.'
Rafa Benitez has ended his contract at Dalian Professional. He is looking to return to management.'
^
https://twitter.com/_pauljoyce/status/1352949292386955269'
Rafael Benitez leaves Chinese side Dalian Professional by mutual consent':-
https://theathletic.com/news/rafa-benitez-china-liverpool-latest/uioJjC0cM0CJ - or in full, here -
https://archive.li/1n7yA'
Rafael Benítez puts clubs on alert after leaving job in China':-
www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jan/23/rafa-benitez-china-dalian-pro'
Thank you, Dalian' - Benitez goodbye message
(23rd January, 2021):
www.rafabenitez.com/web/in/whats-on/thank-you-dalian/265 ...
'Unfortunately, like so many things in the last year, Covid-19 has changed our lives and our projects. From today, both my coaching staff and I will sadly no longer be coaching the Dalian Professional F. C. It has been an incredible experience and for this I would like to thank all my staff, coaches, medical and club staff as well as our players; their commitment to us in the first place, their support during the time we were there, and their effort has been magnificent.
The pandemic is still here, for all of us, and supporting our families has been a priority when making this decision.
Behind us, in China, and especially in Dalian, we are leaving many friends and good memories in a great city with very knowledgeable fans. We have tried to learn and understand a new culture and also to transmit a more professional, more European vision of football with a new methodology.
I’m convinced we have left a structure and a methodology that will allow the project to go ahead successfully. Since we arrived, the First Team has been rejuvenated and the foundations have been laid for the future, from the grassroots schools to the top. In addition, it has been done taking into account the training of players in China under a unique project, that combines football and training at school level up until the doors of the professional teams.
I say goodbye sadly under these circumstances, but at the same time I am convinced that the future will be bright for Dalian Pro FC.
Good luck and best wishes.
Rafa Benítez'
Some articles from on Rafa's time out in China...'Rafa's Chinese adventure is not about the money but everything to do with his love for the game':
www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3017385/rafa-benitezs-chinese-adventure-not-about-money-everything-do-his'Benitez ready to create ‘something great’ in China':
www.globaltimes.cn/page/201907/1156630.shtml 'Rafa is Taking Chinese Football To Another Level by Joining Dalian Yifang':
https://pandaily.com/rafa-benitez-is-taking-chinese-football-to-another-level-by-joining-dalian-yifang'Benitez not about to desert Dalian':
www.chinadailyasia.com/article/123264 (training and development of kids, getting more kids into footy, long term planning etc)'The challenges facing Rafa Benitez in China - and why he should thrive':
www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/challenges-facing-rafa-benitez-china-16585104'Rafa discusses challenges in China':
www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/rafa-benitez-discusses-the-challenges-of-working-in-china-six-weeks-after-leaving-newcastle-united-489908'Differences and Similarities':
www.rafabenitez.com/web/in/blog/there-are-still-difficult-times-ahead/132 (early days in China; kindness and positivity from the fans)'Great EPL day and work in progress in Dalian':
www.rafabenitez.com/web/in/blog/great-epl-day-and-work-progress/133 (work on the training ground / complex)'Christmas and FIFA Club World Cup Experience':
www.rafabenitez.com/web/in/blog/christmas-and-fifa-club-world-cup/134 (new season preparations and CWC)'Difficult times':
www.rafabenitez.com/web/in/blog/there-are-still-difficult-times-ahead/135 (COVID and peronsal stories; seeing family, NZ COVID successes etc)'The relativity of all things':
www.rafabenitez.com/web/in/blog/the-relativity-of-all-things/136 (life during COVID, and restrictions in the CSL)'There re still difficult times ahead':
www.rafabenitez.com/web/in/blog/there-are-still-difficult-times-ahead/137 (new CSL format and preparations, COVID)'5 subs?; no thanks!':
www.rafabenitez.com/web/in/blog/5-subs-no-thanks/138 (new training complex, youth coaching & development, long-term planning, training regimes etc)‘I’ve never known anything like this in my career,’:
https://theathletic.com/1605441/2020/02/14/rafa-benitez-coronavirus - or in full, here:
https://archive.li/91NaD'Lack of understanding a frustration for Benitez in CSL:
www.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-china-idUKKBN27C1QV'Frustration builds as Rafa eyes return from China':
www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/world/rafael-benitez-china-chinese-super-league-dalian-pro-newcastle-united-b857506.html 'The inside story behind Rafa Benitez's struggles in China':
www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/inside-story-behind-rafa-benitezs-19102891'Rafa speaks about working in China':
www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9384073/Rafa-Benitez-tough-love-spell-China-desire-return-Premier-League.html