Sven-Goran Eriksson named new Shenzhen FC boss weeks after being fired by Shanghai SIPG

Swede is named boss of second-tier outfit weeks after being dismissed by Chinese Super League outfit

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Former Shanghai SIPG manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been named as the new manager of Shanghai SIPG in the second-tier of Chinese soccer. Photo: AFP

Published: 1:30pm, 5 Dec 2016Updated: 9:43am, 6 Dec 2016

Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson will remain in China after the Swede was announced as the new manager of Shenzhen FC, his third club in the mainland since his arrival in 2013, but it will be his first time managing in China’s second-tier League One.

In a statement on Monday, the Shenzhen club, which finished ninth in the recently concluded season, said Eriksson will replace Dutch legend Clarence Seedorf as their new coach.

Eriksson’s major task will be leading the southern Guangdong club to promotion to the top tier Chinese Super League, where he has managed clubs including Guangzhou R&F and Shanghai SIPG.

Eriksson was replaced by Andre Villas-Boas as the manager of Shanghai SIPG after the conclusion of the 2016 season. Photo: Xinhua

Last month, the Shanghai club sacked Eriksson who still had a year to run on his contract despite him leading the club to a fourth-place finish in the league and qualifying for the AFC Champions League qualifying round play-off. SIPG also reached the quarter-finals stage of the Champions League this year before losing out to eventual champions Jeonjuk Hyundai Motors of South Korea 5-0 on aggregate.

It is believed Eriksson will be handed a three-year term of one plus two with Shenzhen. The contract will expire automatically if the club does not win promotion to the Super League by 2018.