Kiwi Players Elsewhere

Nik Tzanev (Huddersfield Town | England)

694 replies · 178,701 views
28 Jan 08:10 · edited 28 Jan 12:30 · History
Niche Cache 

Pretty handy timing too, because regular number one Lee Burge is now back from injury... however with manager Kevin Nolan arriving during that time and Tzanev having excelled during his window of games it seems that there’s been a flip in the number one status at the club...

Kevin Nolan: “Nik has been fantastic since I've come in with his kicking and everything else. He takes a lot in and I've been really impressed with him. Burgey is obviously back fit now and he’ll be waiting for his chance. I expect them to be pushing each other and I want to have those headaches. Nik made two fantastic saves at critical times and we know Wycombe were going to have those moments so you need your goalkeeper to step up and your defenders to make blocks and they did that.”
28 Jan 23:24 · edited 28 Jan 23:25 · History
Tzanev in goal for a 3-1 loss at Bolton.
Northampton (20th) now only 3 pts ahead of an in form Burton Albion (21st) and the relegation zone.

Sometime Socceroo Gethin Jones a full game for Bolton.
01 Feb 23:12 · edited 02 Feb 04:17 · History
Northampton 3-0 up at one point, hang on for a crucial 3-2 win.
Result keeps fellow Kiwi Max Crocombe's Burton Albion in the drop zone.

Hopefully both AWs keeper's teams can stay up. Tzanev seems in some good form, made L1 team of the week recently.

15 Feb 23:26
Northampton lose 0-2, to sit only 5 pts above the drop zone.
23 Feb 00:05
Tzanev in goal for a 2-1 win. Northampton up to 17th.
25 Feb 12:06 · edited 25 Feb 12:14 · History
Niche Cache. Him or Sims deserve to upsurp Sail for the 3rd keeper AWs role.
But it'a long way to come to get splinters for a week, in March.

Nik Tzanev was between the sticks for both a 2-0 loss to Wrexham and also a 2-1 comeback win against Bristol Rovers. He was the backup keeper when things began but then the other bloke got injured and Tzanev got busy and 15 consecutive starts later he’s usurped the bro as the new number one. Northampton are four points above Burton/relegation. 
25 Feb 20:41 · edited 25 Feb 22:45 · History
Tzanev in goal for a 1-2 loss
01 Mar 22:10
1-1 draw and yes Tzanev dropped back to the bench
04 Mar 23:21
Looks like Tzanev is relegated back to the pine long term. Burge again in goal. Good news you suspect for Oli Sail.

1-1 draw for Northampton.
08 Mar 23:37
Northampton (17th) with a valuable 2-1 road win, to go 8 pts clear of the relegation spots. Tzanev on the pine.

12 Mar 00:23
Niche Cache. Semms Tzanev a bit unlucky to have been dropped


"One of those teams is Northampton Town who drew 1-1 with Stockport then won 2-1 against Leyton Orient but Nik Tzanev didn’t play either match. That’s three benched dates in a row so we can sadly deduce that Lee Burge has regained his starting spot. No idea what Tanz did wrong and Cobblers fans seem similarly surprised about the decision. NTFC manager Kevin Nolan recently had this to say as an explanation...

"We’ve been working hard with Burgey. Tans has been fantastic since I’ve come in. You speak to people and before it seemed like Burge was the number one and Tzanev was the number two but I don’t see it that way. I had a chat with Burgey about his training and everything else and he’s responded. You saw with the save he made in the first half. It’s an unbelievable save. I spoke to Tans when I picked the team. I don’t normally pull players to the side but I wanted to thank him for what he's done, but I need to see Lee and I need to see what we can do and what he can produce and I thought he was really good today in terms of his handling and everything else.

I’ve got two good goalkeepers and what I’ve said to Tans is that it’s about him pushing Burgey and making them both better game by game.”

Lame. But Tzanev did earn plenty of fans during his 17 consecutive starts so he’s ready to rock if Burge blows his opportunity."
15 Mar 22:40
Tzanev on the pine in 1-1 draw.
22 Mar 23:54 · edited 22 Mar 23:54 · History
Tzanev on the pine for a 0-2 loss. 

NT stay 6 pts ahead of BA, but Albion now with the game in hand.
23 Mar 00:23
Wonder what it’s going to take to get him back in goal? Didn’t think he was doing that badly to get dropped and burg (spelling of name probably wrong so apologies) isn’t getting them wins either
23 Mar 00:29
Burge. If you read up the thread a bit (Niche Cache comments) it does seem it was a surprise by NT's gaffer to replace Tzanev. Yes certainly it hasn't helped NT's form. 

1 win in their last 6 games.
29 Mar 22:59
Tzanev on the pine for a 1-1 draw.
01 Apr 23:31
Splinters for Tzanev, in a 0-2 loss.
NT (19th) dicing with relegation, only 4 pts above the drop zone now, after Crocombe's Burton Albion won overnight.
06 Apr 00:47
Tzanev watches on as NT with 4-0. The Posh had their LB sent off in the 27th min (1-0). Result good way to alleviate any fears NT have of relegation.
18 Apr 22:25
Tzanev watches a 2-1 loss
21 Apr 23:45
On the pine Tzanev watches a 4-1 win. Shrewsbury are relegated with 2 games left.

So yes if Max Mata is recalled from Auckland (has one more year to go on his ST contract) he'll be playing in League Two.
27 Apr 02:54
Tzanev on the pine in a 3-0 loss. 
04 May 01:06
No Tzanev in match day squad, in a 1-1 draw.

Academy GK James Dadge debuted, coming on late for Lee Burge. A pointer maybe that Tzanev is leaving?