The former Adelaide and Perth A-League midfielder or defender was to join Valentine from Charlestown this Northern NSW NPL season as a player and assistant coach but he then took an opportunity to become head coach with Chinese third-division club Jilin Baijia.

However, the 37-year-old, who played seven seasons in China with Zhejiang Yiteng, is back home and with Valentine after just two weeks of training at his new club.

Jilin Baijia had their licence revoked, along with nine other clubs, because of financial issues under new Chinese Football Association policies.

Hughes said an investor was set to back the club but the outbreak of the coronavirus shutdown business and ended any chance of new support.

He was disappointed the stint was short-lived but he was relieved to be home safe and well.

"It was a situation I took on board," Hughes said of the club's financial problems.

"I started pre-season and was working double sessions most days and preparing the team, and then obviously the virus struck and the club got me out of there quickly.

"I was shacked up in a hotel for a few days when it all started. The computer systems at the airports were down, so I couldn't do anything for two or three days. We were at the airport every day trying.

"On the third day I was able to get out and then I put myself in quarantine for precautionary reasons.

"I wore two face masks on the way home and I didn't really eat too much. I didn't want to expose myself.

"It was a little bit worrying. I'd say that at every airport, 99 per cent of people had face masks on. You could see the foreigners passing through China at that stage looking at everyone and wondering why they didn't have a face mask on."

Hughes was still grateful for the chance to show his wares as a coach and he hoped it might lead to another opportunity.

"I was just starting to get right into it, I was sorting out signings and loan deals, and other players I was looking to bring in, and others to be offloaded," he said.

"I was just starting to get the feel of the team and build what was happening. Players were starting to buy in to my ideas, and this come about, but that's life."

Hughes will start training with Valentine again this week, joining Daniel Minors, Danny Ireland, Alex Read, Dain Greentree and Spaniard Fortia Muntz as the club's main additions.

"The club has recruited a fair few new faces and the squad looks all right," Hughes said.

"It's coming together well. The main thing is it's a good bunch of guys there and there's no egos or animosity there. They are all there to get going in the same direction, work hard and see what we can do."