Haan can be China's Rehhagel:
Blatter
2004-07-18 10:18:00 Xinhuanet
BEIJING, July 17, 2004
(Xinhuanet)-- World soccer chief Sepp Blatter trusts in magic power of China
coach Arie Haan, comparing the Dutch with German tactician Otto Rehhagel, who
led underdogs Greece to the Eu
ro 2004 title early this month.
"Haan is the monument in the international football as a a coach,
he is good in tactics and motivation, and he can repeat what Rehhagel has done
for Greece," Blatter told Xinhua News Agency on Saturday.
"In the year 2001, I saw the Chinese under-20 national team playing in the
championships in Argentina, and they were so attractive, relentlessly going
towards the goal.
"One year later, the Chinese team qualified for the 2002 World Cup, and they
came to South Korea, but they forgot to score goals.I am wondering what their
result is during the Asian Cup in their own country."
When asked about Chinese soccer, the FIFA president spelt out star players
Sun Jihai, Li Tie, Fan Zhiyi, Yang Chen and Xie Hui with the help of a brochure
about the Chinese team. The Swiss knows Sun and Li are both playing in the
English premier league, with the latter playing for Everton.
Blatter was invited to attend the Asian Cup opening ceremony Saturday
evening.
"After I go back to Switzerland, I will fly to Peru for the Copa America
finals. I was invited to watch the finals here, but Icannot promise it now. But
I am sure that I'll be back for the 2007 Women's World Cup here," said Blatter.
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