Matt Garbett (Peterborough United | England)

https://twitter.com/TheOleWay/status/1220780574689...

Falkenberg play in swedish top flight.

3 year deal. Dan Keat as an ex Falkenberg player helped set things up by the sound of it.

https://falkenbergsff.se/nyzeelandsk-juniorlandslagsman-till-fff/

First team finished 13th out of 16 teams in 2019, in Allsvenskan.

Their U21/U19 teams play in South Sweden (split North & South Sweden nationwide) youth leagues, with U19/U21 teams from many of the big Swedish clubs.

As a 17 yr old you would think Garbett will be starting out there.

Or a loan deal to Torslanda!

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/119086428/europe-beckons-for-standout-new-zealand-under17-forward-matthew-garbett

Played 60 minutes off the bench in their first friendly, a 4-0 win over third-tier Linköping.

https://falkenbergsff.se/4-0-seger-i-forsta-matchen/

Professional debut, 10 mins off the bench in Swedish Cup 1-0 win. Congratulations Matt

Incredible, not many NZ players have made their pro debut at that age

Yipe 17 is young. How old was Wood, when he debuted in the UK?

Was a Swedish Cup game verus Halmstad from the 2nd tier.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2020/03/01/sweden/svenska-cupen/falkenbergs-fotbollsforening/halmstads-bollklubb/3190140/

Had a read and apparently the Swedish Cup ain't taken that seriously, with football in Sweden.

A lot of it is played pre season, in a group format, before moving to knockout stages later.

So wouldn't assume Garbett is close to regular first team action, or anything just yet. He replaced the goal scorer, a 19 year old. Still congrats to him.

Wood was 17

Not required off the bench as Falkenbergs lose 1-0 away to fellow Allsvenskan side, Norrköping, but still progress through to the Swedish Cup quarterfinals. A loss by 2 goals would have put them out, with the group format.

Below is a match report from last week's game, when Garbett got 10 mins and a first team debut. As per usual the translation is a bit mangled. But promising stuff for a 17 yr old, at a top tier side in Sweden.

https://falkenbergsff.se/fff-besegrade-hbk-med-tio-spelare/

With ten minutes left of regular time, then goalkeeper Sylisufaj was replaced by New Zealander Matthew Garbett. The 17-year-old then showed strength when he held the ball in several attacks and fixed free-kicks to FFF on the offensive half. FFF held away without problems and won the cup match with 1-0.

Actually from this week's Flying Kiwis, I see that Garbett was subbed in on the weekend. Got 28 mins in fact. Soccerway were slow to update the game.

Sure only pre season, but game against Norrköping had a bit riding on it re progression to quarter finals of Swedish Cup.

Promising signs for the 17 yr old. Early days but could become an important figure for AWs and NZ Football. Not many strikers from NZ debut this young overseas at senior level. An outside bet now for the Olympic squad?

I see Garbett was born in the UK, so that may have benefited him to get a Euro move.

Photo from Flying Kiwis.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/121022520/swedens-lax-covid19-restrictions-means-kiwi-footballer-matthew-garbett-can-still-play

"Technically the level is not different at all but physically it's very different. They are very physical over here and the way they play is very traditional, it's long-ball type play. The intensity has changed a lot since I've been here though and to be honest it's made me a better player because I'm used to getting quite a few fouls in the Central League but here they don't give me any."

So Ole/Dan Keat helped broker a deal, to a club where they play route one. Interesting.

A 3 year deal with a div 1 Swedish club at 17 is still a great move 

That is definitely true. Ola Toivonen for example was at a 2nd Div Swedish club at that age.

Just sounds like Garbett's possibly be asked to play a physical direct style, he's not so familiar with. All part of his development I guess.

From this week's Flying Kiwis.

"Sweden took a risk in playing it loose with the lockdowns and ironically they’re now having more trouble getting through the red tape to start their season than nations like Denmark or Norway. All of which have prominent kiwi players. Sweden had planned to kick it off on 14 June with fans in attendance but that target date was from a month ago and they’ve been struggling to get government clearance.

The stadiums will almost surely be empty now as a compromise, just a matter of figuring it out. It’s hoped they’ll get the green light later this week for the top two divisions to go ahead, still with that mid-June start. Several kiwis play in the lower divisions in Sweden, with Matt Garbett at Falkenbergs in the topskees."

Some potentially exciting news for a very talented young lad...Seems to have a fair few eyes being kept on him! 

https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-everton-race-to-sign-garbett/

Some heady praise in that article.

Man City is the other club reported to be interested! Never thought I would live to see two amazing Kiwi prospects at two of the biggest clubs in the world (fingers crossed, of course!)

https://www.footballinsider247.com/man-city-set-sights-on-signing-everton-wanted-striker/

From the first article:

"The rising star is one of the most sought-after teenagers in Europe and has interest from clubs in Germany, France, Holland and Belgium."

I don't know a lot about NZ based youngsters outside of those in the periphery of the Nix first team, but the Garbett hype seems to have come out of nowhere. Can anyone that knows anything about him confirm that the hype is justified?

Some of what's being written on 'footballinsider247' needs to be taken with a massive helping of salt (though we shall see, I guess). That said he's a very talented player. Bit off the radar because he spent most of last winter training in Sweden (unable to register and play as he wasn't 18) rather than playing here, but he'd already been prolific in the Central League in 2018 as a 16yo and was one of, if not the, standout performer(s) at the Fifa Under-17 World Cup last year. Also off the radar a bit as he's played a grand total of 12 national league minutes. But signing and playing for a top-tier Swedish club says a lot. Hopefully he'll get regular time when their season starts this month.

very good player, can absolutely see him reaching a higher level than the Allsvenskan but this is clearly a result of him signing with a new agency. Believe the interest is real however

From this week's Flying Kiwis.

"What in the sweet smell of success is going on with Matty Garbett? Last year he’s doing his thing for Western Suburbs and Ole Academy and for New Zealand at the U17 World Cup and then he gets a move to top flight Swedish club Falkenbergs and what’s more is he even got a couple cup appearances in for the first team before the pando came along. That’s all sweet, it’s been one of the best emerging Flying Kiwis storylines of the year in fact. But if one football blogsite is to be believed then it could soon get a whole lot better...

I'm told this is a legitimate story ... amazing that 18 y/o kiwi Matt Garbett is attracting interest from such a big club!

Jason Pine@pineyzb

I'm told this is a legitimate story ... amazing that 18 y/o kiwi Matt Garbett is attracting interest from such a big club! @TheOleWay @NZ_Football https://twitter.com/ToffeeTVEFC/status/1268906096699244545 …

Toffee TV@ToffeeTVEFC

According to Football Insider: The Blues are keeping close tabs on young New Zealand prospect Matthew Garbett. #efc https://instagr.am/p/CBDlWPxl_VN/

Footy Insiders 24/7 ran stories on consecutive days about Matthew Garbett, these were the headlines...

Exclusive: Everton set sights on signing young centre-forward after big development

Exclusive: Man City set sights on signing Everton-wanted striker after agent deal agreed

Damn right they were exclusives, nobody else seemed to have a clue. All the other mentions of this source back to these two original articles. The first one mentions that there was another “Premier League big gun” interested in the teenager’s services and then the second one confirms that club to be Man City. Both of them refer to Garbett in such glowing terms as “wonderkid” and “rising star” and “one of the most sought-after teenagers in Europe” and “centre-forward sensation”.

Now, not to burst the bubble or anything because it‘s pretty amazing just to have his name mentioned in this capacity given he was playing Central League a year ago... but this smells pungently like shenanigans. There may very well be interest in him from both Everton and Manchester City, not to mention “clubs in Germany, France, Holland and Belgium”, but this was very clearly a coordinated media plant and wouldn’t you know it both articles quite nicely bury (despite alluding to it in the headlines) the most important and exciting aspect which is this part...

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBDuuWcnQ42/?utm_source=ig_embed

See, now that’s the real deal. New Era Global Sports are an English based agency that seem to have a pretty modern and all-encompassing approach to what they can offer their clients, including Rio Ferdinand whose face is one you see plastered all over their website (and Rio was quick off the mark in congratulating Garbett with an IG comment), as well as his fellow Ferdinands: brother Anton and cousin Kane. Their current batch of players mostly includes lower league or young British players, some of the known names being Ashley Williams, Michael Keane, Mason Holgate, Fara Williams, Neil Taylor, Josh and Jake Murphy... so yes, there does seem to be a big Everton connection. No surprises that they were the first to be milked for a Matty G story.

Add that all together and not sure if you wanna hold your breath for a transfer to Manchester City later this year but if NEGS are gonna hype him up for a transfer then a transfer to England seems likeliest given that’s where almost all their connections are. And, hey, aim for the moon and if you miss then you land amongst the stars. Matty Garbett’s all of a sudden seeing his name in the company of some serious clubs and that can only be a positive.

Up Next: FFF’s first league game is 5am next Tuesday against Häcken (NZT)"

Is eligible to be a local player in Europe? On a video said he was NZ/French.

He has a French passport, I believe.

Nice story and he is obviously a talented prospect BUT this publicity strikes me as a hyperactive agent in overdrive. Good for Matthew that he has someone getting his name out there but a few minutes off the bench for a Div 1 Swedish club does not make you a Man City target. If I was this kid I would avoid the EPL. At his age he needs stability, somewhere where he will be getting lots of minutes on the pitch

There are so many stories of EPL clubs signing talented youngsters who then spend the best part of their best years being shuffled around Europe on loan. Man City can buy the Aguero’s of this world, they buy world class developed players. IMO Matthew should look at a good solid club in a lower league who develop and play young talent......going somewhere like Ajax would be a dream. The French league would be worth a look too, especially as he has a French passport. There are players as young as 17 who regularly start in Ligue1. It’s a good shop window for a bigger move later. Good luck Matthew, look forward to following your career.

"If I was this kid I would avoid the EPL."

Yeah, good advice. Aim lower son.

He's not saying aim lower, but maybe think bigger picture.

Is being at big club and not playing going to develop me as much as a smaller one where I will get to play.

Effectively the same argument everyone has about Sapreet every other day.

I think we have to remember James Musa at an older age was signed by Fulham, a premiership club at the time

Whether the kid ends up at Man City, or just stays in Sweden for now ain't the big news to me.

Just looks like there is finally a potential real backup striker option to Wood on the horizon.

Even if he ain't yet a wunderkid or “one of the most sought-after teenagers in Europe”, there are clearly very promising signs. Early season match reports from his Swedish club were already encouraging.

By March 2022 Intercontinental playoffs, he'll be 19-20 with 2 years of pro football behind him, and hopefully 18 months or so around the AWs. 

AWs are building some good depth all over the park, but the one player who is still clearly irreplaceable is Wood. For much of the last decade the backup AWs striker has been a guy (good dude that he is) with like 1 goal in 50 caps. 

Garbett developing into a genuine option for the national team, can't happen quickly enough.

would be nice to see him play with Christopher soon

On the bench as the Swedish top tier (Allsvenskan) season starts.

Falkenburg (13th last season) hosting Häcken (6th last season).

Read on their club website that their keeper trialled at Everton a few years back.

Came on at 88 mins with score 1-1, which was final score.

https://twitter.com/DanielKeat/status/127262600638...

On the bench as Falkenberg travel to Mjällby (promoted from 2nd tier this season).

Rides the pine for a 1-0 win.

Falkenberg only made 2 subs, both forwards upfront, but Garbett overlooked this time to run on.

Gets 30 mins off the bench against Kalmar, when score was 0-0.

Unfortunately Falkenberg go on to lose 0-2.

Falkenberg 0-0 at HT, verus fellow top tier side Mjällby in a Swedish Cup quarter final.

Garbett on the bench.

Falkenberg had their keeper sent off at 26 mins.

So with 10 men they may just try and hold out for the pen shootout.

Falkenberg lose 1-0 to be knocked out.

Conceded at 48th min, and Garbett bought on in 65th min.

Not in match day squad as Falkenberg lose 3-1 at Varberg.

Not in match day squad as Falkenberg (14th) lose 1-2 to Sirius (3rd), after leading 1-0 at HT.

Injured?  Trialling elsewhere?  Dropped?

Not in match day squad as Falkenberg (14th) concede in the 91st min to draw 1-1 at AIK (6th)

Club website said pre game Garbett was due back, but wasn't on the bench according to Soccerway.

https://falkenbergsff.se/infor-aik-borta/

New Zealand talent Matthew Garbett is back after being out of the last two matches.