Benjamin Van Den Broek
I have no idea if anyone knows about this guy
He posted a photo on his twitter of him getting NZ citizenship
https://twitter.com/Benjivdb/status/55613048083659...
He plays for Romanian club "Universitatea Cluj"
Possibly one of Hudson's overseas talent?
Certainly looks like someone tapped him on his shoulder so they could check him out.
Becomes an option for both the All Whites and the Phoenix. Definitely sounds like someone has been talking to him, especially as he linked both NZ Football and Ryan Thomas in his tweet. I reckon chances are we'll probably see him in the next international window.
Looks like he plays on the right side of midfield. No nothing about his style of play but he's over 6 foot so Im guessing he's not a Marco or Ryan type of player.
Definitely need to call him up and see what hes like.
I just thought about what Hudson said about creating depth and competition in the squad, players like him do need to be called up to see how they fit and play in the team.
Agreed, definitely needs to be called to see what he is like.
Um... don't get too excited lads. Went from Dutch football to ....mighty Shrewsbury Town.
"At the end of the drive the lawmen arrive...
I'll take my chance because luck is on my side or something...
Her name is Rio, she don't need to understand...
Oh Rio, Rio, hear them shout across the land..."
His citizenship certificate has by decent on it so there we go. Possibly Hudson's new secret weapon.
Um... don't get too excited lads. Went from Dutch football to ....mighty Shrewsbury Town.
That's ok, it beats not having a club
Awesome news his career stats : http://www.transfermarkt.com/benjamin-van-den-broe...
Good to see Hudson is doing some due diligence. Was captain of his team all this season playing as a CM mostly in a 4-2-3-1 in the Dutch 2nd division. From the looks of it the move to Shewbery may have been about the $. I know they lured an Aussie capable of playing at a higher level than league two so its possible. Looks like he has some good returns when playing AM in terms of goals and assists. Maybe not good enough for the Eridivise but he has certainly taken a step forward in terms of league quality moving to Romania. Universit have a bit of depth in CM but his versatility may get him some game time as a utility.
Anyone know if we have any other dual nationality players floating around Europe who could play for us ?
A centre midfielder with defensive capabilities would be handy.
Hypothetically if we talk being good enough for the AWs, he will be nearly 31 at the WC so he hasn't got a long shelf life in comparison to younger players which is what Hudson was talking more about in terms of his preference. He would need to have some skills.
Grumpy old bastard alert
remember massimo luongo is in league 1 and ripped up for the socceroos
he will be nearly 31 at the WC so he hasn't got a long shelf life in comparison to younger players which is what Hudson was talking more about in terms of his preference.
He also said there was a hole in that age group.
A fan is a fan.
I don't think Hudson is going to have issues with a few players who will be early 30's come the next world cup. What he was having a problem with is the age of the Duras and Siges now
Looks like a good prospect IMO. The AW's are sorely missing some experiance in midfield. This guy has played 170+ games in Dutch second Div and has now signed for a Romainina Div 1 side. He will be a solid European Pro footballer. He should be technically good after his junior years at Eindhoven and Braga. Also he is a big unit...which is a nice balance for all the midfield midgets we currently have in the AW's.
He is certainly worth a look at for the AW's. Hudson said he needs guys who play regular first team pro football. This guy fits the bill.....and he is playing in Europe too.
Remember Bonavicia had most of his playing career in Div 2 Holland...and he is not a bad sort of player.
Cap him!!!!!
I dont know if that is correct, Bonavicia played in the top league I believe. Apart from that I agree with what you say
I dont know if that is correct, Bonavicia played in the top league I believe. Apart from that I agree with what you say
Sorry...yes you are correct about Bonavicia
He could turn out to be an Adrian Webster, still, provides more depth.
I found another one, He was born in NZ, but he has made three appearances for the Faroe Islands, but I find all this changing your allegiance stuff very confusing so I wasn't sure if he was eligible for NZ anymore.
His name is Levi Hanssen. Plays for HB Torshavn.
if you have played for a senior international side, you cannot play for another.
If you have played for a youth level international side, you can switch to a different senior international side IF you were eligible for that side when you made your first youth appearance.
if you have played for a senior international side, you cannot play for another.
If you have played for a youth level international side, you can switch to a different senior international side IF you were eligible for that side when you made your first youth appearance.
Okay, what about Diego Costa? that is what confuses me. Thanks in advance!
competition matches. Costa only played in 2 friendlies. Though I didn't think he was eligible for Spain when he made those appearances so... *shrug*
He play a centre midfielder. Universitatea Cluj it`s on of better Ramanian clube.
Hanssen play 23` in world cup qualification and now he it can not play for all white.
Um... don't get too excited lads. Went from Dutch football to ....mighty Shrewsbury Town.
That was five years ago when he signed for Shrewsbury for the last three months of the 2010-11 season after his Dutch club Haarlem went bankrupt and he took any offer going. He stayed there the whole of the next season before returning to the Dutch Second Division at FC Den Bosch. Den Bosch are one of the better second tier sides and have spent ten of their last 32 seasons in the top flight:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_van_den_Broe...
He started his career with NAC Breda, but made no Eredivisie appearances for the club. In 2008 he moved to HFC Haarlem, where he made 57 appearances in the Eerste Divisie, scoring 10 goals. After Haarlem went bust in January 2010, van den Broek was left without a club. Despite attracting interest from Lierse SK of Belgium and FC Den Bosch,[1] he signed for Shrewsbury on 12 February 2010 until the end of the season.[2] In May 2010 he signed a new one-year contract.[3] He scored his first goal for the club against Morecambe on 1 May 2010.[4] He signed a contract with Dutch club Den Bosch in spring 2011. On 2 February 2015, Van den Broek signed with Romanian Liga I side Universitatea Cluj.[5]
Big Pete 65, Christchurch
Looks like a good prospect IMO. The AW's are sorely missing some experiance in midfield. This guy has played 170+ games in Dutch second Div and has now signed for a Romainina Div 1 side. He will be a solid European Pro footballer. He should be technically good after his junior years at Eindhoven and Braga.
His junior years were at FC Eindhoven, the smaller club in Eindhoven (second tier), not the mighty PSV.
Also spent time as a youngster at NAC Breda (a Dutch top flight club), not Braga - Braga is in Portugal...
Big Pete 65, Christchurch
More importantly: Can he wear white and black or not?
More importantly: Can he wear white and black or not?
There would be only one reason he's been pictured holding his NZ citizenship certificate....
I'd expect to see van den Broek in the squad for the Korea game in March.
Big Pete 65, Christchurch
Ben made his debut for Cluj on the weekend, playing the full 90 in the 3-0 home loss to Targu Mures:
http://int.soccerway.com/matches/2015/02/22/romani...
Cluj not having a great season, eleventh on the eighteen team table.
Hee, hee:
"They are traditionally considered to be the most important football club in Transylvania.'
They have a player called Vlad.
Big Pete 65, Christchurch
Benjamin van den Broek highlight reels:
A central mifielder, he has scored up to nine goals in a Dutch second div. season.
Newer ones:
His one-and-a-bit seasons with Shrewsbury comp:
Older one:
Career stats:
http://www.vi.nl/spelers/carriere/benjamin-van-den...
http://www.transfermarkt.com/benjamin-van-den-broe...
Big Pete 65, Christchurch
Milestone set by Van den Broek who last month scored the 2000th goal in the second tier in FC Den Bosch's history.
This article about it has him labelled a New Zealander in the headline and says:
"There is a possibility for Van den Broek to also commence a special international career. He made it known yesterday viaTwitter that he is now in possession of a New Zealand passport. His mother is also in possession of that nationality. The Kiwis at the World Cup in 2010 stunned friend and foe in a group with Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay by remaining unbeaten. However, it was not enough to advance to the second round."
Big Pete 65, Christchurch
Um... don't get too excited lads. Went from Dutch football to ....mighty Shrewsbury Town.
That was five years ago when he signed for Shrewsbury for the last three months of the 2010-11 season after his Dutch club Haarlem went bankrupt and he took any offer going. He stayed there the whole of the next season before returning to the Dutch Second Division at FC Den Bosch. Den Bosch are one of the better second tier sides and have spent ten of their last 32 seasons in the top flight:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_van_den_Broe...
He started his career with NAC Breda, but made no Eredivisie appearances for the club. In 2008 he moved to HFC Haarlem, where he made 57 appearances in the Eerste Divisie, scoring 10 goals. After Haarlem went bust in January 2010, van den Broek was left without a club. Despite attracting interest from Lierse SK of Belgium and FC Den Bosch,[1] he signed for Shrewsbury on 12 February 2010 until the end of the season.[2] In May 2010 he signed a new one-year contract.[3] He scored his first goal for the club against Morecambe on 1 May 2010.[4] He signed a contract with Dutch club Den Bosch in spring 2011. On 2 February 2015, Van den Broek signed with Romanian Liga I side Universitatea Cluj.[5]
Shrewsbury record: 23 appearances, 17 of them as sub. Super-sub?
"At the end of the drive the lawmen arrive...
I'll take my chance because luck is on my side or something...
Her name is Rio, she don't need to understand...
Oh Rio, Rio, hear them shout across the land..."
Really solid player could be a regular for an Eridivise relegation battler in my opinion although im just going of those clips. Move to Romania was good I would have him in the starting XI next to wee mac assuming we go 4-2-3-1 as one of the two holding midfielders. Tuiloma is the future for us at DM but I think we will need him to be starting at fullback which is his weaker position yes but it should also make the team less weakened as a whole.
Until we see him in the flesh really hard to make a call ala Adrian Webster 10 years back.
Must be a leader as well, given he's also was the captain at the dutch club.
Another positive.
it's always hard to tell from clips. One could put together one for Jeremy Brockie and his wonder strikes that would have people on the forum saying he was the answer to our prayers.
One thing you can take from these clips is that he looks athletic and strong (esp in the air). Strength is a quality that Hudson always talks about and one that was sadly missing from the Thailand game. Given the stature of Wee Mac, Ryan T, Marco et al we need someone in the middle to compliment these guys and win the ball and get box to box. If he is skilful like a Roly B then that's a bonus. I don't think the AWs need or want a Tim Brown sort of player as he was limited going forward but we do need a ball winner to give greater effect to the high pressing game plan.
Agree with most of the above except the comment about Tim not been great going forward.
I thought he did this well, its was his limited passing ability that I felt let him down.
Agree with most of the above except the comment about Tim not been great going forward.
I thought he did this well, its was his limited passing ability that I felt let him down.
Brown after all is the Phoenix's second highest goalscorer of all time - along with Brockie (both on 23 goals) behind Ifill on 33 goals
More goals than Smeltz for the Nix:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellington_Phoenix_FC...
I don't think Brown ever scored for the All Whites though in 30 internationals. So Brockie is marginally ahead of him there.
Big Pete 65, Christchurch
Um... don't get too excited lads. Went from Dutch football to ....mighty Shrewsbury Town.
That was five years ago when he signed for Shrewsbury for the last three months of the 2010-11 season after his Dutch club Haarlem went bankrupt and he took any offer going. He stayed there the whole of the next season before returning to the Dutch Second Division at FC Den Bosch. Den Bosch are one of the better second tier sides and have spent ten of their last 32 seasons in the top flight:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_van_den_Broe...
He started his career with NAC Breda, but made no Eredivisie appearances for the club. In 2008 he moved to HFC Haarlem, where he made 57 appearances in the Eerste Divisie, scoring 10 goals. After Haarlem went bust in January 2010, van den Broek was left without a club. Despite attracting interest from Lierse SK of Belgium and FC Den Bosch,[1] he signed for Shrewsbury on 12 February 2010 until the end of the season.[2] In May 2010 he signed a new one-year contract.[3] He scored his first goal for the club against Morecambe on 1 May 2010.[4] He signed a contract with Dutch club Den Bosch in spring 2011. On 2 February 2015, Van den Broek signed with Romanian Liga I side Universitatea Cluj.[5]
Shrewsbury record: 23 appearances, 17 of them as sub. Super-sub?
According to Shrewsbury fans, he was carrying an injury during his time there.
They rated him highly though.
Big Pete 65, Christchurch
Our team composition is starting to look more and more like chelsea day by day. Big striker (Wood - Costa) with three small good dribblers in behind (Hazard Oscar Willian - Rojas Thomas Kosta) and finally A big more defensive midfielder and one smaller play maker predoniantly better at passing(Fabregas Matic - Den Broek James/weemac). Regardless of who plays with him it could word well for us though. I do like the look of having a big, good in the air player/good tackler screening our backline for sure.