Andy Nägelein

Andreas Hannes Ling Fung Nägelein (born 5 October 1981), commonly known as Andy Nägelein, is a former professional footballer.

Nägelein began his career in Germany and he left to Cyprus and China in short term.

His usual position was defensive midfielder, but he could also be utilized as a centre-back or a full back.

Born in Hong Kong and raised in Germany, he made nine appearances for the Hong Kong national team.

Nägelein was born on 5 October 1981 in Hong Kong, his father, a German working in Hong Kong, and his mother, a Hongkongese.

He has a sister, who was also born in Hong Kong.

When he was a year old, his family went back to Nuremberg, Germany.

At the age of five, Nägelein started playing football for a local club and he scored 170 goals in the league, so Nägelein switched to 1. FC Nürnberg and stayed for nine years.

He played as a striker as a young player, but he plays as a midfielder.

This is because his coach told him that "offense can win a game, but defense wins championship".

After the Nuremberg era, he switched to different German clubs and he started his professional career in age 19.

Nägelein started his senior career with SC 04 Schwabach in the Oberliga Bayern.

He moved to 1. FC Schweinfurt 05 in 2003.

After Schweinfurt 05 released him in 2004, Nägelein joined 1. SC Feucht.

However, Feucht was relegated at the end of the 2004–05 season, so he joined a new Regionalliga Nord club Kickers Emden.

After good performances at Kickers Emden, he moved to SV Wacker Burghausen in the 2. Bundesliga.

After half a year, he returned to Kickers Emden.

He was one of main players at the club in following 2 1⁄2 seasons.

After the 2008–09 season Emden voluntary withdrew from the league because of license restrictions, and Nägelein left the club.

In 2009, Nägelein signed for the Cypriot club APEP Pitsilia, it was his first time to play in a top division league.

Nägelein attracted the interest of Asian clubs because he was born in Hong Kong.

This is the reason to explain why Nägelein left for China before 2010 Chinese Super League started.

Nägelein was reportedly in talks with a number of Chinese clubs, including Shandong Luneng.

On 12 February 2010, Shenzhen Ruby announced they had reached an agreement signing Nägelein.

Nägelein chose this club since Shenzhen is situated just north of Hong Kong.

Nägelein was in the regular lineup of Shenzhen and created the best opening season since the club was founded.

In a league match against Changchun Yatai on 18 April 2010, over one-third of fouls by Yatai players attacked him due to his enormous playing area.

Nägelein's injury in May 2010 made Shenzhen in low tide.

He came back to the field after the 2010 FIFA World Cup but Shenzhen Ruby lost to Tianjin Teda 2–1.

Nägelein had a rest after this match due to his injury.

He introduced his friend to South China and chairman of South China Steven Lo said he will contract two drained Hong Kong footballers simultaneously, so Hong Kong media thought one of two is Nägelein.

Nevertheless, Lo said he never talked about this with Nägelein.

During the training in Shandong Sports Center on 17 September 2010, Nägelein quarreled with Vyacheslav Hleb by English profanity.

After that, the oldest foreign player Aleksandar Živković came out to mediate.

Shenzhen Ruby lost 3–2 to Shandong Luneng on 18 September 2010, and this was the fourth straight loss games of Shenzhen Ruby.

Lamentably, Shenzhen would not have a good start in the 2011 Chinese Super League, suffering five straight losses, and the worst start ever since the club was founded.

On 8 May 2011, Nägelein failed passing the ball in the 68th minute of the match against Guangzhou Evergrande, and caused Shenzhen to lose by a goal.

He finished his first season in China with Shenzhen Ruby as 13th place in the league.

After the season, Nägelein was handed shirt number 7, and was chosen as the regular start-up player of the team by new coach Philippe Troussier.

Troussier tried to let him play as centre back in the new season.