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Soccer-Mentality must change for China to rise, says Perrin

By Nick Mulvenney SYDNEY, April 11 (Reuters) - While 32 of his counterparts ponder the make-up of their squads for this year's World Cup, Alain Perrin is tackling a conundrum that has defeated many coaches before him - how to get China to punch their weight in international football. China, who have failed to qualify for the World Cup finals since their single appearance in 2002 and are languishing at number 96 in the FIFA world rankings, appointed the Frenchman as their new coach in late February. Perrin succeeded former Spain coach Jose Antonio Camacho, who was sacked in June last year following the failed campaign to qualify for Brazil and a 5-1 thrashing by Thailand in a home friendly. The 57-year-old clearly has his work cut out but thinks there is enough talent in Chinese Super League to build a national team that can compete at regional and global level. "I'm confident because I have seen a lot of games in China and there is a good spirit," Perrin told reporters at the recent Asian Cup draw at Sydney Opera House. "I've seen many games in the Asian Champions League and I think that will make my job difficult. It's a good thing for a coach to have a difficult choices to make and I'm happy for that." SAME SPIRIT Perrin is no stranger to transforming teams having made his name in France after leading Troyes from the fourth division to Ligue 1. He went on to coach top sides Olympique Marseille and Olympique Lyon, with whom he won a league and cup double in 2008. He believes his job is not just about assembling a squad of players but also changing their outlook after a decade in which the national team has been a byword for incompetence and failure in China. The success that Guangzhou Evergrande had under Marcello Lippi last year in winning the Asian Champions League - the first Chinese team to be crowned continental champions in nearly a quarter of a century - would help, he thought. "I have asked the players to follow their example and to create the same spirit," he said. "We have to change the mentality in China, not to play not to lose but to win. We have to change the spirit." China stumbled into the Asian Cup finals with a 3-1 defeat to Iraq on March 5, rescued by a late Thailand goal in a match played the same evening that left Lebanon just failing to pip the Chinese on goal difference. With no trip to Brazil to negotiate, Perrin will instead have time to look at the talent at his disposal in friendlies against Egypt and Mali in June and start building a squad for the Asian Cup in Australia next January. "First we have to find the players, I've seen a lot of young players I want to give a chance to. I have to keep some experienced players to keep a balance," said Perrin. "I have time to work because I have some games in June and then I have half a year to bring in new players to make the team better." (Editing by John O'Brien)