China's National Soccer Team head coach, Zhu Guanghu, formally delivered his resignation last week, an insider close to the Chinese Football Association has revealed.

Leading domestic football website, GoalChina.net, quoted the source as saying the coaching group of Zhu will be dismissed after a coaching committee conference of the football body meets before August 10.

Zhu landed in hot water after China's early exit from last month's Asian Cup finals where his team, considered a title favored because several key players compete in European leagues, produced its worst result in 27 years and didn't pass the group stage.

Zhu had signed a result-for-post contract with the administration in early July, which stipulated he would step down if the team failed to reach the last four at the continent's biggest football tournament.

(CRI August 3, 2007)