PACIFIC TEAMS SIGN DOZENS OF FOREIGN PLAYERS
This is going to be a very interesting tournament and probably a lot tougher than many Kiwi fans expect - looking around online at who the Pacific teams have been recruiting, I'm quite amazed at the number of decent foreign players from Europe and Africa etc. that they have been recruiting the last few months. Transfer window closes end of March.
The Pacific teams are taking this tournament very seriously and see it as an opportunity to upset the NZ sides and make the Club World Cup - so some of them like Amicale (Vanuatu), Western United (Solomons) and Suva FA have brought in some very decent foreign players including an African international and experienced European pros.
Western United, Solomon Islands:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_United_F.C.
"Can count numerous players with a strong background in this competition like Benjamin Totori, James Naka, Gagame Feni and Joses Nawo. The club has also been busy recruiting overseas players from Italy, England, France, Scotland and Belgium."
http://www.islandsun.com.sb/index.php/sports-right...
"Italian Coach, Ricardo De Vivo arrived two weeks ago in Honiara. Ricardo replaces Winston Bogarde, the former Dutch international and Barcelona player who is now unavailable."
Have signed Djibril Sidibe, a 48 cap Mali international midfielder from Red Star, Paris (third tier but a prestigious club: the likes of Alex Song, Moussa Sissoko and Abou Diaby came through the club's youth system, five players at the 2014 World Cup had played in the club's youth teams and they had some future big managers like Roger Lemerre, France Euro 2000 winning coach, Philippe Troussier ex-Japan, South Africa, Nigeria coach). Ex-Monaco, Bastia, Maccabi Tel Aviv player. This guy has some decent pedigree. 42 first team apps for Monaco and Bastia in Ligue 1. Played full 90 in the French Cup Final 2004 (Châteauroux vs. PSG).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djibril_Sidib%C3%A9_(...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Western-United-FC/1...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Coupe_de_France_...
Djibril Sidibe
Date of birth: 23 March 1982 (age 33)
Place of birth: Bamako, Mali
Height;1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Current team: Red Star F.C., Paris
Number: 8
Youth career: Centre Salif Keita, Mali
Senior career:
1999: Centre Salif Keita
2000–2001: AS Monaco
2001–2002: AS Monaco FC (12 apps Ligue 1)
2002–2004; AC Monaco
→ LB Châteauroux (Ligue 2) (loan) 60 (3)
2004–2005
→ SC Bastia (Ligue 1) (loan) 32 (2)
2005–2008: LB Châteauroux (Ligue 2) 76 (6)
2008–2010: CS Sedan (Ligue 2) 56 (1)
2010–2011: Maccabi Tel Aviv 18 (2)
2012–2013: Hapoel Ramat Gan 22 (1)
2013-2014: Hapoel Ashkelon 13 (3)
2014-15 : Red Star F.C. (France)
JOHN AGBO, BELGIAN STRIKER:
http://www.islandsun.com.sb/index.php/sports-right...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Agbo
http://nl.soccerway.com/players/john-agbo/202617/
6'3" tall; aged 24
Of African ancestry.
Royal Antwerp and Westerlo youth product
Has mainly played his first team football in the Belgian second tier before this season.
23 apps this season for Bornem in the third tier - last scored just a couple of weeks ago.
EUAN MURRAY, SCOTTISH MIDFIELDER / DEFENDER:
http://www.motherwelltimes.co.uk/sport/local-sport...
http://www.transfermarkt.com/euan-murray/leistungs...
Aged 21, 1.85 m. tall
Former Motherwell, Clyde and Arbroath player.
First team apps for Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League
FABRIZIO PRATICCO (or PRITICO)
Italian goalkeeper signed from Syrianska in the Swedish second tier
http://bvrx.transfermarkt.lt/fabrizio-prattico/pro...
http://int.soccerway.com/players/fabrizio-prattico...
Formerly at Sorrento in Italian third tier ("Liga Pro")
24 years; 1.86 m.
RASHID KAMARA, SIERRA LEONE MIDFIELDER / STRIKER
27 years
Sierra Leone born but has played for several years in Britain.
Signed from Aveley in Ryman Div.1 North
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AMICALE FC, Vanuatu:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amicale-FC-Official...
More foreign players than locals in the squad:
Their coach is the Italian Marco Bianchini. Hence:
"To increase their chances of success this time around, Amicale have recruited a strong contingent of European players including five Italians."
(A couple of those are Italian Australians though)
And thus their Italian language Wiki entry is more up-to-date than their English one:
http://translate.google.co.nz/translate?hl=en&sl=i...
Squad:
http://www.transfermarkt.com/amicale-fc/startseite...
Italians from the lower Italian leagues, including 1.92 m. goalie Mauro Boerchio.
Panagiotis Nikas is a former Central Coast Mariners and North Queensland Fury A-League player.
Also two Argentinians: Miguel Angel Magnoni is a 33 year-old Argentinian striker who has spent most of his career in the lower Italian leagues. He's been scoring hat-tricks for fun this month in the Vanuatu league.
Also a former high-profile Swiss midfielder Rijat Shala (26 Swiss u-21 caps) ex Grasshoppers and Lugano plus Italian Serie B experience:
http://translate.google.co.nz/translate?hl=en&sl=i...
FEB. 18: THREE SERBIAN PLAYERS
arrived last night to play for Amicale FC. Goalkeeper Marko Milivojevic, Striker Sebnodevic and defender Bolovie." Milivojevic is a Red Star Belgrade product who has been playing in the Albanian Super League.Plus two Fijians and a Solomon Islander.
Amicale and their Italian contingent are the subject of a major story on the Eurosport Italy website this month:
https://it.eurosport.yahoo.com/blog/eurolandia/cal...
"...Italians who are now deciding the fate of Amicale FC, the champion team in the last five years of Vanuatu: an expedition organized collectively by manager Mr. Marco Bianchini who moved from Vigevano to Teuta Durres in Albania (opponent of Parma in the Cup Winners Cup in 1995) and then to these remote islands, bringing countrymen Giacomo Boerchio, Nasal Marco, Francesco Perrone and Argentinian Miguel Magnoni, and Rijat Shala, the Swiss midfielder Kosovo ex-Salernitana, Foggia and Novara..."
Amicale will be well-prepared despite the recent hurricane disaster - they are in mid-season and have just beaten Marconi Stallions from Sydney in both legs of a friendly final.
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SUVA FA Fiji:
http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/News/ViewArticl...
http://www.fijifootball.com.fj/tabid/1290/Article/...
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=299562
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=299465
"To strengthen their squad ahead to the tournament Suva have recruited Italian goalkeeper Giacomo Ratto and Spanish midfielder Adrian Medina."
Adrian Medina - from la Liga side Panama
Giacomo Ratto - 28 year-old goalie with experience in Italy, Switzerland, Panama, Malta, Nicaragua:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giacomo_Ratto
http://www.transfermarkt.com/giacomo-ratto/profil/...
https://it.eurosport.yahoo.com/blog/eurolandia/cal...
George Jermy - 26 year-old Spanish midfielder ex - Norwich City youth, Bournemouth, Villareal etc. also had a stint in NZ with Wairarapa Utd.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wairarapa-times-age/spor...
"Jermy had his early football education in England and was a member of the highly regarded Norwich City youth academy for six years. There, he was a standout performer and was selected to play in the Milk Cup, the international youth tournament held annually in Northern Ireland.
At 16, Jermy left Norwich after an approach from Tottenham Hotspur and from there he accepted a professional contract at AFC Bournemouth, who were then in English League One.
After two years at Bournemouth, the opportunity to return home to Spain arose and Jermy signed for CD Javea, a team managed by former English Premier League player Kenny Brown, who had moved into management after a distinguished playing career which included stints at Norwich City and West Ham United.
In his first season in Spain Jermy, then 18, started in the first 22 league games and picked up two player of the month awards.
The January transfer window saw Jermy's dreams of playing at the very highest level come closer to reality when Villarreal CF, who were qualified for the UEFA Champions League, signed him.
There, he rubbed shoulders with world class players like Robert Pires, Santi Cazorla, Riquelme and Diego Forlan.
However with such a glittering array of international stars, making the transition from reserves into the first team was always going to be difficult and eventually Jermy moved back to CD Javea.
Unfortunately for Jermy the uncertainty of the Spanish economy led to financial hardship for CD Javea and after three successful seasons there, he took the chance to play in Australia, where he starred for Southern Stars FC in the Victorian Premier League...."
Abdul Aman:
Ethiopian striker aged 23 on fringes of national team.
Has lived in USA since age 13 and been at George Washington University soccer team and Seattle Sounders u-23 in MLS
http://www.soundersu23.com/home/724636.html
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BA, Fiji: "has so far signed New Zealanders Keegan Linderboom and James Hoyt."
Linderboom is a South African striker resident in NZ, ex-Waitakere United and signed from Birkenhead.
Hoyt, aged 24 is a former Auckland City youth player of Fijian ancestry..
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ba-Soccer-Team/5589...
https://www.facebook.com/basoccer
"Former Auckland City youth rep James Hoyt and former Waitakere United marksman Keegan Linderboom have signed with Ba for the upcoming OFC Champions League. The pair officially signed their contracts with the Men In Black last night and will join the team in training on March 15. Linderboom was the top goal scorer at the 2014 Pacific Cup in Sydney and the South African will add more depth and experience to Ba's attack while 24-year-old Hoyt who is the son of former Ba, Lautoka and national rep Ratu Mudu Hoyt and nephew of former Suva, Lautoka and national rep James Hoyt Snr is also a clinical finisher and was one of the outstanding players for the New Zealand Fiji Football Inc All Stars."
"BA has been boosted with the return of experienced Malakai Tiwa and Alvin Singh from Australia ahead of the Oceania Champions League (OCL) next month.
The duo have been cleared by their respective clubs and could feature for the Men in Black against Rewa in the Galaxy Premier League at Govind Park tomorrow.
In Australia Tiwa played for Yoogali Football Club while Alvin Singh played for Mounties Wanderers."
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AS PIRAE, Tahiti:
Pirae have an experienced squad with players having played at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup and FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013, including former professional Marama Vahirua who played in Ligue 1 in France for Nantes, Nice, Lorient etc. for 16 years (now aged 34). A French league winner in 2001-02 and twice French Cup winner. Former France u-21 international.