China's coach Gao Hongbo (L) is sent to the stands by match referee Abdullah Al Hilali of Oman during their 2011 Asian Cup Group A soccer match against Uzbekistan at Al Gharafa stadium in Doha Jan 16, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

BEIJING - Wei Di, new chief of the Chinese Football Association, said that the national team will look out for a foreign technical consultant rather than appointing a new coach after the Asian Cup.

There's no time table and candidates list for the soccer consultant, though, according to Wei.

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Aware of the importance of keeping a relatively stable structure of the coaching staff, Wei emphasized that the CFA would not consider to sack head coach Gao Hongbo right after their disappointing Asian Cup campaign.

"To blame the coach and to make a quick change of his post are what the CFA used to do after suffering any bad result. It's irresponsible and we decided not to do it again," said Wei.

The Chinese nationals, who had needed a victory by at least two goals on Sunday to make the knockout stage, only managed a 2-2 draw with strong rivals Uzbekistan and were eliminated from the ongoing Asian Cup in Qatar.

They won over Kuwait but lost to Qatar in the previous Group A matches, which are not good enough to beat the hosts' chance of advance.

China's team leader Cao Jingwei told press in the post-match mixed zone that the country's soccer governing body will not remove the coaching staff after their Asian Cup exit, and he was echoed back in China by Wei.

"It's the first Asian Cup for Gao Hongbo as head coach of the national team. He had done his best," said Wei. "A team needs time to get experienced and so does a coach."

"The CFA believe that Gao and his team are on their way of getting established and we thought they did show potential through these three games, though the results are far from the fans' expectation," he added.

Wei said the CFA did not yet consider to look for a foreign coach, like they most frequently did following the national team's losing experience, but they are pondering to hire someone to help Gao become a better coach.

"The CFA officials have agreed that it's necessary for China's soccer to have some great coaches of our own. So we decided to go abroad and to invite a coach for the coaches," he said.