Dalian's new manager is Rafa Benitez's hometown, extending the manager's style to play the storm of youth.

Source: Football Gazette

Dalian People's Club has entered the second phase of winter training, all the Chinese players are currently in the team, only the foreign aid is still in the process of returning to China. Although the new head coach is not yet in place, but does not affect the enthusiasm of the players training, and last year's team building ideas are consistent, the reserve team and a number of young youngsters were transferred to the first team to participate in the winter training together, by the current coaching staff on behalf of the investigation and training, and so on the new manager in place, and then finalize the list.

A number of young players moved up

For the 2020 season, the Dalianese have undertaken a major overhaul of their team's personnel structure. The average age of the 30 players enrolled in the first team is only 25.3 years old, the youngest of the 16 teams in the entire Chinese Super League, and also 2 years younger than the average of 27.3 years old in the entire Chinese Super League. This season, despite the departure of Rafa Benitez, but he left behind the team building ideas will not change, that is, Dalian People's Club new season people will continue to adhere to the team to further rejuvenation, a number of young players were added to the first team, coupled with the return of the previous rental Liu Yingchen, Dalian People's team in the further tendency of rejuvenation.

Among the young players currently training with the team, Han Peijiang, Yang Lei and Zhu Jiaxuan are all old faces with first-team training experience, while the emergence of Kong Yinkuen and Wang Zhenao will attract more attention. Wang Zhenao's name is familiar to everyone, as it took Wanda a few tries to get the rights back to the Sichuan player nicknamed Lionel Messi. Unsurprisingly, Wang Zhenao will replace Zhao Xuebin's former position. In the reserve team, players born in 97 are relatively old, and Dalian People's reserve team in the 2021 season will be the players after 99 to take the lead. Wang Zhen'ao is one of the better strikers in Wanda's Spanish overseas program, and is one of the first players in the program, along with Zhou Xiao and Li Xuebo. These three players haven't gotten much of a chance yet, and their performance in this winter training may determine how much of a chance they get next season.

Kong Yinquan's name also sounds unfamiliar, this is a Guangdong player from Gu Guangming Football School, currently playing as a midfielder, and once stayed at Atletico Madrid together with Zhou Xiao. On the afternoon of the 20th, he scored a goal in the warm-up match between the Dalian People's first team and the Liaoning All-China Football Team. Although Kong Yinquan plays defensive midfielder, because he is resolute in stealing and has certain skills underfoot, but at the same time his attacking sense, as well as his shooting skills are good, so he is one of the Wanda hopefuls in the batch of targets that are being focused on training. Unsurprisingly, he is likely to make the first team roster in the new season.

The other goal in the warm-up game was scored by Shan Huanhuan, who had not been able to appear in the team's official matches last season because of his injury problems, but he will be the team's key domestic striker in the new season. When Shan Huanhuan returned to China to play soccer, there were many clubs chasing him, but eventually Wanda took Shan Huanhuan. With Long Dong on loan this season, a domestic player will definitely be needed on the forward line, and Shan Huanhuan will have little to no domestic competition for the position. Tao Qianglong will be another focus of attention, he is also Rafa Benitez hand-picked to join the player, in the warm-up games he and Shan Huanhuan formed a double striker, in fact, if the start of the new season, once the foreign strikers return to the position, Tao Qianglong want to get more opportunities to play, but also need to put in more effort.

The back line has also been Benitez hopes to strengthen and transformation of the links, now Wang Xianjun, Huang Jiahui looks to be a strong contender for the replacement of the center back, in addition to Yang Pengju, Yang Lei and Yang Hoyu also joined the competition, the team jokingly referred to as the three people as the "Yang family will". Rafa Benitez has brought in three goalkeepers during his tenure, namely Xue Qinghao, Xu Jiamin and Li Xuebo. Now it looks like the possibility of Xu Jiamin becoming the No. 1 goalkeeper in the new season has increased dramatically, and Zhang Chong's starting position will be challenged. Last season, Li Xuebo was given the chance to play in all three goals.

Lonestar's loan out of Hamsik to be determined

On February 15, Russian Premier League powerhouse CSKA Moscow, announced that Dalian Ren striker Long Dong has joined the club on loan until the end of the 2020/2021 season. This also means that in the first half of this year, Long Dong will leave Dalian Ren. Long Dong's loan fee isn't that high, and when Long Dong was loaned out, many thought that Wanda was trying to save money. But in fact, the primary starting point for the loan out of Long Dong is not simply just consider saving money, here there is the player's own will and the epidemic brought about by the schedule adjustment and other factors. Due to the impact of the new crown epidemic, the 2020 season of the Chinese Super League kicked off on July 25, in the two cities of Dalian and Suzhou, in the form of an empty match system to start the competition. At least the early part of the season will still be played on a conference basis as the global outbreak has not yet ended. Although the Football Association is looking forward to the start of the junior premier league in April, there are still variables, and the possibility of a May start or even later cannot be ruled out. For Long Dong, who has always wanted to perform in the national team, he doesn't want to have such a long waiting period, and he wants to maintain his competitive status through high-level matches as soon as possible, which is why Long Dong was sent out on loan. There is also another important factor, which is the attack of FIFA virus. As a result of the epidemic, many of the 2020 tournaments have been postponed to 2021, which directly contributes to the pile-up of big games in 2021. As a Venezuelan international, Long Dong is more likely to be called up by the national team. On March 25, the World Cup qualifiers in South America will begin; between June 10 and July 11, the Copa America will begin. Currently China's epidemic prevention measures are very strict, returning from overseas will face a 14+7+7 quarantine period, after returning to face a month can not play for the team situation. Even if the Chinese Super League successfully kicks off in April, Long Dong is expected to find it difficult to play for Dalian in the first phase because of his frequent overseas campaigns and return from quarantine. The decision to send Long Dong out on loan was made after considering the above factors.

With Long Dong gone, the team is left with Boateng, Hamsik, Janisson, Larsson and Danielson. Hamsik has already had interest from other European clubs, so the likelihood of him coming back is the smallest of the remaining 5 foreigners. And if there are only 4 left, FC Dalianjin will be able to cope with the season. For this season's team, it is important to train more new players on the basis of relegation and try to fight for a better ranking. So as far as the team's current configuration is concerned, it looks like it should be enough. Unless the first stage of the game is not ideal, in the second turn of the time to consider further adjustments to foreign aid.

A new manager is on the horizon.

The most people are concerned about the issue or the new season head coach candidates, since Benitez left, a part of his coaching team has been in China to hold on to, lead the team in winter training, and in the choice of the new coach, continue to take the Spanish route of the possibility of a great deal of rumors with the Dalian people is the closest is the Spaniard José.

What kind of manager does the current Dalian team need to lead the team? Obviously from the global epidemic situation, as well as the current investment constraints of the Chinese Super League, it is unrealistic to try to select a manager on a global scale according to their own needs. Must be from the ability to facilitate entry procedures, while understanding of Chinese soccer, familiar with the league can take over the team as soon as possible, in the technical and tactical style and can not be subversive with the former Rafael Benítez, that way, the range of options actually narrowed down, and the Wanda has been more determined to take the route of the Spanish soccer, sent out to train the young players are to learn the Spanish soccer, so, the new manager is likely to be Benitez hometown.

In addition, the new season of the Chinese Super League because we have to consider the factors of the national team to fight for the World Preliminary Cup, but also to consider the epidemic prevention and control, so the possibility of closure again is still greater. Therefore, the new season with the team's coach, must have a strong ability to adapt to the special coaching environment. Last season Rafael Benitez used young players such as Tong Lei and Wu Wei, and the new coach is bound to further strengthen the use of newcomers.