does anyone know much about David Brownes move to the Netherlands? Such a pity that he will never qualify for NZ and is wasted on PNG.
Below is all I know - seems certain he has signed for PEC Zwolle u-21's (reserve side) but it seems he can't play in the actual youth league pending international clearance. Hence he played one game in the youth league August 10 on trial (most pro youth leagues allow clubs to field trial players for limited numbers of games) but no more since then. He played another game in a friendly against FC Twente's youth team.
Sometimes pro clubs like Zwolle pay development fees to an amateur or semi-pro club like Auckland City when they sign a player. I'd imagine that Auckland City have spent money on bringing David Browne to Auckland from Papua New Guinea and helping with his living expenses in Auckland etc.
All this sort of stuff needs to be negotiated. And international clearances can take ages to come through sometimes. Jesse Edge had to wait something like six weeks before his clearance came through to play in Italy.
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David Browne of Auckland City has signed for PEC Zwolle.
He's playing in the u-21 (reserve) team.
@ ForzaPECZwolle Jul 24
. David Browne from New Zealand will play next season, probably in the youth team of PEC. The 19-year-old striker comes from Auckland City.
View translation 2:04 AM - 24 Jul 2015
Also mentioned here:
http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/navy-blues-pre-season-set/
Scored on his debut for them on August 10 in the 3-1 win vs. Helmond Sport:
http://www.peczwolle.nl/nl/uitslagen_1/vvvhelmond-sport-2015-08-10
Can't see him mentioned in youth league match reports since - maybe he was playing on a trial and now has to wait for his international clearance.
This seems backed up by the fact he played in a friendly for Zwolle's youth team in late August (scoring again):
PEC Zwolle u-21 (reserve) schedule with links to match reports:
http://www.peczwolle.nl/nl/uitslagen_1
"Jong PEC Zwolle" stand atop their youth league equal on points with Jong Feyenoord and are unbeaten so far.
David Browne: Aged 19, turns 20 in December.
English father, Papua New Guinean mother.
Not eligible to ever play for NZ because he played in competitive games at u-17 level for PNG and has no NZ heritage.
His dad who died not long ago, was PNG's greatest political cartoonist and settled in PNG as an adult.
When the PEC Zwolle website refers to Browne as a New Zealander, they are wrong. They are just assuming that because he's signing from Auckland City.. He is a PNG citizen.
See my previous posts in this thread... I'm from the Netherlands, trying to keep up with all NZ (including David Browne) players.
http://www.yellowfever.co.nz/categories/asb-premie...
http://www.yellowfever.co.nz/categories/asb-premie...
In total he played 2 games for Jong PEC Zwolle.