Tehrantimes - Former Iran national team head coach Afshin Ghotbi has been appointed as the coach of Chinese club Shijiazhuang Ever Bright on Monday, according to the local media.

Shijiazhuang Ever Bright finished 16th place in the 2016 Chinese Super League season and was relegated to the first division (China League One).

Ghotbi replaced Li Jinyu as the club targets a return to the Chinese top division.

The 52-year old Iranian American has worked alongside Guus Hiddink at South Korea. In 2008 he led Persepolis to Iran Professional League championship before accepting the Iran national team job in 2009.

After leaving Iran in 2011, Ghotbi was appointed as Japan’s J. League side Shimizu S-Pulse head coach but he left the club in summer of 2014.

In May 2016 he was appointed as the head coach of Thai club Buriram but he was sacked just three month into his contract.