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Jonathan White

New Dalian Yifang manager Rafael Benitez has written a blog on his first week in the Chinese Super League and it is bad news for Newcastle United fans.
He gives an insight into his relationship with club owner Mike Ashley in an entry called “My first seven days – what an experience!”.
“I must say that I have had more meetings with the Chairman, the President and the General Manager this week, than I had in 3 years at Newcastle,” Benitez wrote.
He called his first match, a 3-1 win over Henan Jianye, a “really strange” experience.

“You can't transmit what you want directly to the players, as it has to go through a translator. If you shout, he has to shout too and you have to trust that he's getting across what you want.”
Benitez wrote that it is easier with the foreign players as he can speak to them in English, Spanish or Italian.

“But the translator can't be at your side the whole time during the match as the fourth official tells him to sit down.
“So I find myself alone, using gesticulations to try to get across the adjustments I want from the players. Like I said, this is nothing like my previous experiences.
Benitez also wrote of the unusual scenes in training with the number of translators needed “even to transmit the smallest correction”.

“I have joked with my friends from the media in Newcastle, it can seem like a scene from the Marx Brothers with so many people around!”
Even still, Benitez wrote that they need more translators to facilitate training sessions.
“We have three translators so far and are looking for more, as all the help we can get in this area will be fundamental.”

3 more points! Good work guys ⚽️ #DalianYifang #victory #CSL@AxelHappart pic.twitter.com/ttMVJr4KXh
— Yannick Carrasco (@CarrascoY21) July 7, 2019

Benitez has already adapted to modern China. “If you don’t have WeChat … you’re lost,” he wrote, noting that it serves to pay for everything.
“Nobody here needs cash or cards – just their phones. With your mobile you can do your daily shopping, pay taxi drivers and restaurants. The challenge here is that it’s in Mandarin, so you need the translator again, who is always by my side.”
Benitez has been studying Chinese culture and history, something that will no doubt endear him to the supporters of his new club.

@rafabenitezweb off to a winning start today with Dalian Yifang. I'm told the deal to take @salorondon23 there is now "close". #nufc pic.twitter.com/pVKxWcuR4Y
— Pete Graves (@PeteGravesSky) July 7, 2019

“Reading up a little on the Chinese culture I also discovered that they not only created the Great Wall, or invented gunpowder, but also are responsible for a host of other things including paper, wheelbarrows and even pasta!”
But he has not been studying Chinese football quite as rigidly.
He calls Dalian Yifang “a club with a solid football tradition and many past trophies” but that is not the case.

Bienvenido a Dalian coach @rafabenitezweb ! #DalianYifang #ChineseSuperLeague #NewCoach pic.twitter.com/jCR9wegZY0
— Yannick Carrasco (@CarrascoY21) July 5, 2019

While the city of Dalian is regarded as the cradle of Chinese football, Benitez’s new side are only a decade old.
They started as Dalian Aerbin in 2009 before being renamed Dalian Yifang in 2015.
The club was taken over by Wang Jianlin, the owner of Wanda Group, in 2017 and will be renamed Dalian Ren next season.


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Chinese Super League

Rafa Benitez takes swipe at Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley as he reflects on his first week in China

Rafael Benitez is photographed in the Dalian Yifang dugout. Photo: Xinhua

(190708) -- BEIJING, July 8, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Rafael Benitez (R), head coach of Dalian Yifang Football Club, reacts during the 2019 Chinese Football Association Super League in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, July 7, 2019. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

(190707) -- DALIAN, July 7, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Rafael Benitez (L), headcoach of Dalian Yifang Football Club reacts during the 2019 Chinese Football Association Super League in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, July 7, 2019. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

(190707) -- DALIAN, July 7, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Rafael Benitez, headcoach of Dalian Yifang Football Club reacts during the 2019 Chinese Football Association Super League in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, July 7, 2019. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

Chinese Super League: Rafa Benitez off to winning start as Arnautovic and El Shaarawy head to Shanghai

Dalian Yifang head coach Rafael Benitez during the Chinese Super League win over Henan Jianye. Photo: Xinhua

Rafa Benitez’s Chinese adventure is not about the money but everything to do with his love for the game

Rafa Benitez is not coming to China for a quick payday. Photo: Action Images/Ed Sykes

Chelsea's interim manager Rafa Benitez reacts during his team's English Premier League soccer match against West Ham United at Upton Park, London December 1, 2012. REUTERS/Andrew Winning (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT SOCCER) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR "LIVE" SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 45 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS

Rafa Benitez is introduced to Chinese media at Dalian. Photo: Twitter

Rafa Benitez has swapped Newcastle United for their Chinese Super League equivalent

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez watches an English League Cup match against Nottingham Forest. Photo: AP

Newcastle United's Spanish manager Rafael Benitez (R) gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Manchester United at St James' Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on February 11, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Lindsey PARNABY / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. /

Sport

Football

Already enjoys closer relationship with Dalian Yifang owners than English Premier League side, Spanish boss blogs
Nothing like my previous experiences, says former Real Madrid and Liverpool manager after one game in Chinese Super League


Already enjoys closer relationship with Dalian Yifang owners than English Premier League side, Spanish boss blogs


English Premier League