’m too old. Guangzhou Evergrande will have a new coach next season.”
I don’t want to coach anymore, I’m too old
Lippi added that he will take over as technical director. Fabio Cannavaro is among the early favorites to replace him as coach of the Chinese champions.
Guangzhou Evergrande secured their fourth successive Chinese Super League title with a 1-1 draw away to Shandong Luneng.
Needing just a point in the final round to clinch the championship, the 2013 Asian Champions League winners suffered an early setback when Liu Binbin gave the hosts a 1-0 lead.
Beijing Guo’an, who kept the title race alive until the last round, were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Henan Jianye. They finished on 67 points in second spot.
Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Guangzhou R and F ended the season in third place, with 57 points. All three teams will represent China in next year’s Asian Champions League, the continent’s premier club competition.
Lippi steered Italy to World Cup success in 2006 but could not emulate that feat in his second spell in charge as the Azzurri were eliminated in the group stage four years later.
He also won the Uefa Champions League and five Serie A titles in two spells with Juventus.
Associated Press, Reuters
