Former China coach and current assistant coach of Dutch side ADO Den Haag Gao Hongbo has divulged his intention to apply to be head coach of the Chinese men's national football team again after Frenchman Alain Perrin was terminated by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) last week.

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According to Xinhua, the CFA said in a statement Friday that the Frenchman was exiting after discussions between both sides and immediately will start the search for his replacement.

A disappointing run of results that left China's World Cup qualifying campaign hanging by a thread was widely believed to be the real reason of Perrin being sacked. China currently sits in third place in its World Cup qualifying group behind Qatar and Hong Kong.

China will next face Maldives in March 24 at home. The Chinese men's national football team has already defeated Maldives in September with a 3-0 victory.

"It's a difficult time for Chinese football, and I can feel the duty on my shoulder," Gao told Xinhua on Monday. "With a lot of research on the Chinese Super League and Asian football, I think I can help the team. I hope to make a contribution to the development of Chinese football," he added.

Gao, 50, is a retired Chinese football striker, who managed the national football team of China from 2009 to 2011. Appointed in May 2009, Gao became the youngest man to take the helm in 30 years.

Under his incumbency, China won 23, drew 11 and lost four games. He led the national team to qualify for the 2011 Asia Cup. In his watch, China won the East Asian Football Championship in 2010. But he was fired less than one month before the 2014 World Cup qualifiers in 2011.

Spaniard Jose Antonio Camacho replaced Gao, but failed to work miracles for China with a 7-2-11 record.

In February 2015, Perrin was hired to replace Camacho, who was sacked following a humiliating 5-1 loss to minnow Thailand Enditem.

In 2007, Gao made a big achievement as a coach, as he led Changchun Yatai to claim the Chinese Super League title.

Tagsfootball news 2016, Gao Hongbo, Alain Perrin