Young Defender Allan Zebie Continues To Shine In FC Edmonton's Back Line

FC Edmonton defender Allan Zebie has had quite the season. The 22-year-old has found himself in the starting lineup for the Eddies on what has become one of the league’s most stifling defenses.

Zebie initially joined FC Edmonton’s Academy program in 2012 before heading abroad to participate in trials with Leeds United and Glasgow Rangers. Zebie returned to Edmonton in 2014 and found himself signing his first professional contract with the club that same year. The young defender has risen to become a staple on the Eddies’ back line during the most important stretch of the season.

“Allan has been one of the club’s genuine success stories,” FC Edmonton head coach Colin Miller said. “At one point he was given a month’s training period last year with a view to try and win a contract. From there we offered him a sixth month contract and from there everything has been extended.”

Zebie’s development and play of late has earned him regular minutes in the Eddies’ recent string of success. Like any member of the Eddies’ roster, spots in the starting lineup are dictated through play on the pitch.

“If anyone is playing well they will continue to be in the team,” Miller said. “If someone is not playing well they won’t be in the team. Allan has been very consistent. I’m hard on him because I’ve played in that very same position in my career and I know what I’m looking at and I know what I want to see. At this moment in time he’s having a real good run in.”

Zebie and his fellow defenders have been lights out in recent weeks and have not allowed an open-play goal over the past five matches. During that time, the team has conceded just three goals overall to push them into the fourth spot in the league’s Combined Standings. Zebie’s play was highlighted this past week with a nomination to the NASL’s Team of the Week alongside teammate Lance Laing. Earlier this season, his performances earned him a contract extension that will see him patrolling Edmonton’s back line for the foreseeable future.

“Allan has been continuing to listen and to learn and develop and he is progressing the way we want him to progress,” Miller added. “I think he is one of the most talented fullbacks that we have in Canada. He still has a ways to go obviously, but I don’t think twice about Allan starting at right fullback.”