Uncertain China prepares for Asian Cup qualifiers

China's beleaguered national side has landed in Oman for a series of warm-up matches ahead of next month's Asian Cup qualifying and is lacking both confidence and discipline, according to state press.

“Some players are confident off the pitch and not on the pitch,” Xinhua news agency quoted newly appointed national team coach Yin Tiesheng as saying.

“I need to have some talks with them… it is also very important to help them grow up mentally.”

The team arrived sporting newly cropped hair cuts after Yin instituted new disciplinary rules banning drinking, smoking, gambling and playing video games, Titan Sports Weekly said.

Yin is hoping to remake a national side that has already crashed out of the early qualifying rounds of World Cup 2010 and which also includes players from a Beijing Olympic squad that failed to win a match before the home crowd.

Yin's new rules come after former national team player Mao Jianqing was booted from the squad for allegedly assaulting a man in a restaurant brawl earlier this month.

The 22-year-old Mao could be reinstated if he “reforms” himself, Yin said last week.

Yin, 52, is a veteran coach in China's domestic league. He was appointed to guide the squad through two Asian Cup qualifiers next month.