Another one to add to the transfermarkt watchlist ✅
Voerman saying in the Kiwis outside the UK thread that Robi Sabo and Otto Ingham are headed the same way?
Yeah, announced by Ole
NEWS | 📰 An exciting move to Sweden is ahead for Robi Sabo, Otto Ingham and Kees Sims who have all signed professional contracts with @LjungskileSK ⚽🇸🇪✍🏽
Sending lots of love and support with you guys, from everyone at Olé! ❤
Felt like it was due that some Ole kids signed overseas. I guess Covid, no age groups World Cups for a few years etc, has made it more difficult than before.
Over recent years, the academy has recognised how challenging the transition is for the New Zealand player into Europe. Olé has prioritised the development of a number of strategic partnerships in Europe to facilitate pathways for player development and growth, including key relationships with Danish club FC Helsingør and Torslanda IK in Sweden.
Olé began exploring opportunities with Ljungskile SK at the begin of 2021, so it’s exciting to see this come together for the first group of boys after a long process led by Ben Sippola and Olé CEO, Blake Jones. The relationship with Ljungskile SK holds huge potential for the New Zealand player and will be a great initial stepping stone for Otto, Robi and Kees who are full of potential and will no doubt have their work cut out for them.
Isn't Otto the young kid that spent a bit of time at Barcelona in his early teens?
Seems so, from above Ole article. Otto Ingham is a left footed, creative, attacking player, who spent time in Spain as a youth and has been a huge part of the recent success at Olé and Western Suburbs FC, helping the team win leagues and qualify for New Zealand’s best competitions.
Felt like it was due that some Ole kids signed overseas. I guess Covid, no age groups World Cups for a few years etc, has made it more difficult than before.
Over recent years, the academy has recognised how challenging the transition is for the New Zealand player into Europe. Olé has prioritised the development of a number of strategic partnerships in Europe to facilitate pathways for player development and growth, including key relationships with Danish club FC Helsingør and Torslanda IK in Sweden.
Olé began exploring opportunities with Ljungskile SK at the begin of 2021, so it’s exciting to see this come together for the first group of boys after a long process led by Ben Sippola and Olé CEO, Blake Jones. The relationship with Ljungskile SK holds huge potential for the New Zealand player and will be a great initial stepping stone for Otto, Robi and Kees who are full of potential and will no doubt have their work cut out for them.
Good work to put that together in the current environment. Also means the younger players start higher up the rung than at Torslanda. Which (without trying to be too harsh here) ultimately serves a purpose for young Kiwi lads in setting up camp over there, but the standard of the league they play in leaves a lot to be desired...
From Flying Kiwis. Mods, maybe update thread to Kiwis at Ljungskile - since there's 3 of them.
"Division 1 is the third tier of footy in Sweden. LSK finished sixth in the southern conference last year having been relegated from the second tier in 2020 (a year after being promoted from Div1). They spent the 2008 season in the top flight Allsvenskan. Should be a team with expectations of challenging for promotion back to the second tier this season and hopefully Ingham, Sabo, and Sims can be immediately impactful. They’ve got Francis De Vries (and current free agent Joel Stevens) to look up to there. FDV signed with IFK Värnamo when they were a Division 1 club and they’ve just had back to back promotions."
Otto Ingham: “I’m super excited to get over to Ljungskile SK and get to work. I think it’s a great opportunity for myself and the boys to show what we can do. I feel super grateful to be part of the Olé family and to have called it my second home over the last three years. I especially want to thank Ben [Sippola] and Blake [Jones] for making this opportunity possible and being by my side the last few years.”
Robi Sabo: “It’s going to be a big challenge. A big thanks to all the players and staff members that have been a part of the journey through the years I have been at Olé. Olé has always been a special place to me and my family, and I couldn’t be more grateful to be part of the academy.”
Kees Sims: “I’m very excited and looking forward to starting my journey in Europe as a footballer. It’s always been a goal to go there and it almost doesn’t feel real that it’s finally happening. Ole has been a great place to develop as a person and footballer. It has provided me with many opportunities I am grateful for and has helped me grow to who I am today.”
Translated to English A familiar face was involved from the start in today's match, namely Ken Akamatsu who became an audience favorite at Skarsjövallen last year. Together with three other test players from the start, LSK took on FCT. During a somewhat sluggish first half, it was LSK who eventually took control of the match. Above all, the home team had major problems with stopping the new acquisition Linus Tornblad, who repeatedly broke the FCT defense. It could also have led to a dividend, but LSK did not get to the very last but the team went to half-time break. In addition to Tornblad, the test player Uba Charles impressed during the first half.
Before the second half, LSK took the opportunity to make four changes and later there were three more changes. The home team also took the opportunity to make a bunch of changes during the middle of the second half. All these changes made the match a bit torn and there was no real rhythm in the game from any of the teams. It is important, however, that many players got the chance where many make stable bets. It is also gratifying to see that last year's form at LSK goalkeeper Oliver Bergman holds up - today he saved, among other things, a cannon free kick from close range and a free position. For LSK's part, it was Mohamadu Lamin closest with a nod on a corner from Otto Ingham in the final stage. However, there were no goals but the match ends 0-0.
Next, a new away match awaits next Saturday when we visit Grebbestads IF. Well met then.
Sabo, Ingham & Sims all started from the bench. Details are a little scarce so not sure if they all managed to get on, but it appears Sabo got some game time at the very least.
Another friendly for Ljungskile - a 6-0 victory over Grebbestad (Norra Götaland - Division 2) or the 4th tier of Swedish football. New training match this Saturday and this time the trip went north and a meeting against Grebbestad, in front of almost 200 people in the audience.
LSK got the best possible start and already after 20 minutes, the yellow-blue LSK had taken the lead with 0-4. That after goals by Otto Ingham, Uba Charles, Oskar Lindberg and Mohamadu Lamin.
Target production would continue. Ingham made it 5-0 and then Lindberg fixed the final score to 6-0.
Next, a new away match is already waiting on Wednesday when we visit IK Oddevold. Well met then.
Starting eleven: K. Sims D. Garcia Olsson, Test player, S. Janneh, A. Daläng O. Ingham, U. Charles, J. Odenbeck, M. Lamin A. Henriksson, O. Lindberg
Again, details are sketchy, no information on subs at the moment but Ingham gets a double and Sims gets a cleansheet. No mention of Robbie Sabo this week.
Edit - finished 0-0. Ingham subbed on in 72nd min. Good to see him getting some cameos for a team in Swedish 3rd tier, that looks to be a promotion contender.
Hopefully one of these links works re match highlights. Highlights from Sportexpressen play. 4 Jun Oskarshamns AIK verus Ljungskile
Note there is only 1 min of highlights and they just show the goal once. Ljungskile are in red. Ingham takes his goal nicely with his left peg after being played in.
Otto Ingham with his first goal for LSK in the Swedish third tier. Starting to get a regular run of games too, lovely to see #FlyingKiwispic.twitter.com/GwbxkbAzhd
This was Ingham’s fifth start for the club and his tenth league app all combined. He joined LSK along with fellow Ole Academy/Western Suburbs fellas Robi Sabo and Kees Sims. Sabo has only made one matchday squad and hasn’t yet featured but Sims is already established himself as the backup keeper and did play 34 mins off the bench for a debut back in April (in a 5-0 win over Torns).
Oskarshamns is actually the club that Joe Stevens is playing for these days and he got 86 mins for them against LSK though was unable to match his compatriot Mr Ingham. Still, JS is also beginning to become a regular starter for his new club based on the last few games. Plus Jesse Edge is also at this level featuring mostly off the bench so far for Lund. All three play in the southern conference so there’ll be plenty more meetings of the New Zealanders where this one came from.
Ingham subbed off at 50 mins (Ljungskiledown 1-0) in a 2-1 win at Qviding FIF. Sims on the bench. Ljungskile go top of the league, though GAIS 1 point behind, play tomorrow.
Top of the table clash, as Ljungskile (2nd) host GAIS (1st)
Ingham starting & Sims on the bench.
Big game as Ljungskile chase promotion to the Swedish 2nd tier, so good signs that Ingham starting in an important match like this. 8 starts from 14 games, including 4 consecutive starts now. Seems like he's potentially the best bet to be the next ex Ole product to 'break through'. Potentially.
Edit - Full game Ingham in a 0-2 loss. GAIS scored twice late on at 84 & 92 mins. Ljungskile stay 2nd, with league basically at the half way point (14 of 30 games).They have a Svenska Cupengame next week, then is the Swedish one month long mid summer break.
Flashscore had Ingham playing as a LB, but that could be an error.
Sims seems to be the go to keeper for Ljungskile recently.
Starts again and picks up a clean sheet for his efforts in a 2-0 win over Lindome to keep them in 2nd and move to within 4 points of GAIS (Who have a game in hand). Top of the table clash next Monday between these two sides as well - Could go a long way to sorting out who takes a hold of that automatic promotion spot. 👀
Ingham on in the 72nd minute and Robbie Sabo comes on in the 93rd minute for a club debut.
Sims seems to be the go to keeper for Ljungskile recently.
Starts again and picks up a clean sheet for his efforts in a 2-0 win over Lindome to keep them in 2nd and move to within 4 points of GAIS (Who have a game in hand). Top of the table clash next Monday between these two sides as well - Could go a long way to sorting out who takes a hold of that automatic promotion spot. 👀
Ingham on in the 72nd minute and Robbie Sabo comes on in the 93rd minute for a club debut.
Sims seems to be the go to keeper for Ljungskile recently.
Starts again and picks up a clean sheet for his efforts in a 2-0 win over Lindome to keep them in 2nd and move to within 4 points of GAIS (Who have a game in hand). Top of the table clash next Monday between these two sides as well - Could go a long way to sorting out who takes a hold of that automatic promotion spot. 👀
Ingham on in the 72nd minute and Robbie Sabo comes on in the 93rd minute for a club debut.
Yeah curious as to whether no 1 keeper is injured, or Sims has just upsurped him since league resumed post summer break.
Sims likely keeper for NZU20s if they qualify for next year's WC?
There's quite a few under 20-eligible keepers playing in and around the National League scene: Oscar Mason at NCR, Joe Knowles at Eastern Suburbs, Regan Diver at Northern Rovers, Callum Kennett and Alby Kelly-Heald at the Phoenix. Of course, being overseas doesn't make someone a better player than someone who hasn't been given that opportunity, especially at U20 level.