Retro Ricki Youth Scholarship 2010

Yeah, doesn't surprise me that Wellington youngsters are getting a lot of the votes tbh.

I voted for the kid from Ngaruawahia. I figure if you can play football coming from that part of the country, then you deserve every shot you can get to get out of that part of the country!

But seriously, personally, I think the time would be worth more to people from out of town, than someone who can watch the Phoenix training during the season.

Not for a minute saying the last 2 winners weren't worthy!!!

Who was the winner before Marco Rojas?

Daniel Findlay.

Someone tell me about Jonathan Drew. 

Jonathan Drew is 16 (year 12) and is currently the captain of the Nelson College 1st XI. He has played age group representative football for Nelson since 11th grade. An excellent holding midfielder, Jonathan was asked to play for the Mainland Nelson Suburbs team this season, but instead decided to stick with his college team as captain (Nelson College Metro club team). Jonathan is also a strong academic which was a factor in his decision not to play Mainland this season, to ensure he would get sound grades for potential university sporting scholarship applications (the Nelson boys have to travel most weekends to CHCH to play). He was selected for the Mainland federation team to go to National Tournament in 2006/7. Jono is also employed by Nelson Bays Football as a coaching assistant where he helps train young football guns twice a week. He has a fantastic footballing brain and will go very far in the game. As much as I hate to say it, he is almost as tall as me (6ft 3) and has very good pace and agility. To top things off he is an avid Phoenix fan like myself. We try to travel up to as many games as possible.

If you come to the suburbs div 1 game against college on Saturday you'll be able to see him play in number 10

Turning down a chance to play in the Mainland league must have been hard, especially with all the injuries suburbs have had, seeing plenty of younger guys from Nayland and Garin getting game time. I just don't understand his "academic" reasoning behind the move, they're down in Christchurch one night every fortnight and the season is over well before exams. Players in the side work full time so thats 9-5, so when he finished the school day he'd still have plenty of time to study before practice,which occurs only twice a week. It's a shame he doesn't play for the top team.

Whats he like compared to Matt Shaw? Just the only College player I know playing for Suburbs.
Luis Garcia2010-04-13 22:49:01

Izaac O'Hara in the yellow.JanelleRT2010-04-13 20:39:41

Point out to Max that they are both wearing Puma.

...and is that Screech from Saved by the bell in the background.

Update please.

[/QUOTE] [/QUOTE]

Sound's like a pretty decent player, good to see we have some good young left backs in the country, but in terms of getting an actual contract it'd be hard seeing Tristan pick up one over Ian Hogg from Auckland City.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Quote fail.

Yeah it happened when I tried to only take one paragraph and not just use up the whole page. Oh well.

He trains twice a week with college, he coaches twice a week after school during term. Year 12 is the key academic year which allows you to get sporting scholarships to universities both in NZ and overseas. With all the football he is involoved with, he is already pushed for time. He'll play suburbs next year. It's also difficult when your college first XI is not all playing in one club side during the year like Nayland does. And being captain of the college XI, what good would it be going to National Tournament if the players have hardly seen him has captain throughout the club season as he'd be playing for suburbs. At this stage his main football focus is with leading his college team to succeed highly at Secondary School Nats in September.

otagofan2010-04-14 09:03:53

Why should I vote for him over Alex Risdale then who's a holding midfeilder for Nayland, playing at a higher level (Mainland league) and also plays for NZ secondary schools. Alex is also the top 3000m runner for his age in nelson. There's 20 guys who make that Nelson rep side and that's the highest level Jonathan has played? What makes him better than the guys playing u19 football or NZFC? Again what is with this academic thing, surely to get a sporting scholarship he would have to have played at a high level of football first, all he's done his captain an average college team and play first division, they look at the academic side after theyve seen how good he is in the sport to make sure he's actually going to pass or do well at their uni

Smith - are those Waitak boys in there? I cant see the list now I have voted

more votes for these please

Why?

When does voting close? Don' want to vote yet till I've read about as many of the players as possible but don't want to miss casting the vote either.

I'll give you plenty of notice.

ALEX CARR.

I havn't read all the pages of this thread. But i think it would be better if you didn't list any voting figures at all, until the end. Then people would research more about each player, rather than just voting for someone who is near the top of the table.

footballnerd2010-04-20 16:34:44

Alex Carr is a quality keeper I'd have to agree. I've seen him play more than once and he's got enough talent to take him all the way. This scholarship would be a perfect stepping stone for him. He really knows how to dominate the goal box and can pull of some AMAZING saves. Definitely has my vote.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/sport/2917009/Pairs-cup-contest-just-the-beginning

Did he play in Nigeria? Fair selection though, next best keeper behind Coey Turipa who has trained with the Phoenix a lot already.
Luis Garcia2010-04-15 20:30:53

Why aren't more of the nominees coming on here and promoting themselves more?? surely they know about this site?

Doubt they do. Quite a few people throw names in the hat and then do nothing after that.

Are the NZ secondary schools still away? ..i'd assume a lot of the guys are part of the 22

?

footballnerd2010-04-20 16:34:13

?

footballnerd2010-04-20 16:33:23

Photo of Adam Smith playing for Canterbury U19's on the photosport website here. This was in the  final where he set up two goals in the 6-0 thrashing of Waitakere

http://www.photosport.co.nz/viewphoto.php?source=search&page=&searchField=CAPTION&searchstring=adam%20smith&orient=&sort=&sortorder=&linkperpage=20&albumId=&albumId=&imageId=778373&page=1&imagepos=2