East Asia China

Beijing Guoan sack Jose Gonzalez after poor start to season

Jose Gonzalez has been sacked as head coach of Beijing Guoan following a poor run of results in their early Chinese Super League campaign this season.

Friday’s 1-0 defeat to Chongqing Lifan made the capital-based team recorded their fifth loss of the season and left them 16 points behind Guangzhou Evergrande, who currently sit on the top of table.

“Beijing Guoan’s club board has decided that, as of 2 June 2017, Jose Gonzalez will no longer serve the club as head coach,” read a statement on club’s official Weibo.

“The Chinese coaching team will take over his responsibilities for the moment. Right now our team is in a very difficult situation, but we are confident we can bring it back on track in a very short time.”

The Spanish tactician, who led Granada in the La Liga last year, took over at the end of last season having previously worked as an assistant to former coach Gregorio Manzano.

Gonzalez became the second CSL coaching casualty this week after Jiangsu Suning coach Choi Yong-soo quit on Thursday after his team exit the AFC Champions League.