Dalian Professional Football Club (Chinese: 大连人足球俱乐部; lit. 'The Dalianese, F.C.') is a professional Chinese football club based in Dalian, Liaoning, that participates in the China Super League under licence from the Chinese Football Association (CFA). Their home stadium is Dalian Sports Centre Stadium with a capacity of 61,000.

Dalian Professional
Dàlián Rén
大连人

Full name	Dalian Professional Football Club 大连人足球俱乐部
Nickname(s)	Blue Hawks
Founded	1983; 39 years ago (1983)
Ground	Dalian Sports Centre Stadium
Capacity	61,000
Manager	Xie Hui
League	Chinese Super League
2021	Super League, 15th of 16
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours
Current season

The club was refounded on September 20, 2009, by Dalian Aerbin Group Company, Ltd., and started from the third tier of the Chinese football pyramid, the China League Two. Winning two consecutive league titles in the second and third tier professional football leagues, they were promoted to the top tier in 2012 Chinese Super League season where they experienced their highest ever placing of fifth in the same season. In 2014, they were relegated from the Chinese Super League. In December 2015, they were renamed Dalian Yifang Football Club. In October 2017, they won the Chinese League One championship and successfully upgraded. On May 25, 2019, Dalian Yifang Football Club was renamed Dalian Professional Football Club, with new logo unveiled on January 21, 2020.[1]

History

Club history

Dalian Aerbin (2009–2014)

On September 20, 2009, Dalian Aerbin Group Co. Ltd. established a new professional football club named Dalian Aerbin (Chinese: 大连阿尔滨) and hired former Chinese footballer Li Ming to become the club manager. The club's name Aerbin comes from the Manchu language meaning a place with water, which is also the name of a small town in Jinzhou District of Dalian where Dalian Aerbin Group Co. Ltd is located. They would soon move into the Dalian University Stadium in the Dalian Development Area and bring in Chi Shangbin as their co-manager and Sun Xianlu as their Head coach.[2] Starting in the third tier league, the club made their debut in 2010 China League Two season. The club brought in established top tier Chinese Super League players such as Guo Hui, Chang Lin and Yang Lin. The quality of these players helped the club win their regional division section and later the league title over Tianjin Songjiang as the club won the championship.[3]

In the following season, the club hired its first foreign coach, Bulgarian manager Aleksandar Stankov. Dalian Aerbin F.C. set up a surprising winning streak and won the 2011 China League One championship.[4] With their meteoric rise to the Super League, the club decided to use the 30,775 seater Jinzhou Stadium as its home stadium and shared it with their local rival Dalian Shide as well as signing a more experienced manager in Chang Woe-Ryong who had previously managed in the Chinese Super League with Qingdao Jonoon.[5] The club initially struggled in the league and the club brought in Aleksandar Stanojević as the head coach.[6] By July 11, 2012 Dalian Aerbin brought in a marquee player in former Barcelona F.C. midfielder Seydou Keita who departed the Spanish team on a free transfer and helped ensure Dalian Aerbin remain within the league.[7] At the end of the 2012 league season Stanojevć managed to not only avoid relegation but actually guided the club to fifth within the league.

On 30 November 2012, Aerbin Group acquired the local rival Dalian Shide F.C. by taking on responsibility of their 330 million RMB debt after Dalian Shide's chairman Xu Ming was arrested for bribing and corruption.[8] In hopes of bringing in a harmonious merger of the two teams, former Dalian Shide manager Xu Hong was brought in for the start of the 2013 Chinese Super League. However, after only 63 days in charge he had to resign after the Chinese Football Association found that he manipulated a match while as a manager at Sichuan First City and was given a 5-year suspension from all football activity, which forced Li Ming to start the season as their caretaker manager.[9] Chinese Football Association called off this merger according to regulations, and decided that former Dalian Shide players should join the free market, while Dalian Aerbin could only sign them through normal transfer, 5 at most, instead of taking over the whole team.[10] This incident caused Aerbin to face some serious financial problems, being unable to pay the salaries, bonuses, or even maintenance of the stadium.[11] At the end of 2014 Chinese Super League, Aerbin was relegated to China League One.

Dalian Yifang (2015–2019)

With Dalian Aerbin back in the China League One division and with the loss of revenue generated from being in the top tier the club could not afford to maintain their squad, which saw a mass exodus of players.[12] Mikael Stahre was hired as the Head coach at the start of the 2015 league campaign and looked to be pushing for promotion, which saw Dalian Yifang Group Co. Ltd on 8 July 2015 buy majority shares within the club.[13] The purchase was promoted by Wang Jianlin and his Dalian Wanda Group who are a main shareholder of the Yifang Group (一方, "one region"), with the investment signalling a return of football ownership from Wang Jianlin who had previously owned Dalian Wanda F.C.[14] The club failed to win promotion back into the top tier after finishing third place at the end of the 2015 season and officially changed their name to Dalian Yifang F.C. (Chinese: 大连一方) in December 2015.[15] On 10 July 2015 in a press conference to confirm the Yifang Group's investment, the general manager Shi Xueqing (石雪清) admitted that the club was still losing money.[16]

In the 2017 China League One season Dalian Yifang won the division title and promotion back into the top tier under Head coach Juan Ramón López Caro.[17] Despite this success the Dalian Football Association announced he was replaced by Ma Lin, which saw speculation grow that the club were still in financial difficulties and were looking for the local government Dalian Sports Bureau to takeover the club.[18] On 20 February 2018 the Wanda Group took full control on the club after selling their 17% share in Atlético Madrid to Israeli businessman Idan Ofer on 14 February 2018.[19] The Wanda Group would use the money taken from Atlético Madrid and invest it in bringing in Argentinian international Nicolás Gaitán and Belgium international Yannick Carrasco.[20]

The team and the Wanda Group sought further influence in the 2019 season. In February 2019, the club completed another marquee signing from Europe, this time acquiring the services of Napoli man Marek Hamšík, who signed for a reported fee of about €20 million (£18m/$23m). Gaitán left the team to play for the MLS side Chicago Fire after just one season.[21] The team signed with Korean manager Choi Kang-hee, but had less-than-expected performance as the league went halfways. In July 2019, Dalian Pro ended contract with Choi, while Rafael Benítez was introduced to the team, that he "was impressed by chairman Wang's passion and future plan on football".[22][23] Salomon Rondon also joined from Newcastle United, as a response to Benítez's call.

Dalian Professional (2020–present)

On 21 January 2020, Dalian Yifang changed their name to Dalian Professional.[24] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Chinese Super League did not start until July, after when Carrasco decided to leave the team. Dalian Pro and Benitez focused on aggressive promotion of young players, putting older players down to the reserves, as the 2020 league do not have much relegation pressure.

In January 2021, Benítez and Dalian Pro parted ways.[25] Hamsik and Rondon also decided to leave. As the CSL introduced further limit on salary cap and transfer fees, the team seems to reach a post-marquee era, by not introducing new foreign players, and remained low-profile. The team appointed José González, but relegated to China League One after the season.

On 12 March 2022, Dalian Pro announced major changes in its owners. Wanda Group decided to quit, and the team would be taken over temporarily by a government-led reforming work team. Past debts and operating costs of the first team, youth training facilities and projects for the next three years would still be covered by Wanda Group. The Dalian Pro Academy Base was donated to DETA Holdings (德泰控股), a state-invested company in Dalian.[26]

On 27 May 2022, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced that Dalian Pro, who had been relegated from the top flight at the end of last season, would compete in the 18-team top flight, as a replacement for disbanded club Chongqing Liangjiang Athletic.[27]

Ownership and naming history

Current squad

First team

As of 1 September 2022[28]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  CHN Zhang Chong 2 DF  CHN Lin Longchang 3 DF  CHN Shan Pengfei 5 MF  CHN Wu Wei 6 DF  CHN Wang Xianjun 7 MF  CHN Lin Liangming 8 DF  CHN Zhu Ting 9 FW  CHN Shan Huanhuan 10 MF  BUL Borislav Tsonev 11 MF  CHN Sun Guowen 13 DF  CHN Wang Yaopeng 14 DF  CHN Huang Jiahui 15 FW  CHN Zhao Jianbo 16 DF  CHN Tong Lei 17 FW  GER Streli Mamba 18 DF  CHN He Yupeng 19 FW  CHN Wang Zhen'ao 20 MF  CHN Wang Tengda 21 MF  CHN Gui Zihan

No. Pos. Nation Player 22 DF  CHN Dong Yanfeng 23 FW  CHN Shang Yin 24 DF  CHN Liu Le 25 FW  CHN Feng Zeyuan 26 MF  CHN Cui Ming'an 28 MF  CHN Fei Yu 30 GK  CHN Wu Yan 31 MF  CHN Lü Peng 32 GK  CHN Kudirat Ablet 33 MF  CHN Song Zhiwei 35 MF  CHN Wang Yu 36 GK  CHN Wang Jinshuai 37 MF  CHN Ning Hao 38 MF  CHN Lü Zhuoyi 39 FW  CHN Yan Xiangchuang 40 MF  SRB Nemanja Bosančić 44 DF  HKG Vas Nuñez 45 FW  CTA Lobi Manzoki

Reserve squad

As of 1 March 2019

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 6 MF  CHN Zhu Xiaogang 27 MF  CHN Cheng Hui 35 DF  CHN Yang Shanping 36 DF  CHN Zhou Xiao 43 DF  CHN Bi Guangfu 44 MF  CHN Zhang Yuhao 46 MF  CHN Zhang Jun 47 MF  CHN Yu Zhen 48 MF  CHN Xie Hui 49 MF  CHN Pang Chuntao

No. Pos. Nation Player 51 DF  CHN Rong Linchao 52 FW  CHN Han Guangxu 53 DF  CHN Luo Hongshi 54 MF  CHN Zhu Hui 55 GK  CHN Wang Kailong 56 MF  CHN Cheng Xianfeng 57 MF  CHN Bai Yaoxu 58 FW  CHN Aximu Aini 59 MF  CHN Yi Tianyu 62 MF  CHN Zhang Zimin

Unregistered players

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 2 DF  CHN Yang Lei 17 FW  CHN Zhang Jiansheng 23 GK  CHN Li Xuebo 27 DF  CHN Yang Pengju 38 DF  CHN Kong Yinquan — GK  CHN Chen Junlin — MF  CHN Zhang Hui — GK  CHN Gao Tian — DF  CHN Zheng Jianfeng

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF  CHN Wang Liang — DF  CHN Yin Jiahao — MF  CHN Gao Mingxin — MF  CHN Li Yuqiu — MF  CHN Han Peijiang — MF  CHN Ren Jiawei — MF  CHN Yuan Hao — MF  CHN Liu Zhipeng

Coaching staff

As of 16 May 2022.

First team
Head coach	Xie Hui
Assistant coach	Ng Wai Chiu
Assistant coach	Chang Lin
Goalkeeping coach	Everton S.
Fitness coach	Alex Ros Cladella
Tactical Analyst	Aitor Calero Garcia
Reserve and youth teams
Reserve (U-23) coach	David Rivas Martínez
U-21 coach	Liu Yujian[29]
U-21 assistant coach	Zhou Ting
U-19 coach	Sun Wei
U-17 coach	Zhang Yaokun
U-17 assistant coach	Zou Peng
U-17 assistant coach	Li Wenbo
U-15 coach	Zhao Peng
U-15 assistant coach	Chi Yaojun
U-14 coach	Li Yang
U-15 assistant coach	Zou Jie
U-13 coach	Wang Zhaochen

Managerial history

As of 16 April 2021[30][31]

Managers	Period
Chi Shangbin	Jan 1, 2009 – Dec 31, 2010
Sun Xianlu	2010
Aleksandar Stankov	June 2010 – Dec 11, 2011
Chang Woe-ryong	Jan 1, 2012 – Apr 3, 2012
Aleksandar Stanojević	Apr 4, 2012 – Nov 9, 2012
Xu Hong	Dec 11, 2012 – Feb 18, 2013
Li Ming (interim)	Feb 18, 2013 – June 5, 2013
Simo Krunić	June 3, 2013 – Dec 5, 2013
Ma Lin	Nov 5, 2013 – May 28, 2014
Yasuharu Kurata	May 30, 2014 – Dec 19, 2014
Mikael Stahre	Jan 5, 2015 – July 5, 2016
Milinko Pantić	July 5, 2016 – Aug 31, 2016
Sergio Piernas	Aug 31, 2016 – Nov 29, 2016
Juan Ramón López Caro	Nov 29, 2016 – Dec 26, 2017
Ma Lin	Dec 26, 2017 – Mar 20, 2018
Bernd Schuster	Mar 20, 2018 – Feb 11, 2019
Choi Kang-hee	Feb 11, 2019 – July 1, 2019
Rafael Benítez	July 1, 2019 – Jan 23, 2021
José González	Apr 16, 2021 – Dec 31, 2021
Xie Hui	Mar 19, 2022 – present

Honours

• China League One (Second Tier League)[32]
  • Winners (2): 2011, 2017
• China League Two (Third Tier League)
  • Winners (1): 2010

Results

All-time League Rankings

As of the end of 2021 season[33][34]

• ^1 in group stage
• ^2 in group stage.
• ^3 the 2020 Chinese Super League was held behind closed doors most of the time, attendance and stadium not applicable.
• ^4 the 2021 Chinese Super League was held behind closed doors most of the time, attendance and stadium not applicable.

Key

China top division   China second division   China third division W   Winners RU   Runners-up 3   Third place   Relegated

Pld = Played W = Games won D = Games drawn L = Games lost F = Goals for A = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position

DNQ = Did not qualify DNE = Did not enter NH = Not Held - = Does Not Exist R1 = Round 1 R2 = Round 2 R3 = Round 3 R4 = Round 4

F = Final SF = Semi-finals QF = Quarter-finals R16 = Round of 16 Group = Group stage GS2 = Second Group stage QR1 = First Qualifying Round QR2 = Second Qualifying Round QR3 = Third Qualifying Round

Past and present internationals

Had international caps for their respective countries.

China Chen Lei (2012–2013) Chen Tao (2013–2015) Dong Xuesheng (2012–2013) He Yupeng (2019–present) Hu Zhaojun (2011–2012) Huang Jiahui (2019–present) Li Xuepeng (2013–2014) Liu Yu (2012–2013) Lü Peng (2013–2014, 2022–present) Li Shuai (2016–2021) Qin Sheng (2018–2019) Tong Lei (2022–present) Wang Jinxian (2014–2021) Wang Wanpeng (2015–2018) Yang Lin (2010–2012) Yang Shanping (2018–2019) Yan Xiangchuang (2022–present) Yu Dabao (2012–2014) Yu Hanchao (2013–2014) Zhang Jiaqi (2014) Zhao Mingjian (2019) Zhao Xuri (2019–2021) Zheng Long (2019–2021) Zhou Ting (2017–2020) Zhu Ting (2015–2020, 2022–present)

Africa Almami Moreira (2011) Lee Addy (2012) Seydou Keita (2012–2013) Peter Utaka (2012–2013) Nabil Baha (2013) Mohamed Bangura (2016) Nyasha Mushekwi (2016–2019) Sekou Oliseh (2016) Emmanuel Boateng (2019–2021) Asia Daniel Mullen (2012–2013) Mile Sterjovski (2012) Nashat Akram (2014) Alex Akande (2019-2020) Vas Nuñez (2022-)

Europe Kiril Kotev (2011) Guillaume Hoarau (2013) Leon Benko (2014) Niklas Backman (2014–2015) Constantin Budescu (2016) Mathias Ranégie (2016) José Fonte (2018) Yannick Carrasco (2018–2019) Marek Hamšík (2019–2020) Sam Larsson (2020–2021) Marcus Danielson (2020–2021) Borislav Tsonev (2022–) South America Fábio Rochemback (2012–2013) Gustavo Canales (2012) Nicolás Gaitán (2018–2019) Salomón Rondón (2019–2020)

References

1. "CSL 2012". soccerway.com. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
2. "大连阿尔滨俱乐部简介：成就梦想 造历史豪门". sports.qq.com. 2011-03-23. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
3. "大连阿尔滨2010战绩：决赛不败 绝对优势冲甲". sports.qq.com. 2011-03-23. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
4. "China League One 2011". soccerway.com. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
5. "大连阿尔滨挖来张外龙 青岛中能接触图拔福拉多". ifeng.com. 8 Dec 2011. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
6. "阿尔滨官方宣布新主帅 塞尔维亚欧冠名帅接手". sports.qq.com. 2012-04-04. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
7. "Dalian Aerbin confirm Seydou Keita signing". goal.com. 2012-07-08. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
8. "China's most successful club on the brink of death? An in-depth background". wildeastfootball.net. January 21, 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
9. "徐弘独立离韩落寞离去 63天阿尔滨帅位生涯终结". sports.sohu.com. 20 Feb 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-19.
10. "足协紧急叫停阿尔滨收购实德". Netease. 2012-12-10. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
11. "阿尔滨已欠薪11个月 赵明阳集团被欠债无钱可发". sina. 2014-05-28. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
12. "三连败!阿尔滨再遇欠薪麻烦 斯塔勒下课倒计时？". sina. 2015-07-06. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
13. 重磅!一方4000万入股阿尔滨 万达回归大连足球 at sina 2015-07-08 Retrieved 2015-12-23
14. 一方接盘大连足球，万达隐性回归 足球报 2015-07-09 Retrieved 2016-12-01
15. 大连阿尔滨主要股权转让并更名为大连一方的公示 Archived 2016-05-29 at the Wayback Machine at fa.org.cn 2015-12-14 Retrieved 2015-12-22
16. "一方接手解4大疑问 大连籍回归球衣不印8颗星". sports.qq.com. 2015-07-10. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
17. "2017赛季中甲联赛最终积分榜（截止第30轮）". sports.sohu.com. 2016-12-30. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
18. "冲超即"托管"，大连一方在和谁博弈？". sohu.com. 2018-01-08. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
19. 万达完成产业布局后接手一方 石雪清:等官方消息 at sina 2018-02-22 Retrieved 2018-03-19
20. 万达归来掀起冬窗最后疯狂 重树大连足球辉煌指日可待 at sina 2018-02-28 Retrieved 2018-03-19
21. "Chicago Fire set to sign Gaitan from Chinese Super League club Dalian Yifang". 2019-02-28. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
22. "Rafael Benítez: Ex-Newcastle boss appointed manager of Chinese side Dalian Yifang". BBC. 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
23. "Rafa Benítez: "Our goal is to create a legacy for Dalian"". rafabenitez.com. 2 July 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
24. "中超大连一方俱乐部更名为大连人 启用新队徽标识". Sina Sports. 2020-01-21. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
25. "Thank you, Dalian". rafabenitez.com. Rafael Benitez. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
26. "大连足改工作组接管大连人俱乐部 万达承担债务". sina.com.cn. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
27. "Dalian Pro earn CSL reprieve following Chongqing withdrawal". reuters.com. Reuters. 28 May 2022.
28. "2020大连人一线队大名单正式出炉". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 26 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
29. "大连人员工队出战贺岁杯大名单确定！9位大连万达功勋成员+多名前中超球员在列". sohu.com. 29 December 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
30. "Dalian Aerbin " Manager history". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 2015-01-09.
31. "Dalian Aerbin Football Club". footballzz.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-01-09.
32. "CHINA LEAGUE ONE – 2011". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
33. "China – List of Champions". rsssf.com. 10 Oct 2013. Archived from the original on July 4, 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
34. "大连一方". sodasoccer.com. Retrieved 24 January 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dalian Aerbin FC.

• Official website Archived 2021-04-19 at the Wayback Machine

На других языках

[de] Dalian Professional

[es] Dalian Professional Football Club

[ru] Далянь Профешнл