Li Tie: Difference between revisions
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==Early career== |
==Early career== |
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Midfielder |
Midfielder Li began his football career at the age of 5, joining Team of [[Liaoning Province]] Youth System in 1992. The following year he was sent to Brazil for a five-year training programme sponsored by [[Jianlibao]] and became the captain of the [[China Jianlibao Youth Football Team]]. |
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The cream of his generation of Chinese football players, Li went to the [[FA Premier League|Premiership]] in a deal brokered between sponsors [[Kejian]] and his new club, [[Everton F.C.|Everton]]. |
The cream of his generation of Chinese football players, Li went to the [[FA Premier League|Premiership]] in a deal brokered between sponsors [[Kejian]] and his new club, [[Everton F.C.|Everton]]. |
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Revision as of 20:36, 11 October 2006
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Li Tie | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sheffield United | ||
| Number | 30 | ||
| ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of September 10 2006 | |||
Template:Chinese name Li Tie (simplified Chinese: 李铁) (born September 18, 1977 in Liaoning, China) is a Chinese professional footballer currently playing for Sheffield United.
Early career
Midfielder Li began his football career at the age of 5, joining Team of Liaoning Province Youth System in 1992. The following year he was sent to Brazil for a five-year training programme sponsored by Jianlibao and became the captain of the China Jianlibao Youth Football Team.
The cream of his generation of Chinese football players, Li went to the Premiership in a deal brokered between sponsors Kejian and his new club, Everton.
Move to England
Despite initial scepticism on Merseyside, his first season at Goodison Park was a surprising success. Manager David Moyes played him in 31 league games, mostly in the starting line-up, where his displays as a defensive midfielder and the excellent partnership he forged with talismatic defender Gary Naysmith helped the club clinch a 7th place finish.
Everton battled with his former club Liaoning Bodao to sign him on a permanent basis after the 2002-03 season and the deal was finally closed in August 2003 for an undisclosed fee with Li signing a three-year deal. It is thought that Everton paid between £0.5m to £1.5m for the midfielder, although the price was hugely offset by outside sponsorship.
Unfortunately, his 2003-04 season was marred by a sending-off (against Arsenal, Aug 2003) and a series of injuries. The last injury, a broken leg picked up during international duty in February 2004, ruled him out for another 12 months. In January 2005, when he returned to action for the Everton reserve side against Bolton Wanderers, he lasted just 41 minutes, requiring his leg to be re-set.
In the summer of 2005, 18 months since his last game for the Everton first team, Li Tie featured for 90 minutes against FC Gamlitz of Austria in a pre-season friendly. He also played in friendlies against Motherwell, the Thai National side, Fenerbahce and Udinese and looked like he was finally coming back to full fitness.
However, he never managed to break back into the first team despite playing regularly for the reserves and even earning another international call up for China. In March 2006, Li Tie underwent another operation to remove pieces of bone that had grown on his ankle during his time on the sidelines.
In May 2006, Li Tie was released by Everton Football Club and was linked with Sheffield United, who denied reports that a deal had been agreed to bring the player to Bramall Lane. The following month, Li Tie returned to competitive football with substitute appearances for the Chinese national team against Switzerland and France.
On July 6th 2006, United announced the signing of Lie Tie on a free transfer on a two year contract and he spent some time training with Chengdu Blades, a Chinese Football Association Jia League club owned by Sheffield United, while waiting for his visa clearance. He made his first-team debut in a pre-season friendly against local neighbours Rotherham United on July 28th.
Li Tie made his first competitive club start since January 2004 in a Carling Cup victory against Bury on September 19, 2006.
International Career
In 1997, Li Tie was one of four players called up from the Jianlibao Youth Team for the final round of FIFA World Cup qualification by Qi Wusheng, the coach of the Chinese national team along with Li Jinyu, Sui Dongliang and Zhang Xiaorui.
Li was already a veteran of the national squad when China embarked on their World Cup debut in 2002.
Li Tie was called up by China for a friendly against Thailand on 10 August and the 2007 Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore on 16 August 2006.
Team Appearances (shown by season)
table shows appearances in League, FA Cup and League Cup matches. correct as of 19/09/2006 |
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