Brendan Gan

Brendan Gan Seng Ling (simplified Chinese: 颜兴龙; traditional Chinese: 顏興龍; pinyin: Yán Xìng Lóng; born 3 June 1988) is a professional footballer who plays as a central or attacking midfielder for Malaysia Super League club Kuala Lumpur City and the Malaysia national team.

In this Chinese name, the family name is Gan (颜).
Brendan Gan
Brendan with Sydney FC in 2008
Personal information
Full name Brendan Gan Seng Ling
Date of birth (1988-06-03) 3 June 1988
Place of birth Sutherland, Australia
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Central midfielder, attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Kuala Lumpur City
Youth career
0000–1999 Marton Hammers
2000–2007 Sutherland Sharks
2008–2009 Sydney FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008 Sutherland Sharks 15 (6)
2008–2011 Sydney FC 38 (5)
2011 Bonnyrigg White Eagles 9 (2)
2011–2012 Sabah 19 (2)
2013–2014 Rockdale City Suns 22 (3)
2014–2016 Kelantan 31 (0)
2018–2019 Perak 28 (5)
2020–2023 Selangor 60 (12)
2024– Kuala Lumpur City 0 (0)
International career‡
2014 Malaysia U23 5 (0)
2016– Malaysia 37 (1)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Malaysia
AFF Championship
Third place2022
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 February 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 March 2024

Club career

Brendan began playing football for his local club, the Marton Hammers before signing for the Sutherland Sharks in 2000 when he was twelve years old, progressing through their youth grades to make his senior debut for the club in 2008. He made 15 league appearances scoring 6 goals, and 3 appearances in the Finals Series.[1]

It was this debut season that shot Gan to prominence within the local media which brought with it a growing reputation to match.[2] He did not disappoint with dazzling performances week in week out which eventually led him to being crowned the New South Wales Premier League player of the year, winning the Gold Medal award for the competition.[3]

Sydney FC

Brendan was than signed by Sydney FC for their inaugural National Youth League squad ahead of competition from rival A-League clubs.[4][5]

On 28 November 2008, Brendan made his debut for Sydney FC against Queensland Roar with a 5-minute cameo where he turned heads.[6][7] On 7 December, Brendan scored the winning goal in the 78th minute for Sydney FC against Newcastle Jets to give them their first win in 7 games.[8]

He was given his full senior debut on 13 December against Central Coast Mariners.[9] He scored his second senior goal against Melbourne Victory with a long range strike from outside the penalty area.[10] Brendan scored his third senior goal against Wellington Phoenix with a powerful header from a corner. This goal gave Sydney FC a 2–0 win over Wellington and placed them on the top of the table, leapfrogging Gold Coast United.

On 2 December 2010, in only his second start for the season, Brendan scored the opening goal in a 3–1 win, once again against Wellington Phoenix.

He was released from Sydney, along with several other players at the end of Sydney's 2011 AFC Champions League campaign.[11]

Bonnyrigg White Eagles

Gan signed for Bonnyrigg White Eagles in the NSW Premier League,[12] and made his debut in the Round 15 game against Sydney United.[13]

Sabah FA

On 17 November 2011, Brendan moved to Malaysian club, Sabah as one of the two foreign players allowed in the 2012 Malaysia Super League. Brendan, alongside his fellow countrymen, Michael Baird signed a one-year contract with Sabah.[14]

Rockdale City Suns

In January 2013, he returned home to signed with NSW Premier League side Rockdale City Suns.[15]

Kelantan FA

In November 2013, Brendan returned to Malaysia and signed a three-year contract with Malaysia Super League club Kelantan ahead of the 2014 season. He was supposed to be registered as a local player for Kelantan but did not get the approval from FAM because according to FAM, any player to be registered as a local player is required to have Malaysian identity card or passport. On 6 April, he officially obtained an identity card as a Malaysian and was registered by Kelantan as a local player during the April 2014 transfer window.[16][17][18][19]

He made his debut during the match between Kelantan against Terengganu which ended 1–1. In the first match of the 2015 Malaysia Super League, Brendan suffered a serious torn ACL in his right knee that would keep him out for most of the 2015 season.[20] In September 2016, Brendan suffered another ACL injury, this time in his left knee which keep him out for 10 months, ruling him out for the 2016 AFF Championship where he was released by the club at the end of 2016..[21]

Perak FA

After making his recovery from a long term ACL injury, On 15 December 2017, Brendan signed with Perak. On 24 February 2018, Brendan played his first football match in over a year during a league match against Pahang FA. He would than played in the club 2019 AFC Champions League preliminary round 2 match against Hong Kong club, Kitchee where he played the entire 120th minute helping the club to progress to the final play-off round against Korean Ulsan Hyundai.

On 8 February 2019, Brendan scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw against Kedah FA.

Selangor

On 1 December 2019, Brendan officially joined Malaysia Super League club Selangor. In July 2021, Brendan was diagnosed with cancer and missed the rest of season.[22][23] In June 2022, he made his return in a 7–0 over Sarawak United, scoring a brace.[24] He was appointed as Selangor's captain since 2021. At the end of the 2023 Malaysia Super League season, Selangor confirmed Brendan's departure with them after spending four seasons together.

International career

Youth

Brendan made his first appearances with Malaysia as an overage player with the Malaysia U23 team against Yemen U23 in a preparation for the 2014 Asian Games.

Senior

Brendan later debuted for Malaysia national team on 24 March 2016 in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Saudi Arabia.[25] He scored his first international goal in a 2–1 victory over Thailand during the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match.[26]

Personal life

Gan was born in Australia to an Australian mother and Malaysian Chinese father from Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.

Career statistics

Club statistics
As of match played 17 December 2023.[27]
Club performance League Cup League Cup Other Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Australia League Cup Other Asia Total
2008Sutherland SharksNSW Premier League15630–186
Total 15630–186
2008–09Sydney FCA-League92–92
2009–1019130–221
2010–11102–00102
2011–1200–00
Total 38530–00415
2011Bonnyrigg White EaglesNSW Premier League9210–102
Malaysia League FA Cup Malaysia Cup Other Total
2012SabahMalaysia Super League19210–10212
Australia League Cup Other Asia Total
2013Rockdale City SunsNational Premier Leagues22340–263
Malaysia League FA Cup Malaysia Cup Asia Total
2014KelantanMalaysia Super League1302080–230
2015100000–10
20161701050–230
Total 31030130–470
2018PerakMalaysia Super League12110101–232
2019 164518210307
Total 2856118310539
2020SelangorMalaysia Super League1040010–114
2021 110–00–110
2022 1653070–265
2023 2332140–294
Total 601251120–7713
Career total 222352624332029340

International
As of match played 26 March 2024[28]
Malaysia national team
YearAppsGoals
201670
201981
202150
202240
202360
202470
Total371

International goals
As of match played 14 November 2019. Malaysia score listed first, score column indicates score after each Brendan goal.
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 14 November 2019Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Malaysia14 Thailand1–12–12022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club

Perak

Selangor

International

Malaysia

  • King's Cup runner-up: 2022[29]

References
  1. Player Profile - Brendan Gan
  2. Brendan Gan – living the dream
  3. 2008 Gold Medal Dinner a huge success as Brendan Gan scoops major award
  4. Gan: I'm Only Here For A Year
  5. Sydney's Gan set for homecoming
  6. Hassett, Sebastian (28 November 2008). "Kosmina turns to young Gan". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  7. "Gan's the man most likely to soar". Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
  8. Brendon Gan helps lift Sydney FC to victory over Newcastle Jets
  9. "Kosmina to give Brendan Gan full debut". Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  10. Hassett, Sebastian (30 December 2008). "Gan lights up Sydney's darkest days". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  11. "Sydney FC player clean out". SBS – The World Game. 14 May 2011. Archived from the original on 15 May 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  12. "Bonnyrigg White Eagles snap up Brendan Gan". NSW Premier League. 4 July 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  13. Bore draw at Edensor Park - Football NSW Article
  14. Former rising star given another chance for shot at Glory Retrieved at 18 November 2011
  15. Carayannis, Michael (6 March 2013). "Malaysian stint pays off for Gan". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader.
  16. Transfer News: Kelantan want Brendan Gan as local player Retrieved at 23 November 2013
  17. "KAFA will find a way to sign Brendan Gan as a local player". Yahoo.com. malaysia. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  18. "Brendan Gan sedia lepas kerakyatan Australia demi Liga Malaysia". astro awani.com. malaysia.
  19. "Brendan Gan sah milik Kelantan". Sinar Harian. malaysia. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  20. "Kelantan's Brendan Gan ruled out for season ahead of Lions XII game". ESPN FC.com. 10 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  21. "Malaysia's Brendan Gan to miss AFF Suzuki Cup with second ACL injury". ESPN FC.com. 12 September 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  22. Brendan Gan diagnosed with testicular cancer - The Malaysian Reserve, 27 July 2021.
  23. Unbreakable Brendan - New Straits Times, 6 February 2022.
  24. Brendan sudah kembali - Harian Metro, 20 June 2022.
  25. "Malaysia end World Cup qualifying campaign with 2-0 defeat to Saudi Arabia". New Straits Times Online. 25 March 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  26. Brendan Gan dedicates goal to his newborn son - New Straits Times, 19 November 2019.
  27. "Brendan Gan". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  28. "Brendan Gan". National Football Teams. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  29. Fai, Ooi Kin (25 September 2022). "Harimau Malaya lose King's Cup final after penalty shootout heartbreak". nst.com.my. Chiang Mai, Thailand: New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 26 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.