Lee Bullen heartened by player's decision to embrace 'massive' challenge

Bullen, 40, spent four years in Hong Kong with Kui Tan, Golden and South China after a spell in Australia and was still playing in the British colony when it was handed back to Chinese rule in 1997. He knows it will be tough for the former Hibs and Celtic player to settle into a completely different way of life - and a less westernised routine than he himself was used to in Hong Kong.

But he is hopeful of seeing Riordan - who scored over 100 goals for Hibs - succeed after fearing he might take the easy option after talks with Shaanxi Chanba and decide the move wasn't for him.

Bullen said: "I was in Hong Kong but I stayed for about another six months after it was handed back to the Chinese. I also went into China with my teams for various tournaments, friendlies and pre-season games.

"I think it will be very difficult for Derek. It will be a big culture shock, especially as Xi'an won't have the same ex-pat community or the westernisation of the likes of Shanghai or Beijing or, definitely, Hong Kong.

"It will be a little bit behind the times and that will be a challenging part of how he settles in and whether he takes his family over with him.

"But, even then, from my own experience, he will know his family are only half a day away, and sometimes it took me nearly that to come back from Sheffield if the traffic was particularly bad.

"It is a massive, massive opportunity for him to experience something new and something different on a personal level, never mind the football. He will be able to get away from the goldfish bowl of Scottish football and life in Edinburgh and can be anything he wants to be. He can create his own reputation afresh over there.

"I've met him a few times and he seems like a lovely lad and I think he's made a tough and brave decision.

"I'm delighted he's taken the chance to move there. Of course there will be the cushion of the money he will be on, but I really hope it works out for him."