LiTiewillremainasTeamChinasheadcoachforthefinalphaseofWorldCupqualifying,theCFAconfirmedthisweek.[Photo/REUTERS]AftersecuringhisjobforatleastanotherroundofWorldCupqualifiers,TeamChinaheadcoachLiTiewasquicktothankhispredecessor,MarcelloLippi,forcontributingtohissuccess.",thereasonwhyIhavegotthisfarisbecauseIhavereceivedalotofhelpfrommanypeople,"LitoldTitanSportsbeforetheChineseFootballAssociationonMondayconfirmedthe44-year-oldwillleadthenationalteaminthefinalphaseofAsianzonequalifying."Forexample,ifitwasntforthesupportofCFApresidentChenXuyuan,,manypeoplequestionedme,sayingIwastooyoungwithnotenoughexperience."tion."Afterayear-longpostponementofthequalifiersduetotheCOVID-19pandemic,Lisfirstofficialmatchinchargewaslastmonths7-0annihilationofGuaminfrontof30,000spectatorsinSuzhou,upAmatchesweresuddenlyswitchedfromSuzhoutoSharjah,UnitedArabEmirates,smenadaptedasbesttheycouldtothelossofhomeadvantage,reelingoffconsecutivevictoriesoverthePhilippines(2-0),theMaldives(5-0)andGroupAleaderSyria(3-1)ach－althoughatermofemploymenthasnotbeenspecified."TherearemanyrumorsaboutLiTie,weshouldkeepthestabilityofthecoachingteam,"CFApresidentChentoldXinhua."upqualifiers."WhenLitookthereins,ChinaschancesofretoSyriainNovember2019thatsignaledtheendofLippisassistantatGuangzhouFC(formerlyknownasGuangzhouEvergrande),LicreditstheItalianWorldCupwinnerasbeingamajorinfluenceonhisfledglingcoachingcareer."EversincehearrivedinChina,…Beinghisassistantmeansyoudon,Lippiwillshouldertheresponsibility,"saidLi,aformerChinainternationalmidfielderwhoplayedinEnglandwithEvertonandSheffieldUnited."AndworkingforLippi,,,youneedtoleadtheteamyourselfandmakeindependentjudgments.",withouthisencouragementthatday,IwouldntbeabletobecomewhoIamtoday."ReflectingonLippistimeinchargeofthenationalteam,LireckonstheformerJuventusandInterMilanbosswashamstrungbyfactorsbeyondhiscontrol."WeknowthatduringthesecondhalfofLippisstintinChina,thenationalteamitatedbettercommunicationwithinthesquad,"saidLi,whowastheheadcoachofChineseSuperLeagueclubWuhanZallduringthatperiod.",,askinghimifIshouldreturntohelphim,buthetoldmetofocusonmyworkanddontworrytoomuchabouthim."Reciprocally,the73-year-oldLippiisgladtoseehisformerapprenticeblossomontheinternationalstage."IwanttotellLiTie,I,"LippitoldTencentSports."Liwasanoutstandingplayer,andhe"。