Yongbin Chen makes his Adelaide United debut about 10 weeks after it announced it had signed him as its fifth visa player
Adelaide United coach Gertjan Verbeek and chairman Piet van der Pol watched the club’s fifth visa signing Yongbin Chen make his debut for the club’s youth league side.
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The A-League’s most peculiar visa signing Yongbin Chen made a very low key debut for Adelaide United’s youth team after spending Christmas Day with coach Paul Pezos and his family.
The Qingdao Red Lions Chinese third tier reserves attacking midfielder was named as the club’s fifth A-League import on October 15.
He landed in Adelaide at the beginning of December to train with the Reds youth team.
Whether Chen can take the next step to join the Reds A-League squad at the very least in training is a decision for the club’s hierarchy Pezos said.
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Wearing No. 10, Chen, 20, made his debut in the 65th minute of the club’s Y-League clash replacing Michael Cittadini – a junior national futsal golden boot winner – in a 4-2 win over Perth Glory at Jack Smith Park on the weekend.
Verbeek and Reds chairman Piet van der Pol were reportedly watching Chen on the sidelines at the home of Birkalla where he was booked in the 88th minute in front of 150 fans.
“I have to get him up to a level as soon as possible,’’ Pezos said.
“I’m always in communication with Gertjan about him and Gertjan asks about all the (Y-League) players.
“I think when the time is right we could see him up there (training with Verbeek’s squad) but when that will be I’m not sure, that’s up to the club and senior coach.”
Pezos, the Reds youth team and NPL boss has also become Chen’s designated driver, picking up the Chinese about 12km north of the CBD before a 50km round trip to the Novar Gardens training ground.
“He is progressing well we brought off the bench and him being with us for one and a half to nearly two weeks I thought it was a but unfair for him to throw him in the deep end,’’ Pezos said.
“He did OK against Perth.
“He is a talented young player but the challenge for him and for us is the language barrier, he can’t speak English and him trying to adapt to the club’s playing style and we’re trying to get him up to speed tactically.
“It’s a tough ask of him but football can be one language and he adapts quickly, sometimes I can show him on the board (what we want) and sometimes I have to move him around physically.
“He’s a beautiful person, very polite, always on time.”
Pezos said Chen has neat ball skills and is predominantly right footed and is adjusting to the young Reds level of intensity.
Chen arrived in town with a translator who departed about two weeks ago.