Hong Kong footballer makes Tai Po pledge, as club demand fee for any mainland China move
Nicholas Benavides aiming to banish first-season blues with city champions, as club and player appear to agree pact
Hong Kong international Nicholas Benavides has pledged to never give up on his bid to win over Tai Po title-winning head coach Lee Chi-kin.
The versatile left-footer has made as many appearances for the city team, six, as he has starts for Tai Po, since he joined from Sham Shui Po last summer.
Rumours over a potential switch to the mainland were shut down by Lee, who said he had received no offers, but would want a transfer fee to allow Benavides to leave. “We are a professional club and should receive a fee when a player has a contract,” Lee said.
The player said he “struggled a bit last term” but that he had pledged to keep going.
“It’s about your mentality and whether you want to give up,” Benavides said. “I won’t. I always come and try to play, and will wait for my time to show the coach [I deserve to be selected].
“He is keen for me to stay, I trust him, and am thankful for his trust. I will stay this season, fight for Tai Po, and keep working hard.”
Benavides, 23, made his city team debut last October, and two months later scored in games against Mongolia and Guam. He came off the bench against both South Korea and China in this month’s East Asian Championship.