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CAPTAIN COSTA JOINS THE RISE OF THE PHOENIXAuckland
New Zealand U-17s captain Costa Barbarouses is living the dream. The New Zealand U-17 captain – already eyeing August’s FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup in Korea - has achieved another of his career goals by signing for the Wellington Phoenix. Barbarouses’ three year deal with the new Hyundai A-League club – as one of the three U-20 players coach Ricki Herbert must sign – won’t do his ultimate dream of representing the All Whites any harm either. The Team Wellington marksman, who scored five goals in three matches to guide New Zealand to the World Cup via the Oceania U-17 qualifiers in Tahiti in March, was officially the six of 10 players now on the Phoenix’s books. Barbarouses has been joined in the latest batch of signings by All Whites Glen Moss and Steven Old and Australian’s Steven O'Dor and Vince Lia, The five join Ross Aloisi, Mark Paston, Tim Brown, Richard Johnson and Michael Ferrante who agreed terms last Tuesday. Barbarouses has already represented New Zealand at under-15 and under-17 level. The St Patrick's College (Kilbirnie) striker played for Team Wellington in the New Zealand Football Championship under coach Mick Waitt, where he impressed. He also plays club football with Wellington Olympic. Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert said Barbarouses' signature was important not only for securing his playing abilities, but to reinforce the club's commitment to developing young New Zealand talent.
"Mick Waitt's involvement in Costa's development has been significant. His guidance in giving someone as young as Costa playing time in our domestic showpiece has been superb. "It backs up how the New Zealand football structure, and pathway provided by the age-group system, works. Costa is a shining example of that." Herbert also paid tribute to national under-17 coach Colin Tuaa for Barbarouses' development. "Colin has been integral in Costa's development, giving him the necessary skills to take the next step up in his game which will be at a professional level." For Barbarouses, signing with Phoenix caps off a perfect week after his favourite English club side, Liverpool, reached the final of the Champions League. "One of my goals was to play professional football, and that's arrived with Phoenix. The other is to play for the All Whites and I'm working hard on that. "I'm excited at the opportunity of being able to play with experienced professionals and learning from them. Having Ricki as coach is also going to be a great help." Herbert says this week’s signings have shown that quality players are being attracted to the club, with the balance between New Zealand and Australian players evenly split. Old, a 21-year-old defender, made 10 appearances for Newcastle Jets in last season's Hyundai A-League. Herbert sees this season with Phoenix as an opportunity for Old to realise the potential he has shown through age-grade and international level on a weekly basis. "It's a critical year for Steven," Herbert said. "He has cut his teeth slightly with Newcastle but year one at Phoenix will be a big year. There will be an expectation for him to grasp the level of football required." The pressure will also be on Moss to secure the starting spot for Phoenix as the 24-year-old continues his on-field battle with All Whites team-mate Paston. Having two outstanding goalkeepers will create a happy selection headache for Herbert. "There will be some interesting selection decisions around that battle," Herbert said. "Glen's involvement in the national team last year (in Europe) showed he had really grown in stature. He will certainly add to the strength of the defence at Phoenix." O'Dor, 20, made a huge impression on Herbert while he was caretaker coach at the New Zealand Knights for the club's final five games last season. "He's a talented young defender from Melbourne who I worked with at the Knights and he impressed. He's a player with an excellent future and has great character." Likewise Lia, 22, brings considerable playing talent to Phoenix. Over the past two seasons he made 24 appearances for Melbourne Victory. He was part of the Australia under-20 World Cup team in 2003 and in 2005 when he captained the side. He is currently in the Australia under-23 Olympic team. "Vince is a player who has had excellent grounding through the Australian system," Herbert said. "He's played at a prominent club in last season's champions Melbourne Victory, but here's a chance now at Phoenix for Vince to be exposed to longer periods of game time." PHOENIX PLAYER PROFILES COSTA BARBAROUSES
Club history: 2006-07 Team Wellington (NZFC); 2001-06 Olympic AFC (Wellington).
Biography: Barbarouses is a young player on the rise, having been plucked from the New Zealand Football Championship where he played, and impressed, for Team Wellington. Signing with Phoenix completes one of two goals for the striker - to play professional football. The other is to play for the All Whites, where he is already making the right steps nationally through the age grade levels.
Club history: 2006 Dinamo Bucharest (Romania); 2005-06 New Zealand Knights; 2004-05 Bonnyrigg White Eagles; 2004 Stanmore Hawks; 2002-04 Sydney Olympic.
Biography: Moss is involved in a battle with Phoenix team-mate Mark Paston as the starting goalkeeper for the All Whites and is a competition that will continue in the Hyundai A-League. After making nine appearances for the New Zealand Knights in 2005-06, Moss joined Dinamo Bucharest in Romania before returning to New Zealand. Moss played in goal in the All Whites' historic first win in Europe - the 3-1 defeat of Georgia in Germany in May last year.
Club history: 2006-07 Newcastle Jets; 2005-06 YoungHeart Manawatu; 2004-05 St John's University (USA).
Date of birth: 28/1/1987, Melbourne
Club history: 2006-07 New Zealand Knights; 2004-06 South Melbourne; Fitzroy City; Australian Institute of Sport.
Biography: O'Dor made his Hyundai A-League debut with the New Zealand Knights under caretaker coach Ricki Herbert who is now Wellington Phoenix head coach. His earlier career was spent with South Melbourne FC in the Victorian Premier League and at the Australian Institute of Sport.
Date of birth: 18/3/1985, Shepparton (Australia)
Club history: 2005-07 Melbourne Victory; 2005 Fawkner-Whittlesea; 2001-04 South Melbourne.
Biography: Lia brings considerable playing talent to Phoenix, despite being just 22-years-old. Over the past two seasons with Melbourne Victory in the Hyundai A-League he has made 24 appearances. Lia made his national league debut for South Melbourne in December 2001 aged just 16 years. He was part of the Australia under-20 World Cup team in 2003 and in 2005 when he captained the side. Lia toured Vietnam with the Australia under-23 team in 2006.
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"Costa is an outstanding prospect. He has pace, vision and knows when to hone in on goal. The role of striker is vital in any team, and Costa brings a natural sense for knowing how to find the back of the net,” Herbert said.
Date of birth: 19/2/1990, Wellington
Date of birth: 19/1/1983, Hastings
Date of birth: 17/2/1986, Palmerston North