Does this mean there are more Kiwis in the EPL than Aussies now? Searle, Reid and Wood vs. Ryan and Mooy? Could count Aiden O'Neill who's out on loan from Burnley
Fulham just let Tyrese Francois go and Callum Elder's gone to Hull. I'm not aware of any other Aussies floating around
Does this mean there are more Kiwis in the EPL than Aussies now? Searle, Reid and Wood vs. Ryan and Mooy? Could count Aiden O'Neill who's out on loan from Burnley
Searle's has signed with Villa U23s.
There's probably a number of Aussies on youth contracts with various EPL teams.
From this week's Flying Kiwis. Unfortunately released by Villa.
"That right there is Aston Villa’s released list and unfortunately for Jamie Searle his name’s popped up on it. Searle had signed with Villa back in August 2019 and played the season with their U23s but yeah obviously not a lot of that going on at the mo’ and unfortunately there are going to be a lot of dudes in situations like his who get released around world football in the wake of the pandemic. Just the way it goes... here’s hoping Searle lands on his feet."
From this week's Flying Kiwis. Unfortunately released by Villa.
"That right there is Aston Villa’s released list and unfortunately for Jamie Searle his name’s popped up on it. Searle had signed with Villa back in August 2019 and played the season with their U23s but yeah obviously not a lot of that going on at the mo’ and unfortunately there are going to be a lot of dudes in situations like his who get released around world football in the wake of the pandemic. Just the way it goes... here’s hoping Searle lands on his feet."
Believe he has a bit of interest elsewhere in the UK.
Still is of course very young for a keeper. Picked up a new club fairly quickly after being cut by Villa, and already seems to getting good reviews as someone with lots of potential.
SwanseaCity.com: “However, [U23s boss Jon] Grey did praise the performance of Jamie Searle after the goalkeeper produced a number of impressive saves to keep his side in the game. The New Zealander has been a regular between the sticks for the young Swans this term after arriving from Aston Villa in the summer. Having registered a clean sheet in last week’s draw with Millwall, he turned in another creditable display against Cardiff; notably demonstrating tremendous reflexes to deny Rubin Colwill and Isaak Davies in quick succession. And Grey believes Searle is reaping the rewards of hard graft behind the scenes with goalkeeping coach Martin Davies at Landore.
‘He’s come out of the game today with credit. He hasn’t been in the professional game for very long, but Martin works tirelessly with him every day on the training ground. It’s starting to show in his last couple of performances. He kept a clean sheet last week and kept us in the game today with a couple of good saves.’”
Big praise there.
Up Next: Away to Coventry U23 on Tuesday at 2am (NZT)
Ali Al-Hamadi, Jacob Jones and Jamie Searle have all been offered fresh terms.
In addition, six academy players - Geoff Bony, Josh Carey, Joel Cotterill, Ben Lloyd, Jada Mawongo and Evan Watts - have been offered two-year scholarships with the club.
Swansea fell well short in the Championship play-off final last week. Winston Reid with the cameo as Brentford got it done. That’s a bummer for the Swans’ first team but the club goes much deeper than that so we’re not talking about those jokers here... nope, we’re with the U23 team where kiwi keeper Jamie Searle has been showing his chops off. Enough so that he’s been offered the chance to return next time, sweet as.
"Confirmation of a move that got a mention a couple weeks ago. Jamie Searle extending at Swansea after impressing in the U23s to keep him around for another season with an option of one after that. Searle popped up with the Swans after a year in the Aston Villa system, and at 20 years old he’s already miles ahead of the curve."
Jamie Searle: “I'm really happy to have signed a new deal here at Swansea City. I've learned a lot already from my time here, and I'm looking forward to developing more and more as the season progresses. My team-mates have really helped me settle into life in Swansea, while the facilities and expertise of the coaching staff at the club speak for themselves. It's great to sign the new deal, but I'm fully aware there's a lot of hard work ahead for myself as I look to continue developing here.”
Searle's (age 21) Swansea U23s are 8th of 9 teams, in their Professional Development League (South) comp. U23 teams of various EPL & Championship clubs.
From looking through Swansea’s U23 match reports, it looks like he’s played only 5 of their 24 fixtures this season. He’s been on the bench for 8 and out of the squad for 11.
Swansea’s U23 play in the Professional Development League, which is essentially the third tier of U23 football in England, but it’s determined by the rating/investment of the clubs’ academies rather than straight pro/rel with the second tier. Clubs with more investment into their academies are in the top two tiers, and are typically the richer clubs that can afford it, whereas Swansea’s league is a mixture of the less financially endowed Championship/League One academies, so the level probably isn’t too great.
Transfermarkt has his contract up this season, but with a club option to extend, but if he’s turning 22 and is playing less than a quarter of games for the U23s, there’s a chance that might not be taken up. If it is, you’d think he needs a loan to start playing senior football, though it could be a way down the ladder.
Swansea U23 finished their season on Friday (NZ time), finishing 7th out of 9 in Group B in the Professional Development League-2. Tommy Smith’s Colchester had their U23s in the same group, and they managed to finish in 5th, whilst their first team battled at the bottom of League 2.
It looks like Searle played 5 matches, was on the bench for 8, and missed 15, including all of the last 7 matches. His last appearance was on the 8th February for a 1-1 draw vs Charlton U23s.
Swansea U23 finished their season on Friday (NZ time), finishing 7th out of 9 in Group B in the Professional Development League-2. Tommy Smith’s Colchester had their U23s in the same group, and they managed to finish in 5th, whilst their first team battled at the bottom of League 2.
It looks like Searle played 5 matches, was on the bench for 8, and missed 15, including all of the last 7 matches. His last appearance was on the 8th February for a 1-1 draw vs Charlton U23s.
He may have been in & around the first team squad as 3rd keeper, who knows.
But just based on level playing at this season, he would have to be behind Woud & Tzanev as 3rd/4th choice keeper.
Even Max Crocombe (with a club pushing for promotion to League Two) has a claim to be ahead of Searle & Matt Gould (down in the English 7th tier) with the AW keeper rankings. Gould's dad may disagree though.
Swansea U23 finished their season on Friday (NZ time), finishing 7th out of 9 in Group B in the Professional Development League-2. Tommy Smith’s Colchester had their U23s in the same group, and they managed to finish in 5th, whilst their first team battled at the bottom of League 2.
It looks like Searle played 5 matches, was on the bench for 8, and missed 15, including all of the last 7 matches. His last appearance was on the 8th February for a 1-1 draw vs Charlton U23s.
He may have been in & around the first team squad as 3rd keeper, who knows.
But just based on level playing at this season, he would have to be behind Woud & Tzanev as 3rd/4th choice keeper.
Even Max Crocombe (with a club pushing for promotion to League Two) has a claim to be ahead of Searle & Matt Gould (down in the English 7th tier) with the AW keeper rankings. Gould's dad may disagree though.
Sail, Marinovic, Woud, Tzanev, Crocombe and Paulsen all ahead of him for sure - Searle's in that next tier imo
From Flying Kiwis. Mods please move to Unattached FC. I'll be first to say it - possible backup to Paulsen if Sail says au revoir? But I imagine he'll try & stay in Europe. Maybe Welsh Prem League like Zac Jones.
WalesOnline: “Swansea City have published their retained list for the 2022-23 season, with six players from the first team and under-23s squad leaving the club when their contracts expire. Ben Hamer, Korey Smith and Yan Dhanda are the headline acts to exit the Swansea.com Stadium, although their departures have been well documented. Also heading out of the door are Jamie Searle, Nico Defreitas-Hansen and Josh Gould, while 12 academy players will also leave this summer.”
Ah well, another departure. Jamie Searle has spent time with Aston Villa and Swansea City since moving to the UK and he’ll be on the lookout for a new gig now that the Swans have declined to keep him around after a couple years in their U23 team. Searle made his All Whites debut at the recent OFC qualifiers in a 7-1 win over New Caledonia. Hopefully a few scouts were paying close attention.
2 year deal, and sounds like 21 yr old Searle has been signed to the senior team. Barnsley were last in the Championship, so down to League One this season. Appointed a new manager yesterday.
He’s only just signed for the club but already Jamie Searle has been thrust into preseason action. Walking out for the second half of a friendly against Worksop Town. Not the most illustrious of opponents to be fair bit it was the first match in charge for new manager Michael Duff and Searle was the second keeper used. Good signs for a bloke who to date has just one senior professional appearance and it was his All Whites debut. The game ended 3-1, Searle conceding from a penalty spot midway through his half of action.
The new season begins at the very end of July, a couple weeks earlier than normal due to the very inconvenient World Cup break in November. Barnsley will play at least three more friendly games prior to then so hopefully Searle continues to get minutes and can assert himself as the backup moving into the real stuff.
Up Next: There’s an exhibition game next week against Crewe Alexandra
It looks like he's only played one 'competitive' match in the Barnsley U21s, a loss to Bristol City U21s on the 10th of August, the first game of the season. He also played a couple friendlies for them in the final week of July, a win and a loss against a couple of 8th tier sides.
