徐根宝
When Dalian Wanda was looking for a replacement for the previously successful manager Chi Shangbin, they quickly turned to Xu Genbao despite him previously managing their title rivals. He seemed like an inspired choice when he quickly asserted himself within the team and won them another league title in his first season as well as coming runners-up in the 1997-98 Asian Club Championship. The following season, however saw Dalian's fortunes drastically fade when they struggled in the league and flirted with relegation, which saw Xu Genbao resigning at the end of the season.