China head coach urges players to keep fit ahead of World Cup qualifiers

SHANGHAI, April 4 -- China head coach Li Tie has urged his players to keep fit ahead of the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers.

The Chinese squad finished their sixth training camp under Li in Shanghai on Saturday, after which the players were released to their respective clubs to prepare for the new Chinese Super League season, which will start on April 20.

They will convene again on May 20 in Suzhou to prepare for the remaining Asian Group A World Cup qualifiers, which China will host from May 30 to June 15.

China will face Guam, the Philippines, the Maldives and Syria in succession.

"Please take good care and look after yourselves. See you in May," Li wrote on social media on Sunday.

Chinese Football Association president Chen Xuyuan had previously asked Chinese football clubs to protect their international players from injury.

"Since the national team and the clubs are in the same boat, the clubs should protect the national team players," he told a meeting of Chinese Super League executives.

"It calls for concerted efforts from us to guide the boat through storms. If the boat is stranded, nobody will survive," he said.

China is currently eight points adrift of group leader Syria and only leads the third-placed Philippines on goal difference.

The eight group winners and four best second-placed finishers will enter the next phase of Asia's World Cup qualifiers.