GUANGZHOU, China - Guangzhou Evergrande players burst into tears in the locker room when they heard their coach Fabio Cannavaro was fired.

Top officials of the deep-pocketed Chinese club stormed into the locker room to announce the dismissal of the 41-year-old Italian after a 2-2 draw against Tianjin in the Chinese Super League Thursday night. They named Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari as coach at the same time.

Huang Bowen, the 28-year-old midfielder, sagged to the ground and cried. The 23-year-old rising star Zhang Jiaqi even cried out over the news.

"Even now, I couldn't believe all of this is true," said Feng Xiaoting, the 29-year-old defender.

The scene was similar to that of three years ago, when the players were told that South Korean Lee Jang-soo was dismissed at the Bangkok airport just after the team beat Thai champions Buriram in the AFC Champions league.

Lee was silent then, smoking in a meeting room.

Cannavaro, however, kept his symbolic smile. "This is football, my boys, cheer up," the Italian consoled the players.

Players shook hands with and hugged the coach they had been working with for only six months.

"Since the first day I took charge, I have been smiling to my players. Now, it is the time to leave, I also choose to smile," Cannavaro said before he left the stadium.

"I know my players are upset, actually I have the same feeling as well. But this is football, we have to face all of this," he added.