Li Benjian 李本舰

Li Benjian (simplified Chinese: 李本舰; traditional Chinese: 李本艦; pinyin: Li Benjian; born March 5, 1986 in Qingdao, Shandong) is a Chinese footballer who currently plays for Zibo Cuju in the China League One.

Club Career

Li Benjian would start his career playing for the second tier football club Guangdong Mingfeng and would go on to be loaned out to Chinese football club playing in the Singapore's S.League Sinchi FC. On his return from his loan, Li would find out his club were facing financial difficulties and the club moved to Shenzhen in hopes of getting better crowds while the club changed their name to Shenzhen Kejian to represent this. The move turned out to be disappointment on and off the field as the club finished the league tenth as well as becoming bankrupt in the process. Top tier club Tianjin Teda were, however interested in Li's services and he transferred to them for $300,000 at the start of the 2006 league season. At Tianjin he would make his debut on March 10, 2006 in a 3-2 victory against Shenzhen Kingway. After the game he would immediately become a vital member for the club's midfield until September 10, 2006 when in a league game against Dalian Shide Li's season would end early when he tore his ankle ligaments and had to have surgery.

After he recovered Tianjin had already brought in Jozef Jarabinsky as their new coach at the beginning of the 2007 league season and Li was unable to establish himself within the squad. He was loaned out to Jiangsu Sainty at the beginning of the 2008 season where he helped them in their successful bid for promotion to the Chinese Super League. Li Benjian was again loaned out, this time to top tier club Guangzhou Pharmaceutical where he made his competitive debut on the 21st of March 2009 against Henan Construction which Guangzhou lost 2-1. On his return to Tianjin the club had brought in a new manager in Arie Haan who decided that Li should be the club's first choice left winger and Li would repay him by being a vital player in helping the club