 Miloš Hrstić's leadership improved the team's ranking at the end of the 2011 league season slightly – they finished fourth.He left the club at the end of the season and was replaced by his assistant coach Zhang Xu.In preparation for the 2012 league season the club brought in several high profile players such as Honduras internationals Emil Martínez and Erick Norales and Chinese international Dong Fangzhuo in their hopes to win promotion.