Jordi Cruyff is back as coach to China
Dutch coach Jordi Cruyff was appointed coach of the Chinese football club Shenzhen in a second trial in the most populous Asian country in the world, after he resigned last month from coaching Ecuador without having a chance to lead him in any match. Cruyff replaces the 46-year-old Italian Roberto Donadoni, who left office on March 11, after only four matches of the season in which he won one victory for 3 losses.
"Coach Cruyff will arrive in China on the 16th of this month, and some of them will be subject to the health protocol related to the emerging corona virus," the southern club said in a statement.
Cruyff will be forced to go into a home quarantine for 14 days before devoting himself to the management of his new team.
The son of the late Barcelona legend, Johan, was appointed last January as coach of Ecuador, but he returned to Spain, where he spent most of his career as a player, as soon as the outbreak of "Covid-19" began in late February.
Cruyff began his professional career as a player with Barcelona before switching between Manchester United, Celtic Vigo, Alaves, Espanyol, Spain, Metalurg Danietsk, Ukraine, and finally Valletta, Maltese. He previously coached Chinese Chongqing Dangdai Lifan in 2018, and succeeded in keeping him in the ranks of elite clubs, before leaving the team in December 2019 after negotiations to extend his contract failed. His new Shenzhen team are sixth out of eight clubs in Dalian's group.