By Eddie Akalonu with Agency reports.
Former Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Bora Milutinovic, still harbor strong feelings for the Chinese team at the on-going Asian Cup in Doha.

Reports said the Asian Cup in Qatar is not only an opportunity for the Chinese soccer team to rebuild, but also to catch up with old friends like two of the national it’s former coaches, Englishman Bob Houghton, who is now in charge of India at the championship and Bora Milutinovic, who acted as Qatar’s ambassador in its successful 2022 World Cup bid.

“Bora is on our side now,” Qatar coach Bruno Metsu, who led Senegal to the quarter finals at the 2002 World Cup, was quoted as saying.

“I know that he likes the Chinese team very much and the Chinese like him because he took China to the World Cup in 2002, but he is helping us now and not China. I am sorry for the Chinese people,” Metsu said.

Agency reports said before China and Qatar met on Wednesday, Bora was sited regularly at the Aspire training fields over the past week, where the Chinese and the Qatari have been holding their official training sessions. He was also reported to have watched  China’s opening game with his video camera. Reports quoted the 66-year-old as saying he was not spying for the host, Qatar.

“I was a coach and a very good fan. I like to know everything and I take my camera because every day you can learn something,” said Milutinovic, who became the country’s favorite coach after leading China to its first and only appearance at the World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea.

“I can speak about only two players, Qu Bo and Du Wei, in this Chinese squad, and I’m very happy for them,” he said. “Best wishes for the Chinese.

Leading the Indians to the Asian Cup after the nation’s 30-year drought in major competitions, Milutinovic’s China team predecessor, Houghton, said his side was just like the Chinese squad of 13 years ago.