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Fabio Cannavaro, head coach of Guangzhou Evergrande, reacts during his side’s 2019 AFC Champions League loss to Urawa Red Diamonds. Photo: Xinhua

Chinese Super League: Guangzhou Evergrande’s Fabio Cannavaro sent for corporate training as leaders drop points, Zheng Zhi takes over

  • Italian sees side draw with struggling Henan before club statement announces he will go to company HQ for ‘study’
  • Veteran takes over amid rumours that coach could be replaced by Scolari if they lose against champions Shanghai SIPG
Guangzhou Evergrande manager Fabio Cannavaro has been relieved of his position by the Chinese Super League leaders, the club confirmed on Sunday night.

The club statement announced that the Italian will go to company headquarters for company culture training at noon on Monday and that veteran midfielder Zheng Zhi will take over as player-coach during that time.

“Head coach Fabio Cannavaro has to attend the Evergrande Corporate Culture Class at the group headquarters on October 28. During the study period, captain Zheng Zhi will perform the duties of head coach,” Guangzhou Evergrande said.

Cannavaro waved goodbye to fans and media as he left the Tianhe Stadium following Sunday’s match against Henan Jianye.

It is unclear how long the studies will last, but Evergrande do not play again until November 22, when they face second place Shanghai SIPG. There is also uncertainty as to whether Zheng is called up to Marcello Lippi’s national team training camp on November 3 and what that will mean for the club.

Reports in Chinese media have suggested Sunday night’s 2-2 draw with Henan Jianye brought the decision forward. Cannavaro’s side were 2-0 down to the struggling visitors and needed a late goal to salvage a point.

The result means the club remain top of the table, but their lead has been cut to a single point over champions SIPG and two points over third-placed Beijing Guoan, both of whom won this weekend.

Cannavaro’s first period in charge of Guangzhou Evergrande lasted just six months of the 2015 season before he was sacked.

He returned to the Guangzhou side ahead of the 2018 season, but could not retain the CSL title, finishing second to Shanghai SIPG. This was the first time the club did not finish as champions since returning to the top flight in 2011.

This season, the club have returned to the top of the standings thanks to a 13-game winning streak, but recent results have not been as expected and a seven-point lead his been reduced to one.

Last week they also went out of the AFC Champions League winners at the semi-final stage, losing 1-0 at home to Japanese J.League side Urawa Reds to finish 0-3 on aggregate.
It has been an unusual season for Cannavaro, who also took over as head coach of the China national team in March for the China Cup. He resigned after the competition to concentrate on his club role, but now he has lost that for the foreseeable future.

The Evergrande English-language website lists the company’s corporate mission as “Building the brand with quality and establishing the enterprise with integrity”, while its corporate spirit is “Hard work, unselfish contribution, diligent fighting and aggressive exploration”.

The company’s corporate style is listed as “Meticulous planning, strict execution, efficient working”.

Rumours suggest Cannavaro may be replaced before the end of the season depending on the result against Shanghai SIPG, a game the visitors won 5-4 last season on their way to a first title.

Former Evergrande manager Luis Felipe Scolari, the man who replaced Cannavaro after his first stint, has been linked with a possible return to the club. Scolari was in charge when the club won the AFC Champions League for the second time in 2015, just months after he took over from the World Cup-winning defender.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Evergrande send Cannavaro to ‘corporate culture class’
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