The Chinese Football Association (CFA) denied on Monday that embattled former boss Xie Yalong would be allowed to return to his post as local media reported over the weekend.

Xie was appointed by the State General Administration of Sport (SGAS) in early 2005 in hope of reviving the national team's flagging fortunes but was replaced by caretaker vice president Nan Yong after the men's team failed to win a single match during the Aug 8-24 Beijing Olympics.

Xie, like his predecessor Yan Shiduo, rose to the position with no background in soccer management and has thus proved a magnet for critics' ire.