Niko Kirwan (Calcio Padova | Italy)

With Niko not playing due to his injury, I haven't been keeping up too much with the team news.
Looks like Padova replaced their head coach on Dec 12th.
Unsurprisingly, for a team that made it to the play off finals for two years in a row and is now sitting in 10th place, 11 points below the top. 10th is technically the last valid spot for the play offs but that's not really where they want to be.
No news on Niko's recovery. Couldn't spot him in pictures from the team Christmas dinner and I don't have any social media so can't snoop on his fb or insta pages.
Hopefully all is progressing well.

Padova had a 1-1 win with Juve II, on the weekend to lie 11th (listed as a possible play off spot), after 22 of 38 rounds.

https://us.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-c1/20222023/girone-a/r70818/

Padova are now up to 9th, in their Girone Serie C. That's good enough for a playoff spot, in the bloated Serie C promotion playoff system. They are 12 points off 1st placed FeralpiSalò (only 1st is automatically promoted) so playoffs will be their best bet. 9 regular season games left.

Kirwan did his knee on 1st August last year, so basically 7 months ago. Hopefully his rehab is going well.

Not much on the Padova website other than that he's continuing on with his rehabilitation. Padova don't have any chances of getting promoted. The team has been gutted as the owner had opened his wallet and after falling short for the second or third time realised it wasn't going to be worth it.
They couldn't do it last year when they were one of the top teams across each group, they won't do it this time.
Let's hope Niko's off the pitch work pays dividends and he's back playing later this season or the next.

Makes his first match day squad since his injury, in a valuable 1-0 win away at Trento.
Padova up to 7th on the ladder. Top 10 teams go into the play offs. Great to hear he's close to a return to action. 

Good stuff. N. Kirwan on the pine.

Hopefully Padova can have a good run in the playoffs, they have the experience of being there before.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/04/08/italy/serie-c1/trento-calcio-1921/biancoscudati-padova/3946028/

From memory they made the play offs three times running, twice losing in the final (or close to that).
I personally don't think they will go far. They have partly dismantled their squad and aren't as good as last year. Shame SudTirol were just unbeatable last season.
Serie C is a bit like the league Wrexham are playing in...very very hard to get out of!

If Padova don't get promoted, and Elliott signs for a SPL club (though those rumours have gone quiet) - could Kirwan & the Nix be a marriage? 
He played for Tee Dubs prior moving to Italia, so he knows Welly Town.

Anything is possible but I don't see it happening. He loves living over there (he grew up in Italy) and he's bound to find another contract in the third tier.
I could potentially see him sign for us or the Akl franchise when he's 32 as a chance to immerse himself in kiwi culture again and maybe give his kids (if he has any) a taste of life in Aotearoa.

He is still young enough to chase the dream

Padova (7th) host Lecco (2nd)

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/04/16/italy/serie-c1/biancoscudati-padova/calcio-lecco-1912/3946036/

Niko in the match day squad for the second week running. Tough away game for Padova. Kick of 12.30am Monday night NZT

Big win for Padova, 3-1 at 2nd placed Lecco.
Niko with his first minutes since his injury. He came on at 78min (3-1).
Great to see. Hopefully he's on his way to making a full recovery 

Padova (6th) travel to Mantova (14th). Last game of the regular season.
Soon it will be Serie C playoff time, yet again. Kirwan missed playoff last year away with the AWs, so he'll be extra keen coming back from injury just in time.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/04/22/italy/serie-c1/ac-mantova/biancoscudati-padova/3946048/

Kirwan started in a 3-1 win. Padova finish regular season in 5th, only 3 pts off 2nd.
Now await the playoffs draw.

Back in the starting line up for a 3-1 win away at Latin poet Virgil's home town of Mantova.
Comes off at 57 min, straight after Padova took the lead. The third goal came at 82 min.
Padova finished the regular season 5th and seems to be in good form. I'll update soon with more info about the play offs.
From memory Niko did play in the play offs last year but missed the final. Always a really tough ask to make it out of Serie C unless you win the league 

Geez, that says it all about Italy. Wanna casual kick around in Virgil’s home town? Ffffff wow 

martinb

Geez, that says it all about Italy. Wanna casual kick around in Virgil’s home town? Ffffff wow 

Sorry I couldn't help myself there 😄
"Mantua me genuit" (Mantua/Mantova bore me) is written on Virgil's headstone...a very famous line for one of the greatest Latin authors.
Though to be honest, most towns in Italy have been the birthplace of famous artists...

Padova (5th in this region) to host Pizzighettone (11th in their region) in a playoff.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/04/30/italy/serie-c1/biancoscudati-padova/as-pizzighettone/4068389/

From Flying Kiwis. Papa John getting up earlier to watch his son. Also he's signed a new 2 year deal through to 2025

Niko Kirwan: “Today is a beautiful day. It was wonderful to come back after seven months, the choir and the applause when I entered the field gave me goosebumps and gave me an extra charge. I don't know how to thank the fans, really. When the coach called me for me it was an emotional moment. I have to thank everyone, my teammates and also the crowd who made me feel his warmth today before going on, then I concentrated on my job on the pitch.

I thank Andrea Schiavo, a great professional and great person who has been close to me throughout this period as well as obviously all the doctors, physiotherapists and all those who have helped me in such a long and difficult journey. Now I hope to be able to give my contribution, I train hard to be ready when called upon and to lend a hand to my teammates. I am delighted to be back and to have given my contribution to this victory. I believe a lot in this group. Winning helps to win, we are improving: we have to believe in it until the end, it is important to stay on track and react to the difficulties as we did today, with this mentality and this spirit we can go far.

My family woke up at 2 in the morning to watch the game and my return to the field, we spoke before the game, now they will be sleeping, I will hear from them when they wake up tomorrow.”

NP can be a judge of his Italian. Presumably a Northern accent?
https://youtu.be/PCBMu_mTEvg

Also, confirmation that he signed a new deal while he was out injured...

More from NK: “I promise to the fans that I will always give 100%, as I did in this recovery. I renewed with Padova until 30 June 2025, I'm very happy and proud. In the summer a couple of teams had looked for me, then I got hurt, but Padova kept their promise to renew my contract, which does them great honour. I was delighted and signed right away.”

Padova (5th in this region) host Pizzighettone (11th in their region), Serie C Playoff Promotion First Round. One off game, Padova lose and they are out of the playoffs.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/05/11/italy/serie-c1/biancoscudati-padova/as-pizzighettone/4068389/

coochiee

From Flying Kiwis. Papa John getting up earlier to watch his son. Also he's signed a new 2 year deal through to 2025

Niko Kirwan: “Today is a beautiful day. It was wonderful to come back after seven months, the choir and the applause when I entered the field gave me goosebumps and gave me an extra charge. I don't know how to thank the fans, really. When the coach called me for me it was an emotional moment. I have to thank everyone, my teammates and also the crowd who made me feel his warmth today before going on, then I concentrated on my job on the pitch.

I thank Andrea Schiavo, a great professional and great person who has been close to me throughout this period as well as obviously all the doctors, physiotherapists and all those who have helped me in such a long and difficult journey. Now I hope to be able to give my contribution, I train hard to be ready when called upon and to lend a hand to my teammates. I am delighted to be back and to have given my contribution to this victory. I believe a lot in this group. Winning helps to win, we are improving: we have to believe in it until the end, it is important to stay on track and react to the difficulties as we did today, with this mentality and this spirit we can go far.

My family woke up at 2 in the morning to watch the game and my return to the field, we spoke before the game, now they will be sleeping, I will hear from them when they wake up tomorrow.”

NP can be a judge of his Italian. Presumably a Northern accent?
https://youtu.be/PCBMu_mTEvg

Also, confirmation that he signed a new deal while he was out injured...

More from NK: “I promise to the fans that I will always give 100%, as I did in this recovery. I renewed with Padova until 30 June 2025, I'm very happy and proud. In the summer a couple of teams had looked for me, then I got hurt, but Padova kept their promise to renew my contract, which does them great honour. I was delighted and signed right away.”

That is awesome that he's gone and signed an extension, even after a horrible injury and missing pretty much the entirety of this season. 

Good to see trust and respect still exist in football. Fantastic work Calcio Padova. Hoping they go and get the job done in the playoffs.

Niko starts on the bench

0-0 at HT. The pitch is in bad shape apparently and not conducive to playing with the ball on the ground.
Interestingly, Padova would go through with a draw as they placed higher in the regular season.

Padova go through thanks to a 1-0 win. Niko on at 84min (1-0).
Next up Virtus Verona, who won 3-0 vs Novara in their play off match.
They finished their season in 6th place (one spot and one point behind Padova).
When the two teams played each other in the regular season, they drew both times (0-0, 1-1). Therefore, I'd expect a pretty even match.

Finally, they have Emil Hallfredsson in their ranks, 73 caps for Iceland and a decade+ spent in Italy across the three top tiers there.

Padova host Virtus Verona, in their promotion playoff.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/05/14/italy/serie-c1/biancoscudati-padova/usd-virtusvecomp-verona/4073431/

Heartache for Padova. Out of the playoffs after a 0-1 loss.
Conceded at 81 mins, and then down to 10 men from 83 mins (straight red).

Kirwan an unused sub.

Serie C gets underway. Kirwan's Padova travel to Mantova.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/04/italy/serie-c1/ac-mantova/biancoscudati-padova/4208269/

84 minutes in a 1-1 draw vs Mantova, in the season opener. 
Score was 1-1 when he was subbed off.

Padova host Legnago Salus, in their first home game.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/10/italy/serie-c1/biancoscudati-padova/ac-legnago-salus/4208279/

Full game in a solid 2-0 victory

From Flying Kiwis.

Just checking in on the bro Niko here, who you may recall missed almost all of last season with injury but signed a new contract at Padova towards the end of the campaign anyway. They’re now back underway for the new term with Kirwan starting both games so far: a 1-1 draw away to Mantova and the 2-0 win over Legnano Salus that’s linked above. In fact not only has he been starting but it looks like he was wearing the captain’s armband too. That’s the one. Hopefully this is the year that Padova get over the hump and earn promotion.

Kirwan full game in a 2-1 win at Alessandria.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/17/italy/serie-c1/us-alessandria-1912/biancoscudati-padova/4208284/

Padova (5th) host Novara (19th).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/20/italy/serie-c1/biancoscudati-padova/novara-calcio/4208298/

Niko rested in 2-0 win. Padova go top of the league 

newzealandpower

Niko rested in 2-0 win. Padova go top of the league 

Not quite top. 2nd equal on GD. Top 3 teams all on 10 points. 
Will be a hard slog, but hopefully Padova can be promoted this season. They have been the nearly men last few Serie C campaigns.

I hope Bazeley picks Kirwan for AWs in October. I thought he looked pretty good last year. Starting RB against Costa Rica.

Problem with our wing backs (left & right) is we compare them all to Cacace. He's on a different level, to whoever we have on the right, or as a back up on the left.

Padova (3rd) host the Montagues and Capulets of Virtus Verona (2nd).

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/24/italy/serie-c1/biancoscudati-padova/usd-virtusvecomp-verona/4208311/

Comes on after 78min (1-0) in a 2-0 win. The game was tied until 71 min.
Padova giving it a good go but it's way too early to celebrate as we all know

Padova (1st) travel to Trento (7th).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/30/italy/serie-c1/trento-calcio-1921/biancoscudati-padova/4208321/

Another win for Paodva. 3-0 this time.
Niko came on at 69 with the score being 2-0.
5 W, 1 D for Padova in the last 6 and they've opened a 3 point gap at the top of the league. 

Next up is Legnano (6th) on Wendesday morning NZT.

Serie C Cup game.
Padova (1st) travel to Legnago Salus (7th).

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/10/03/italy/coppa-italia-serie-c/ac-legnago-salus/biancoscudati-padova/4251971/