True, Sapreet is a step above and Libby too, I'm not sure about the others to be honest..
I can see Bell playing premier league one day, he's a serious talent. Sofascore has him rated as the 3rd best player in Viking Fk this season, and 15th in the Norweigen top league, which is not bad for a debut professional season and as a CDM.
Great to see Niko getting a start in Series B. It’s a good reward for all the hard work he has put in over the last couple of seasons. Not a bad lifestyle I would imagine. Pro footballer in Italy playing for a team in a smaller region. He would probably be getting some sort of profile locally and would be well looked after.
With all these kiwi footballers now settling into solid careers in Europe you can’t help thinking how good the All White team will be for the next World Cup cycle.
Nikos team Reggio play in the local Mapei stadium. I read a lovely anecdote about this stadium.
“ This stadium is unique as it has a built in water moat separating the pitch from the stands. The moat is to discourage pitch invasions. As this moat is fed from the local river there have been instances where bored fans have successfully fished in it during a game”
Just to put things into context, I just counted around 9 players that have been called up to the Italy u21 squad for their upcoming matches who all play in serie B
Full game as Reggiana win 2-0 at Virtus Entella in Serie B.
Kirwan credited with the assist, for first goal.
Nice season start as a promoted side, with win & a draw. For the moment top of Serie B table!
From the main news site
"Kirwan 7/10: in the first half he's a real fury, pushing up time and time again, crossing and shooting. It's not a coincidence that he creates the perfect assist for Mazzocchi to head one home. In the second half he disappears from the game, but he'd already done enough".
Highlight here:
https://www.entella.it/highlights/gli-highlights-di-virtus-entella-reggiana/
Closer game than the scoreboard suggests. Entella hitting the woodwork a couple of times and forcing the opposition keeper to make a few saves. Niko in his usual #26 and wearing a white headband features prominently in the first 2 minutes.
Worth noting that Reggiana's black striker, Kargbo, who was on loan with the last season before being bought outright (just in time to play this game) actually has a game in serie A just last week
From the main news site
"Kirwan 7/10: in the first half he's a real fury, pushing up time and time again, crossing and shooting. It's not a coincidence that he creates the perfect assist for Mazzocchi to head one home. In the second half he disappears from the game, but he'd already done enough".
Highlight here:
https://www.entella.it/highlights/gli-highlights-...
Closer game than the scoreboard suggests. Entella hitting the woodwork a couple of times and forcing the opposition keeper to make a few saves. Niko in his usual #26 and wearing a white headband features prominently in the first 2 minutes.
Worth noting that Reggiana's black striker, Kargbo, who was on loan with the last season before being bought outright (just in time to play this game) actually has a game in serie A just last week
Involved a lot early on, in those highlights. Definitely seemed to be playing on the left, though predominantly right footed??
https://www.entella.it/highlights/gli-highlights-d...
Reggiana for sure a touch fortunate it looked like. Even their 2nd goal the pen, went in off the post. Keeper made some good saves also.
Hopefully can keep his starting spot for when crowds return to Italian football. Watching the match highlights without spectators, it almost has the feel of park football, when it's really far from the case.
Plays 82 minutes in a 0-1 loss to Chievo Verona in Reggiana's first loss of the season.
Scores a decent 6.5 in the match report. Praised for his adaptability and never give up attitude (started on the left, moved to the right and finished the game as centre back) but criticised for the accuracy of his crosses.
3 teammates and 3 members of the staff have tested positive for covid 19. In Italy the disease is taking hold again but they have protocols in place and are trying to avoid postponing games at all costs so today's game vs Ascoli is going ahead.
Full game and a yellow in a 2-1 loss to Ascoli.
Reggiana clawed one back in the 90th and even equalised 5 minutes later but the ref assistant gave offside. Hopefully we get to see a replay.
Reggiana with more possession (56%) but heavily outshot (13-6) and went 2-0 down as early as the 25th minute.
And the match reports are in...
Niko with a pretty good 6/10.
"One of the few Reggiana players to manage [a decent game] and attempt some attacking plays. Makes his opposite number work hard and, in the final stages, is heavily involved in the play that resulted in the equaliser, which was then ruled off for off-side"
Sunday's game between Reggiana and Cittadella has been postponed due to the latter club having 8 players sick with Covid
Reggiana caught in the latest Covid wave that's currently affecting Italy (20k new infections daily).
It transpired today that a staggering 27 Reggiana team members (21 players and 6 between coaching staff and management) now have Covid!
Reggiana now must find at least 13 players (including a goalkeeper) to take part in their next game on a October 31st or else they will need to forfeit the game.
Good little writeup in this week's Flying Kiwis.
"This here is Reggiana getting beaten 2-1 by Ascoli, conceding an early penalty and then a banger from outside the box inside the opening 25 minutes and they rode their luck a bit to keep it at that. Yet they almost stole a point after they dragged one back in the 89th minute and for a brief moment it looked like they’d equalised at the death with Niko Kirwan very much involved. He’d started at left wing-back then switched over to the right in the second half and with a bit of space running onto a loose ball in the penalty area right near the end he struck it towards goal only for it to be deflected... into the path of a teammate who scored. Except it was offside so it didn’t count.
Still, Niko Kirwan has started all four games in Serie B since this team was promoted and has only been subbed off once. Dude’s got one assist and a couple yellow cards (including one in that Ascoli game) and seems to be settling in nicely to the higher level. Reggiana have four points from those four games... however their game on the weekend had to be postponed with 11 cases of coronavirus in the playing group and 5 more amongst staff and it’s since gotten worse. As of today 21 players have apparently tested positive along with 6 staff including the manager. Not ideal, that."
An interesting situation is unfolding. As of this morning, Reggiana elected not to travel to Salerno for their match vs Salernitana as the latest Covid swabs identified 18 players and 5 staff staff members as still being infected with the disease.
Earlier in the week, Reggiana had contacted the federation to ask for the game to be postponed and as of today they had not received a reply, meaning they are likely to have to forfeit the game.
This latest wave of infections in Italy is hitting football as hard as many other aspects of Italian society. The current rules which allow a team to ask tor just a single game to be postponed each season due to covid (Reggiana has already utilised this option) might need to be reviewed as teams are struggling to field competitive squads at the moment
While Raggiana are still waiting to hear whether or not they will lose the game 3-0 by default, the FA has confirmed VAR will be in operation in serie B from the start of the second round of games (eg once each team has played every other team once)
Subbed on in the 71st minute vs Venezia. Current score 2-1 to Reggiana with 15 to go
It finishes 2-1. Great win for Reggiana after their covid related woes.
Bad day at the office for Niko and his teammates, 7-1 loss to Lecce. Niko came on after 66 minutes and the score was 5-1.
Praised by the media in a 1-1 draw with Cremonese. Gets a respectable 6.5 ranking in the match report. Played as a left wing back and had a veri good game especially defensively speaking. Reggiana unlucky as Cremonese equalised in the 90th minute
https://www.legab.it/video/9a-giornata-serie-bkt-reggiana-cremonese/
Highlights from the last game. Niko wearing #26 and his now customary headband.
Slightly at fault (or unlucky not to get the foul depending on how you see it) for Cremonese's late equaliser
Full game in an emphatic 3-0 victory over Monza. Monza for the record were bought by former AC Milan owner and Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and count among their ranks Adriano Galliani, the manager behind all of AC Milan's successes over the last 20 odd years.
The have a team built for promotion (including Kevin Prince Boateng and apparently have just brought in Balotelli, though this transfer has not been finalised).
So all in all a really good result
Highlights from yesterday's game here.
Just scroll down until you find Reggiana - Monza.
Reggiana in maroon, Niko wearing #26 but not featuring much other than at the start where you can see him support his teammate who has a shot just wide.
Another full game in a precious 1-0 win vs Cosenza.
Reggiana now up to 10th with 14 points from 10 games.
man I'm loving this. Has to be first-choice right back for New Zealand considering pedigree alone
man I'm loving this. Has to be first-choice right back for New Zealand considering pedigree alone
Seems to be switching between LB & RB??
Soccerway had him on the left for this game.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2020/12/12/italy/...
But yeah is a great little story from an average Handy Prem career to regular starter in Serie B. Hopefully Reggiana can stay up.
Yes he's been playing both at RB and LB and occasionally even on as a WB
Surprisingly not involved in the clash vs 5th placed Frosinone (who played in Serie A two seasons ago and are currently coached by Alessandro Nesta). It finishes 2-1 to Frosinone, who shoot up to second, Reggiana stay 10th
Back in the team. Starts and plays 67 minutes in a 3-1 loss to Brescia.
Score was 2-1 when he was subbed off.
Reggiana drop to 14/20
Comes on for the last 10 minutes in a handy 0-0 draw away at recent Serie A side Empoli who had been playing with 10 men since the 56th minute.
Started against his old club and almost current club's namesake Reggina.
Had a bad game by all accounts and was subbed after 62'.
The official Reggiana website said it was his 'debut after months spent recovering from injury'. Not sure where they get their sources as he started another game about 2 weeks ago.
But perhaps that gives us an indication as to why he hasn't played as much or as well as he can of late.
Still, Reggina (not his current club Reggiana) are feared up for promotion this year (they even have Jeremy Menez on their roster) so a 1-0 loss isn't too bad.
Rides the pine in a 3-0 loss to Pordenone. Fourth loss in the last 5 games for Reggiana, rough patch.
Watches from the bench as Reggiana concede in the 86th minute to 10 men Pescara (who had a player red carded in the 42nd minute) to lose 1-0.
The goal scorer got himself sent off too so Pescara finished with 9.
3rd straight loss for Reggiana who are now 4th from the bottom.
Back in the team. Starts and gets 73 min in a 2-0 loss to Cittadella. Same score when he came off.
Reggiana down to 3rd last
Rides the pine in a 2-0 loss vs high flying and recently relegated Spal who have just knocked out Serie A side Sassuolo out of the FA Cup.
5th straight loss and 7th game without scoring a goal for Reggiana
Not required again off the bench. First win after 5 straight losses for Reggiana who beat Vicenza 2-1
Not required in a 1-0 loss to Pisa.
Interestingly he has not been used much recently but has not been linked with a move away from Reggio Emilia.
Not required in a 1-0 loss to Pisa.
Interestingly he has not been used much recently but has not been linked with a move away from Reggio Emilia.
You might have misread my message... He's bit being linked to a move away ?
I think you need to correct that to -
"He's bit not being linked to a move away"
Shame after the early season promise for both Kirwan and Reggiana, that it's not happening at the moment. Still worth a AWs callup for a looksee, whenever they manage to next get together.
Reggiana are currently in the relegation playoff spot (17th), and Kirwan's old namesake club Reggina one spot ahead in 16th.
Season at half way point. With Kirwan starting 10 games, and 9 times on the bench from total 20 league games so far. But he hasn't made a start since December.