Taken from Niche Cache.
I'd also speculate that McCowatt could be one to watch.
Just been named Player of the Year (straddling two half seasons) at Silkeborg.
Very much sounds like Bell wants to stay at Viking with just a two legged playoff to overcome to play in the Champions League in 2026.
Myer Bevan is rumoured to be going to Cambodia.
Ronan Wynne, Riley Bidois, Collier & Musa are all currently with Unattached FC Stateside.
Jay Herdman & Monty Patterson?
And Joey Champness must be due to pop up somewhere.
Nick’s Notebook
I'd also speculate that McCowatt could be one to watch.
Just been named Player of the Year (straddling two half seasons) at Silkeborg.
Very much sounds like Bell wants to stay at Viking with just a two legged playoff to overcome to play in the Champions League in 2026.
Myer Bevan is rumoured to be going to Cambodia.
Ronan Wynne, Riley Bidois, Collier & Musa are all currently with Unattached FC Stateside.
Jay Herdman & Monty Patterson?
And Joey Champness must be due to pop up somewhere.
Nick’s Notebook
It’s almost the end of the year which means there’s just a couple weeks until football’s January Transfer Window opens in Europe (and a few others spots).
Every transfer window is a big deal for kiwi footballers, there are too many to be contained, though for whatever reason January has been especially fruitful over the last few years. Here are some footballers to have on transfer watch over the next month...
Every transfer window is a big deal for kiwi footballers, there are too many to be contained, though for whatever reason January has been especially fruitful over the last few years. Here are some footballers to have on transfer watch over the next month...
Andre De Jong – This one might happen on January 1, the deal is basically done and dusted to take ADJ from Stellenbosch to Orlando Pirates. That’ll mean moving to the club that’s beaten his in the last two MTN8 Cup finals. From the club that finished third last season to the club that finished second. From a club in the CAF Confederation Cup competition to one in the CAF Champions League. And most importantly, since Stellies are stinking it up this year, from a club currently in the relegation zone to one competing for the title. His contract with Stellies ends after the season but Pirates seem to want him immediately, no doubt influenced by the fact that nine of their dudes have been called up for AFCON squads next month with the majority of them being forwards.
Jacqui Hand – One of NZ’s most effective attackers but it’s been tough for her at club level since her cup-winning exploits in Finland. She’s been relegated with her last three clubs in a row, most recently with Kolbotn in Norway - playing alongside Liv Chance and Liz Anton. The three kiwis were among their best players, giving Kolbotn at least a chance of defying the odds, but relegation means they’ll all need to move to stay in competitive situations. Anton’s already resurfaced at Canberra United. Liv Chance will hopefully land somewhere good, though she’s less pivotal to the Ferns having only recently made her return after two years out. But Hand is a crucial figure, a goal-scorer and creator for a national team that desperately struggles with those things. It’d be nice to see her at a winning club, ya know?
Tyler Bindon – Not sure what’ll happen here because Bindon moved to Sheffield United on a loan instigated by his old Reading FC boss Ruben Selles... but after that dude got sacked he faded into the wilderness. It was all but expected that he’d have that loan cut short in January... until a few injuries put him back into the line-up recently where he won over a lot of doubters with two strong performances and now who knows? Could be he sticks around with the Blades now that Chris Wilder has warmed to him. Could be that he wants to leave anyway to try and find a starting spot elsewhere. There’s even a rumour that Sheff Utd will cut the loan short so as to sign him permanently. Roll the dice, it could go in any direction... much will depend on how invested parent club Nottingham Forest are in his future because they sure seemed to bail on Marko Stamenic pretty swiftly.
Bill Tuiloma – He’s a free agent now after two years of scandalously low usage at Charlotte FC. That trade was a mess from day one, they seemed to think they were signing a different player and ignored what made him effective at Portland. But despite his marginalisation, Tuiloma has somehow wriggled back into the All Whites picture as a back-up right fullback and his chances of cracking that World Cup squad are going to depend massively on the decision he makes next. Does he want to stay in America? Is he interested in playing it safe in the A-League? To be honest, an ALM gig would probably get the job done since that’s where most of his main rivals for NZ selection are at in this position. It’d mean a pay cut… but that’s probably happening anyway.
Henry Gray – One of our very best up-and-coming goalkeepers, albeit mostly down to his work in age-grade footy. Gray is on the books with Ipswich Town, playing for their U21s and training with the first team. He did the same in each of the last two years before going out on loan around December/January for senior football down the divisions. First in sixth tier, then in fifth tier. Will they send him out again? If they do, will it be another progression? He actually went back to Braintree Town (current home of Tommy Smith – also where Gray was Young Player of the Year on loan last season despite only being there for half the campaign) in October but only played one game before being recalled after Ipswich suffered a goalkeeping injury to their main man Alex Palmer. That briefly had Gray as the number three option at Ipswich Town… however Palmer’s back available again as of last week (Christian Walton has so far held onto the number one status) which could clear the path for Gray to seek his own opportunities again.
Not On Transfer Watch But Curious Times Nonetheless
- Milly Clegg – Returning to Racing Louisville after a difficult year on loan in Canada playing for a bad team but at least getting an extended run of professional games - something she’d never done on that scale before. Huge jump up from there to getting NWSL minutes so we’ll see what happens.
- Joe Bell – Dunno why people are always wondering when Joe Bell is going to leave Viking (they do it in Norway too, for what it’s worth). We’ve already walked that path once before and it didn’t work out for him. So he’s definitely not leaving after just winning a league title and with Champions League qualifiers next year and a guaranteed Europa League spot even if they fail. He’s not getting that anywhere else. This is where he’s supposed to be.
- Owen Parker-Price & Gabi Rennie – A couple of kiwis in Sweden who each just got promoted up to the top flights. OPP with Örgryte in the men’s comp, Rennie with Eskiltstuna in the women’s. Both should continue getting good minutes after promotion, expanding our collection of kiwis in top flight situations which is especially valuable with Rennie, who suddenly jumps into the top five on the Football Ferns club hierarchy. Only Katie Bowen, Kate Taylor, and potentially Milly Clegg are undeniably at higher levels than that.
- Sarpreet Singh – Things have gotten frisky for Singh since Darije Kalezic was sacked by TSC. Since then, he’s dropped back to the bench with his limited minutes. He had a nice 20-min cameo against perennial Serbian champs Red Star last week in a 0-0 draw though, that was a good sign. At the moment it’s all about waiting to see how this situation tracks.
- Finn Surman – Had such a brilliant first full season with Portland that they’re already worried about losing him to a bigger league and are planning to offer him improved terms within a new contract to help keep him around a little longer. With coach Phil Neville’s connections, and Surman’s size and ability, there is English Premier League potential here. But not just yet.
- Malia Steinmetz – Aside from a couple of niggles, Grace Wisnewski has had a tremendous time playing in that FC Nordsjælland midfield and it should get even more fun after the winter break when Malia Steinmetz makes her awaited return after her ACL injury.