FORMER Leeds United and Sunderland manager Howard Wilkinson has ended his 65-day stay with national champions Shanghai Shenhua on the eve of the new season of the Chinese Super League.

　　Jia Xiuquan, Wilkinson's assistant and a former coach of China's Olympic Football Team took over the position of coach at Shanghai Shenhua.

　　"He (Wilkinson) is not renewing his contract," Shanghai Shenhua general manager Lou Shifang told the Shanghai Star last Thursday. "And we will not be inviting Howard Wilkinson to coach Shanghai Shenhua."

　　The former English Football Association technical director and the caretaker manager of England's national side signed an open contract in March that took him through to the end of May. But he left China last week.

　　Officials at Shenhua said family health reasons had forced Wilkinson to return to Britain before the new Chinese season started.

　　Sports agent Louis Liu said Howard made a statement this week saying that he would be unable to return for one to two months due to serious illness in his family.

　　During his tenure, Wilkinson launched a complete technical review of the club's operations. He was not at Shanghai Shenhua's opening game of the season when they defeated Shandong 2-1. Shaq Lee

　　By Li Jian

　　Shanghai Star. 2004-05-27