"I would like to be a paving stone for the Chinese Football Association (CFA)," Cai Zhenhua, China's vice sports minister and ex-table tennis player, said after being elected president of CFA at a conference held in Xianghe, Hebei province, on Tuesday.

"I do not have time to express my thanks and honor to the CFA members' conference, as we must act immediately to address China's football crisis."

"I will try to put Chinese football on course in a practical way, rather than just shouting slogans," Cai said in an analysis of Chinese soccer.

"We failed to qualify for three World Cups, and in particular, we need to remember the humiliating 5-1 defeat to Asian underdog Thailand in June last year. We have got to start taking steps for the rise of Chinese football, if things are going to change," Cai said dramatically, China News Services reported.