From Mainlan'ds No 1 Fan Newsletter;
An interesting change to this season’s ASB Youth League is the move to run the competition from early January to mid-March instead of prior to Christmas.
New head coach Danny Halligan and his assistant Ceri Evans will bring the squad together at the end of November to prepare for a start after the Christmas holiday break. “Our group is a well balanced one in terms of experience with around half of the players being members of last season’s successful squad”.
Two players – Louie Bush and Ken Yamamoto – have recently returned from a NZ Under 20 World Cup training camp in Wellington and opportunities will occur for others to show their talents in front of NZ selectors. The players will also benefit from the playing experience of All White Aaron Clapham who will attend Youth Squad sessions in between his duties with the senior squad.
Although the final goal will be to retain the ASB Youth League title the club’s main aim is to provide a means for individual player development leading to success at senior level.
The squad is: Eddie Ashton (Cashmere Technical), Omid Rajabi (Ferrymead Bays), Louie Bush (Cashmere Technical), Hamish Smith (Cashmere Technical), Tristan Nicol (Coastal Spirit), Connor Lidstone (Coastal Spirit / SBHS), Anton Smith (SBHS / Cashmere Technical), Jordan Hall (Coastal Spirit), Shawn O’Brien (Cashmere Technical), Preston Bell (Cashmere Technical), Martyn Taylor (Halswell United), Cory Mitchell (Cashmere Technical), Jordan Halligan (Cashmere Technical), Lee Morris (Western), Aaron Spain (Coastal Spirit), Kazuya Kotyama (Cashmere Technical), Ken Yamamoto (Cashmere Technical), Josh Wright (SBC/Cashmere Technical), Jamie Draper (Ferrymead Bays), Abdul Khalifa (CBHS), Rian Hooper (Coastal Spirit).
Surprised (in a good way) not to see Ceri's son in the squad.
I'm not expecting any bolters in the senior squad tbh. Maybe a stronger FC90210 presence due to Tstetso