Eddy Francis

Aidi
Aidi in August 2024
Personal information
Full name Eddy Juan Francis Coetzee
Date of birth (1990-12-17) 17 December 1990 (age 34)
Place of birth Shanghai, China
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Shanghai Shenhua
Number 32
Youth career
2000–2005 Genbao Football Academy
2007 Shanghai Shenhua
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006 Shanghai East Asia
2008 Suzhou Trips 0 (0)
2009 Ningbo Huaao
2010–2011 Shanghai East Asia 26 (2)
2012–2016 Dalian Yifang 58 (0)
2012 → Shanghai East Asia (loan) 3 (0)
2017–2018 Boavista 2 (0)
2018– Shanghai Shenhua 80 (2)
International career‡
2004 China U14 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 31 January 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 February 2018

Eddy Juan Francis Coetzee,[1][2][3][4] also known as Aidi Fulangxisi (Chinese: 艾迪·弗朗西斯; pinyin: Àidí Fúlǎngxīsī; born 17 December 1990) or simply Aidi, is a Chinese professional footballer who plays as a defender for Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua.

Club career

Born in Shanghai, Aidi's mother is Chinese and his father is Tanzanian. He joined Genbao Football Academy when he was ten years old. In the end of 2005, he joined Shanghai East Asia with whole Genbao Football Academy team and started his career. But after his first season, he was downsized and moved to Shanghai Shenhua. In 2008, he moved to China League Two club Suzhou Trips after unhappiness with Shanghai Shenhua, but had no appearance because of problems regarding his registration. In 2009 Suzhou Trips quit China League Two, Aidi signed on loan to Ningbo Huaao for a year.[5] After his loan finished, he moved to China League One club Shanghai East Asia immediately, returned to the start of his football career.[6]

On 20 January 2012, Shanghai East Asia swapped Aidi with Luis Cabezas of Chinese Super League side Dalian Aerbin.[7] He was loaned back to Shanghai East Asia for one year in February 2012.[8] However, he failed to establish himself within the team and made just three appearances (all came on as substitute) in the 2012 league season. On 8 March 2014, Aidi made his debut for Dalian Aerbin in the 2014 Chinese Super League against Hangzhou Greentown, coming on as a substitute for Zhu Xiaogang in the 77th minute.[9]

On 29 January 2017, Portuguese club Boavista signed Aidi on a one-and-a-half-year contract. This transfer is said to come through a partnership with the Chinese Football Association.[10]

On 7 February 2018, Shanghai Greenland Shenhua announced that Aidi would join the club and play in the Chinese Super League and AFC Champions League.[11] He would make his debut on 26 February 2018 in the Chinese FA Super Cup against Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao F.C. that ended in a 4–1 defeat.[12] This was followed by his first league appearance for the club on 2 March 2018 against Changchun Yatai F.C. that resulted in a 1–1 draw.[13]

International career

Aidi played 27 minutes for the China under-14 team in the 2004 AFC U-14 Championship; he is the first mixed-race player for the China national football teams at all age level.[14] Because of his Tanzanian background, he is also eligible to represent Tanzania.

Career statistics

Statistics accurate as of match played 31 January 2023.[15]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Shanghai East Asia 2006 China League Two - - - -
Suzhou Trips 2008 0 0 - - - - 0 0
Ningbo Huaao 2009 - - - -
Shanghai East Asia 2010 China League One 7 0 - - - - 7 0
2011 19 2 1 0 - - - 20 2
Total 26 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 27 2
Dalian Yifang 2012 Chinese Super League 0 0 0 0 - - - 0 0
2013 0 0 0 0 - - - 0 0
2014 19 0 0 0 - - - 19 0
2015 China League One 28 0 2 0 - - - 30 0
2016 11 0 2 0 - - - 13 0
Total 58 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 62 0
Shanghai East Asia (loan) 2012 China League One 3 0 1 0 - - - 4 0
Boavista 2016–17 Primeira Liga 2 0 0 0 0 0 - - 2 0
2017–18 0 0 0 0 0 0 - - 0 0
Total 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Shanghai Shenhua 2018 Chinese Super League 27 1 1 0 - 3 0 1[a] 0 32 1
2019 17 0 5 0 - - - 22 0
2020 10 0 1 0 - 5 0 - 16 0
2021 14 0 4 0 - - - 18 0
2022 12 1 4 1 - - - 16 2
Total 80 2 15 1 0 0 8 0 1 0 104 3
Career total 169 4 21 1 0 0 8 0 1 0 199 5
  1. ^ Appearances in Chinese FA Super Cup

Honours

Shanghai East Asia

Shanghai Shenhua

References

  1. ^ see player's own Sina Weibo statement 2014.10.06 on Talk page
  2. ^ Aidi Frances sohu.com 大连阿尔滨引进特殊内援 艾迪曾入选过中国国少 2012年02月08日11:0
  3. ^ Wenqiu 艾迪·弗朗西斯 bio Archived 25 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine "在艾迪的床头，写着“AidiFrances”的英文字样。可艾迪说他不会英语，更不会法语，只会中文。“我生在上海，长在上海。”时常被队友戏称为“外援”的艾迪的确是中国人，这可以从他的护照上得到证明。1990年12月，艾迪出生在上海，从小他就酷爱足球。看到自己的小孩很有足球天赋，艾迪的妈妈把他送进了普陀区的一所足球学校。"
  4. ^ Eddy François The Multicultural Chinese National Team : Wild East Football
  5. ^ 湖北不知中乙对手技战术风格 宁波不甘俯首称臣 (in Chinese). sports.sohu.com. 18 June 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  6. ^ 徐根宝引入外援中轴线 "黑人"能说流利上海话 (in Chinese). sports.sohu.com. 26 December 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  7. ^ 阿尔滨与东亚互换外援 "小贝利"新赛季将战中超 (in Chinese). sports.people.com.cn. 21 January 2012. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  8. ^ 阿尔滨购入"小贝利"艾迪 2012暂租至东亚锻炼 (in Chinese). sports.sohu.com. 6 February 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  9. ^ 汪嵩拔头筹布鲁诺救主 绿城1-1阿尔滨 at sohu.com 8 March 2014. Retrieved 2014-05-01 (in Chinese)
  10. ^ "Aidi Fulang Xisi É Reforço do Boavista". Boavista Futebol Clube. 29 January 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  11. ^ 申花官宣艾迪自由身加盟 出生于上海从小师从根宝 (in Chinese). Shanghai Online. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  12. ^ "Guangzhou Evergrande vs. Shanghai Shenhua 4–1". int.soccerway.com. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  13. ^ "Shanghai Shenhua vs. Changchun Yatai 1–1". int.soccerway.com. 2 March 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  14. ^ 我是中国人--艾迪·弗朗西斯 黑皮肤的"国脚" (in Chinese). sports.163.com. 28 January 2004. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  15. ^ 艾迪·弗朗西斯 at sodasoccer.com 1 November 2015 Retrieved 2015-11-01 (in Chinese) Archived 19 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ "中甲积分榜:上海夺冠卓尔获亚军 东进八喜降级". sports.sina.com.cn. 28 October 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  17. ^ "申花打破足协杯先主后客夺冠魔咒 并终结尴尬纪录". sports.sina.com.cn. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2019.