This would be not surprising, but it would also be consistent with a very woeful record under Camacho and a dysfunctional team (it had also been thrashed 8-0 by Brasil earlier in his tenure). I don't think any of the players were particularly warm to him. He had a translator who had no football background so much of his instructions were poorly conveyed. His appointment was at the insistence of the CFAs rich sponsor rather than the CFA and was at the expense of the most successful coach in almost 40 years (and Camacho's record was one of the worst).
If it was a stitch up I don't think anyone in China would have minded!
The jury is still out with Perrin, but there has been some encouraging signs and a modest rise in FIFA rankings.