James Musa (Fort Wayne | USA)

Really sorry if its already been mentioned or theres another thread but whats the go on this James Musa kid?

About a week (I think) into a six week trial. Most likely he's just being considered for next years yoof team.

Seen him at one practice.  Didn't really stand out but that's not to say he isn't a really talented kid.

Watched him played for Wanganui High School against Palmerston North Boys High, definitely a central midfielder who can read the game better than most adult midfielders in the central league soccer.

Great vision and anticipation, tidy, hardly makes a mistake, always knew where his players were, has a great first touch, rarely been troubled by anyone pressuring and so makes things look easy running the midfield by himself with good distribution skills. Even though it was schoolboys football, he can easily see him bettering Adult players. He is that sort of player of talent.

He reminds me of Patrick Vieira's playing style. He is definitely a star in the making. He could end up playing in the future All Whites Centre Midfield, if we look after him well.

If the Phoenix don't grab him, then he is easily on Youngheart Manawatu list because they are keeping an eye on him themselves.

Plays at centre back.
Smithy2009-11-21 19:08:10

Yeah i was gonna say...

So he plays centre back but also runs the midfield by himself? Well, from what I'm reading this kid may just be the greatest footballer of all time.

maybe he played central mid at schoolboy level but has been shifted?

Definitely played in the midfield in Mid Central for Wanganui High/Athletic reserves - shutting him down was the main reason we got the 0-0 draw.

It was unusual to see PNBHS having at least two and maybe three boys to put the squeeze on one boy, but if they didn't they would have been on the back foot. Lucky the rest of the WHS team, save maybe one of their wingers and one back, weren't quite up to your overall team work. Forcing him to pass to the weaker teammates was the only thing PNBHS could have done to even things up.

However the PNBHS young tall 15 year old midfielder despite the tough assignment he was given, did fairly gutsy and desperate effort, he and the other kid had a long day at the office containing "Mumba". Shame that PNBHS lost the PSO but it was an exciting end to the match. I has been a long time since I watch Schoolboys Football and it was at a very good level.AllWhitebelievr2009-11-22 14:32:14

bump

Signed.

yeah big call, given we have no youth team, he could be sitting on the bench for a while or even outside the playing squad.....

But we have to sign 3 players U20 so that is a risk for anyone in those positions.

Better it's an NZ player gaining the experience than we use the spot on an Aussie youngster.

Well, we need to fill out our youth spots. We have reasonable depth at CB - he'll pretty much be 5th choice there, so there's no danger of him being thrown in the deep end before he's ready.

He gets to be in a professional environment, training every day with seasoned professionals, and has every opportunity to improve his game and become a good professional player himself. It's all up to him now.

What are his stats? Is he tall?

Good for him, but you'd imagine there are better young CBs out there.

he's english not kiwi

he has spent 2/3 of his life in NZ so he is more Kiwi than Brit.

Like Michael McGlinchey then... or Tommy Smith...

If you are worred about the prospect of him being picked up for the English U21 squad then the nix have just made a brilliant signing.

In Gouldie we trust

briiillliant.

There's talk of a lot more midweek matches this year isn't there?

Be good if a sponsor could get on board specifically for those midweek matches, a kind of ranfurly shield like competition or something, so that there is something in it for the players and the NZFC teams.

There's a game tomorrow night vs Stop Out.  Presumably at Porirua Park.

Saw it on Twitter this morning so it can't be that TS!

It's been on Stop Out's website since yesterday.

7pm @ Porirua Park.

There you go then.

Has James Musa ever played for NZ at age grade level?

If not..
Why has he been overlooked from NZ selectors? Are there better CB's out there than him?
Is it a problem that our NZ age grade selectors can't find the same talent a professional club can? But then again there is a thing called "potential" and he could develop to become bigger and better than any of our current U17 rep's.

Im pretty happy with this signing, would have preferred a young left back though. Maybe he can develop there?

I think that tristan pratley from Otago whos a finalist in the retro ricki scholarship seems like a decent LB, as is Adam Smith from Nelson Suburbs. But we did need a young defender. 

Is there going to be a gate fee... or... not? Im from porirua and dont want to pay a cent

It was free entry for those kind of games last season, so I'd expect nothing different.

Prattley was the joint YF scholarship winner with Thomas Spragg, so he'll spend a week training with the Phoenix at some point in the next few weeks.

And I was under the impression he was born in Zimbabwe.  So I'd say more Zimbabwean and Kiwi than British.

Born in Plymouth. But if he arrived here when he was 3-4 and has lived here since he'll be a Kiwi by now.

My mistake then, parents probably from Zimbabwe then is what I must have heard.

Just those two.

Prattley, Spragg.