The CFA held a press conference on Thursday afternoon to announce that Ma Liangxing will take over from Pei Encai as head coach of the Chinese women's national team.

Pei was released from his duties after failing to make impact as women's team coach, despite leading Wuhan Huanghelou to eight straight CSL victories this season before accepting the CFA's offer to coach the national team.

Former Zhuhai Anping (now Shanghai Zobon) boss Ma returns to the job he left in 2003 after China finished the World Cup in a disappointing seventh position.

During the news conference Ma Liangxing said he intends to hand a player/coach role to women's football legend Sun Wen, who at the age of 32 "can bring her spirit back to the team and share her experience with the current players."

Ma Liangxing's goal is to build a competitive team in time for the 2007 World Cup and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. He has already named his first squad for training in Guangzhou from 19 December ahead of tournaments in Portugal and China.

Chinese women's squad:
Coaching staff:
Team Manager: Guo Hui
Head coach: Ma Liangxing
Assistant coaches: Wang Haiming, Zhang Haitao, Sun Wei, Shi Lianzhi
Team doctors: Wang Heshan, Meng Zhaojin
Administrator: Lu Yi

Players:
Li Jie, Chen Yanhong, Shi Mengyu, Ren Liping, Liu San (Beijing)
Sun Wen, Bai Lili, Pan Lina, Zhang Ying, Shi Xuewen, Yuan Fan, Xi Dingying (Shanghai)
Qu Feifei, Meng Jun (Bayi)
Wang Kun, Zhang Na, Liu Yali (Hebei)
Zhao Xiaoyan (Henan)
Ge Yang, Zhang Yanru, Yu Weiming, Wen Xiaojie (Jiangsu)
Han Duan, Bi Yan, Ma Xiaoxu, Han Wenxia, Bi Shuai, Hou Lijia (Dalian)
Jin Xiaomei (Shandong)
Sun Yongxia (Tianjin)
Liu Huana (Shaanxi)
Guo Yue (Changchun)

(Sinosoc.com December 16, 2005)