WaiBOP United is pleased to announce two further player signings ahead of the 2013/14 ASB Premiership season.
These players are:
Liam Higgins (Noble Park United (Melbourne, Australia) & NZ U-20), pictured left (photo: Shane Wenzlick/Phototek).
Jack McNab (Tauranga City United), pictured right (photo: Fiona Goodall/Phototek, courtesy AFF).
This brings WaiBOP United’s confirmed playing squad to thirteen.
Higgins represented New Zealand at the 2013 FIFA Under-20 World Cup, played in Turkey in June/July. He started the games against Croatia and Uruguay and came off the bench in New Zealand’s opener against Uzbekistan. He was also a member of the New Zealand squad at the 2011 Under-20 World Cup, played in Colombia. He played for YoungHeart Manawatu during the 2012/13 ASB Premiership season. Higgins is currently in Melbourne, Australia playing for Noble Park United, his brother’s club, as a way of keeping things ticking over until the start of the ASB Premiership season.
WaiBOP United Head Coach, Peter Smith, is pleased to add Higgins, a left sided defender, to his squad. “Liam is a good young player and will bring a nice balance to the side. He’s strong and carries a mature attitude. He’ll add energy, enthusiasm and quality to our defensive unit,” says Smith.
“Everyone I talk to about Liam can’t speak highly enough about him. He comes very well recommended from people who I trust and who know the game. I look forward to welcoming him to the region.”
Jack McNab is looking to make the step up to the ASB Premiership after a stellar goal scoring season for Tauranga City United in the 2013 Northern Region Football League (NRFL) Division 2. Englishman McNab has scored goals ever since he stepped foot in New Zealand. He plundered Waikato Bay of Plenty Federation League defences for Tauranga based clubs AFC Fury and Old Blues, before moving into the NRFL with Matamata Swifts in 2012.
Smith is pleased to have McNab on board. “You can never have too many goal scorers around a squad and that’s what Jack is,” says Smith. “It will be quite a step up to the ASB Premiership from where he’s been playing recently, but I’m happy to give him his chance. With a decent pre-season and plenty of hard work he has every chance of being a crucial member of the squad.”
WaiBOP Football Federation CEO, Cam Mitchell, is pleased with the players being added to the WaiBOP United squad. “To see a player like Jack McNab come through the Federation Leagues and potentially be a national league player is pleasing. It’s also great that we’ve been able to attract international quality talent in the form of Liam Higgins to the Waikato Bay of Plenty region,” says Mitchell.
For more information please contact:
Peter Smith, WaiBOP United Head Coach
Cam Mitchell, CEO, WaiBOP Football Federation
