Young Kiwis in UK

Saw this on Transfermarkt. Born in NZ, plays at Fulham. 

https://www.transfermarkt.com/matt-dibley-dias/profil/spieler/817611

Rusty Dunks

Saw this on Transfermarkt. Born in NZ, plays at Fulham. 

https://www.transfermarkt.com/matt-dibley-dias/profil/spieler/817611

Article about him on Fulham's webby confirms he was born in NZ 
https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/april/Dibley-Dias-Follow-In-His-Grandfather-s-Footsteps/

Get him into the u20 set up. He can turn us down later for any of the above nations should he make the grade.

Might sound bad, but I don't mind him using NZ as a stepping stone to get more exposure if it helps us as a team to get more exposure and to achieve better results. Can only be positive for football and the players on the park with him who would look better... assuming he is better that what we have currently.

Found this by accident. Lawton Green, 17yo GK, at Motherwell. Just turned pro.

https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2021/06/30/2021-22-squad-numbers/

Any ideas?

Rusty Dunks

Found this by accident. Lawton Green, 17yo GK, at Motherwell. Just turned pro.

https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2021/06/30/2021-22-squad-numbers/

Any ideas?

A couple mentions on Google about him from Brisbane football circles, so guess he is one of the many NZ eligible players that have been developed over there.

Odds on the other Green at Motherwell in this list being related? https://www.brisbanecityfc.com.au/goalkeeper-academy-about-the-bcfcga/

RR

Rusty Dunks

Found this by accident. Lawton Green, 17yo GK, at Motherwell. Just turned pro.

https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2021/06/30/2021-22-squad-numbers/

Any ideas?

A couple mentions on Google about him from Brisbane football circles, so guess he is one of the many NZ eligible players that have been developed over there.

Odds on the other Green at Motherwell in this list being related? https://www.brisbanecityfc.com.au/goalkeeper-academy-about-the-bcfcga/

 I'd wager 100%. Good spot!

RR

Rusty Dunks

Found this by accident. Lawton Green, 17yo GK, at Motherwell. Just turned pro.

https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2021/06/30/2021-22-squad-numbers/

Any ideas?

A couple mentions on Google about him from Brisbane football circles, so guess he is one of the many NZ eligible players that have been developed over there.

Odds on the other Green at Motherwell in this list being related? https://www.brisbanecityfc.com.au/goalkeeper-academy-about-the-bcfcga/

Probably.. but some digging might have to be done to ascertain if he was also born in NZ or has a NZ parent.

B. Green is on Facebook....profile picture of him wearing a silver fern cap.....and, according to new FIFA rules, that makes him a Kiwi.

MetalLegNZ

Get him into the u20 set up. He can turn us down later for any of the above nations should he make the grade.

Might sound bad, but I don't mind him using NZ as a stepping stone to get more exposure if it helps us as a team to get more exposure and to achieve better results. Can only be positive for football and the players on the park with him who would look better... assuming he is better that what we have currently.

I think he might struggle to make the other teams.  If I was Hay I'd call him up for the Oceania qualifiers, chuck him on as a 90th minute sub and lock him into NZ forever.

Seems Kiwis Max Drake and Jayden Chiplin have joined Aldershot Town in the National League. Drake (18, RB) was last with West Coast Rangers and trialed at Burnley earlier this year, Chiplin (19, CB) was with Bucklands Beach.

Kiwi Lochie McNicholl was with their youth team last year, previously of FC Twenty11

Wibblebutt

RR

Rusty Dunks

Found this by accident. Lawton Green, 17yo GK, at Motherwell. Just turned pro.

https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2021/06/30/2021-22-squad-numbers/

Any ideas?

A couple mentions on Google about him from Brisbane football circles, so guess he is one of the many NZ eligible players that have been developed over there.

Odds on the other Green at Motherwell in this list being related? https://www.brisbanecityfc.com.au/goalkeeper-academy-about-the-bcfcga/

Probably.. but some digging might have to be done to ascertain if he was also born in NZ or has a NZ parent.

Digging success! Lawton Green born in Tauranga. 

https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/player/lawton-green/

I wonder if this Kiwi kid is still playing football?
 Marley Johannes Leuluai.
Was at the Manchester City Academy three years ago:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/football-marley-leuluai-thrives-at-manchester-city/TOASYSOGGSUSR2RK6HPR7DJJG4/
"Meet Marley Johannes Leuluai. Son of Kylie, the former Manly and Leeds prop, who won six Super League grand finals and two Challenge Cups with the Rhinos. Kylie's cousins include Thomas Leuluai, now at Wigan, and Macgraff Leuluai (Widnes Vikings), while his uncle is legendary Hull and Kiwis centre James Leuluai."
"Scan down the list of the under-13 team at the Manchester City Academy and you'll come across some familiar footballing surnames.
There's the twin boys of former Manchester United star Darren Fletcher, as well as the son of two-time European Cup winner Viv Anderson. There's Heskey - yes, the progeny of ex-Liverpool and England striker Emile Heskey is also there, while the sons of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie also featured for the team on occasions the past two seasons.
It's the place to be for young aspiring footballers and in among them all, at the home of the English Premier League champions and within one of Europe's biggest academies, is a Kiwi kid from a famed New Zealand league family." 

Big Pete 65

I wonder if this Kiwi kid is still playing football?
 Marley Johannes Leuluai.
Was at the Manchester City Academy three years ago:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/football-marley-leuluai-thrives-at-manchester-city/TOASYSOGGSUSR2RK6HPR7DJJG4/
"Meet Marley Johannes Leuluai. Son of Kylie, the former Manly and Leeds prop, who won six Super League grand finals and two Challenge Cups with the Rhinos. Kylie's cousins include Thomas Leuluai, now at Wigan, and Macgraff Leuluai (Widnes Vikings), while his uncle is legendary Hull and Kiwis centre James Leuluai."
"Scan down the list of the under-13 team at the Manchester City Academy and you'll come across some familiar footballing surnames.
There's the twin boys of former Manchester United star Darren Fletcher, as well as the son of two-time European Cup winner Viv Anderson. There's Heskey - yes, the progeny of ex-Liverpool and England striker Emile Heskey is also there, while the sons of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie also featured for the team on occasions the past two seasons.
It's the place to be for young aspiring footballers and in among them all, at the home of the English Premier League champions and within one of Europe's biggest academies, is a Kiwi kid from a famed New Zealand league family." 

Doesn't look good, no hits if you search articles with that name in it in the last 12 months... 


theprof

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/126516480/kiwi-midfielder-matt-dibleydias-signs-pro-football-contract-for-english-club-fulham

Anyone know how long he lived in NZ?

Lower Hutt-born Dibley-Dias is eligible to represent four countries – New Zealand, Brazil, Portugal and England. 

coochiee

theprof

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/126516480/kiwi-midfielder-matt-dibleydias-signs-pro-football-contract-for-english-club-fulham

Anyone know how long he lived in NZ?

Lower Hutt-born Dibley-Dias is eligible to represent four countries – New Zealand, Brazil, Portugal and England. 

Not long, he is listed as being with West Ham in 2008. Still, he was born here....

Rusty Dunks

coochiee

theprof

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/126516480/kiwi-midfielder-matt-dibleydias-signs-pro-football-contract-for-english-club-fulham

Anyone know how long he lived in NZ?

Lower Hutt-born Dibley-Dias is eligible to represent four countries – New Zealand, Brazil, Portugal and England. 

Not long, he is listed as being with West Ham in 2008. Still, he was born here....

Oh well NZF can always wave a U19/20 World Cup trial carrot under his nose in a few years time.

He will always be a longshot to crack international football with those other 3 countries, up against hundreds of other young talents. But fully understandable he dreams of the Seleção at the moment, when having a famous Brazilian footballing grand pappy like he does.

Is this a new article though? I'm sure I've read about that kid some time ago in pretty much the same words as what was posted over the last day or two 

Stuff sports reporters 14:23, Sep 28 2021

theprof

Stuff sports reporters 14:23, Sep 28 2021

What's new this week is that he's signed his first pro contract. Much of the background info has been around for a while.

coochiee

Rusty Dunks

coochiee

theprof

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/126516480/kiwi-midfielder-matt-dibleydias-signs-pro-football-contract-for-english-club-fulham

Anyone know how long he lived in NZ?

Lower Hutt-born Dibley-Dias is eligible to represent four countries – New Zealand, Brazil, Portugal and England. 

Not long, he is listed as being with West Ham in 2008. Still, he was born here....

Oh well NZF can always wave a U19/20 World Cup trial carrot under his nose in a few years time.

He will always be a longshot to crack international football with those other 3 countries, up against hundreds of other young talents. But fully understandable he dreams of the Seleção at the moment, when having a famous Brazilian footballing grand pappy like he does.

Let's hope for our sakes he's good but not too good!    ;-)

Matt Dibley-Dias scored a goal for Fulham U23s this morning v Burnley

Dibley-Dias with a cracker of a free kick as Fulham U18s bow out of the FA Youth Cup 3-2 to Everton.

According to this article, Akiel Raffie, who is contracted to Fleetwood Town, is Sonny-Bill Williams' cousin. I wonder if he has any NZ connections? Father is South African and he grew up in Aus so might be unlikely.

Joe Jeremiah made his senior debut a couple weeks ago for Gloucester City FC in the National League North. Born August 2003 so eligible for the next U20 World Cup cycle which has qualifiers later this year, and the Gloucester website says he’s both a midfielder and a defender.

Transfermarkt doesn’t mention any NZ citizenship (it also says he’s without a club since 2020 whilst also having his stats for this season fwiw), but his Facebook says he’s from New Plymouth, and he was in the wider communication group for the U20 cycle for last year that got canned. Of course, being overseas, he hasn’t been able to join any NZ age group camps they’ve held in the last couple years, though that might change in the April or so camp.

Almost certainly more guys like this where there’s nothing to really know they’re NZ eligible except for themselves putting the hand up.

Wibblebutt

According to this article, Akiel Raffie, who is contracted to Fleetwood Town, is Sonny-Bill Williams' cousin. I wonder if he has any NZ connections? Father is South African and he grew up in Aus so might be unlikely.

Yeah no NZ eligibility unfortunately. Most likely connected to Sonny Bill through marriage. His wife being Alana Raffie, who he met in Sydney. The Raffies are probably 'Cape Coloureds' (Western Cape Sth Africa), which means they could well be raised as Muslims like Alana Raffie.
https://www.facebook.com/SAFutbolPlayersAbroad/posts/2297053990604040/

Born in Australia to a South African father and an Australian mother, Akiel and Keyaan Raffie are the latest rising stars to be discovered in Europe.

Both players are yet to play for Australia at any level, but Akiel was part of Australia’s U17 FIFA World Cup camp last year, unfortunately he had to be left out due to injury. Both players have expressed interest in representing the country of their father.

Zac Jones made his first matchday squads at Haverfordwest in the Welsh Premier League. He’s been on the bench for the last two games, behind a 34 year old keeper for a 6-0 win and a 6-1 win. 

The Welsh league has an identical format to the Danish leagues, 22 games before a top 6/bottom 6 split, and after 22 games they sat 10th on 22 points. They’ve won their first three relegation group games to move 8 points clear of the drop. However, one of the teams in the group has been deducted 18 points, down from 34 to 16 after 22 games, which brought them down from 5th (2 points off 2nd) to 11th, so that will make it more difficult in that group. 

I think Jones’ contract for next season is contingent on avoiding relegation this season, so hopefully they’ll stay up and he can find a footing in the team. He is still only 21, in fact he’s two days younger than Jamie Searle. 

Looks like the season is over in Wales. Haverfordwest County finished 10th (3rd last) and so avoided the drop.

Jones 9 times on the bench in league games, but never a start??
https://us.soccerway.com/players/zac-maxwell-jones/474219/

And yes looks like the club's main keeper is age 34. Retiring??
Or would Jones be an option to return to the Nix, as Paulsen's backup if Sail as expected leaves?

But I guess once you get to Europe (even at a low level like Wales) as a 21 yr old keeper you just be patient, stick it out and see what happens.

Wibblebutt

Dibley-Dias with a cracker of a free kick as Fulham U18s bow out of the FA Youth Cup 3-2 to Everton.

Fulham U18s have one game left to finish their season. Looks like Dibley-Dias (turned 18 in February) has played for both the U18s & U23s this season.

1 goal for U23s & 3 goals for U18s.

Wonder if he will make himself available for NZU19s/20s. Hope so. Exciting prospect. Surely an age group WC must be an allure to showcase himself further.

See in above posts also eligible for Brazil, Portugal & England. Next years U20 WC to be in Indonesia (June-July). Might be a good mid winter trip for a few Kiwi football fans.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_FIFA_U-20_World_Cup

https://us.soccerway.com/players/matthew-dibley-dias/670815/

From Flying Kiwis.

Looking forward to the upcoming season! 🤝 https://t.co/3CL9jjqKxJ

— Zac Jones (@zac_jones11) May 18, 2022

A one-year extension to stay in Wales for Zac Jones, formerly of the Wellington Phoenix Academy and Miramar Rangers. He joined Haverfordwest County in January after the South Central Series which gave him half a season to do his thing. Didn’t make a senior appearance but did sit on the bench several times and played three times for the development team. Biding his time. With this extension he’s clearly tracking in the right direction.

🔵⚪ Welcome to Morton, Lawton Green

Greenock Morton can today announce the signing of goalkeeper Lawton Green on a deal until Summer 2023.

➡️ https://t.co/vEgqteXGFH pic.twitter.com/k3JOxCxIEa

— Greenock Morton (@Morton_FC) July 18, 2022

Football: The young Kiwi football star on Manchester City's path to the big time

Herald story on Marley Leuluai in the Manchester City academy

Summarize please. No doubt behind paywall.

What other nationalities is he?

Among them all is a Kiwi-Samoan kid, with a family name that league fans will immediately recognise.

Marley Leuluai is a tall, athletic centre back who has made remarkable progress. Leuluai, who turns 16 in November, could gain a scholarship deal by the end of this year, which would include a three-year professional contract at the richest club in the world.

There are no guarantees in football — especially in England — but Leuluai has a wonderful grounding, about to commence his ninth year in the Manchester City academy system, with the under-16 team. That's no mean feat, as each year players can be cut from the 

That's awesome, I remember reading about him a few years ago so the fact he is still going strong is promising.

Who is his Dad?

AucklandPhoenix

Who is his Dad?

Marley Leuluai, son of former Kiwi Kylie Leuluai 

This is the 2018 article about him https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/football-marley-leuluai-thrives-at-manchester-city/TOASYSOGGSUSR2RK6HPR7DJJG4/

RR

AucklandPhoenix

Who is his Dad?

Marley Leuluai, son of former Kiwi Kylie Leuluai 

This is the 2018 article about him https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/football-marley-leuluai-thrives-at-manchester-city/TOASYSOGGSUSR2RK6HPR7DJJG4/

Nephew of Kiwis legend James Leuluai. Interesting read. Certainly is a different world for kids in those elite academies, they don’t want for much. Challenge to keep them grounded no doubt

Hopefully he choses NZ if he proves good enough for international football. When is next U17s WC?