Junior Navy Blues squad announced

Words: ACFC Media

Thursday 5 October 2017

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Auckland City FC coach Aaron McFarland has named his National Youth League squad ahead of the new campaign.

McFarland, assisted by Greg Uhlmann and Hiroshi Miyazawa, has built a strong squad sure to catch the eye.

McFarland and Miyazawa went head-to-head as rivals in the Lotto NRFL Premier Division and ISPS Handa Chatham Cup final with Central United and Onehunga Sports during the winter but find themselves working closely together with the Junior Navy Blues.

McFarland, a former Navy Blues first team head coach back in 2011-12 season, said there were few surprises in the way the Junior Navy Blues squad has been assembled.

"The squad has been selected mainly from the catchment area of Auckland City FC following a trial process and players from Central United and Onehunga Sports make up the core of the squad.

"It is no coincidence that two clubs who are principly aligned with Auckland City FC in playing style - encouraging a possession based football style throughout its age groups - are heavily represented.

"The key strengths therefore lie in the fact that most players are therefore familiar with the philosophy of building up play through the thirds and are prepared to play in this fashion under the pressure of competitive football," McFarland told www.aucklandcityfc.com.

The Junior Navy Blues have played just three pre-season matches including a clash with the first team, a 1-0 defeat to Lotto NRFL First Division newcomers Waiheke United and a 2-0 win over Manurewa's academy side. They face Hibiscus Coast in their final hit-out before the league gets underway this weekend.

While winning is always vital for a club like Auckland City FC, McFarland says there are other priorities and objectives with the Junior Navy Blues set-up that come into play.

"As a youth squad whose first priority is taking each player closer to their potential, talk of winning titles doesnt feature all that much.

"Of course we are all very competitive but focusing on results in this age group is incongruous with individual player development.

"With a short season of just nine matches, each game must be used to further the potential of the players. If during the course of this and future seasons' members of our team make the first team or the New Zealand national teams then we will have played our part in that," he said.

McFarland said the squad was brimming with talent that would keep supporters enthralled over the coming months.

"We have a range of ages within the squad with players born between 1998 and 2002 who have been selected as part of the long term planning of the club.

"Some already have many Lotto NRFL appearances under their belts already and will be well-known to the football community already including goalkeeper Cameron Brown, Sione Fa'apoi and Dino Botica to name but a few. Below these 'senior' players are a group of youngsters very close to stepping into the senior arena," he said.

The training demands placed on youth players have changed over the years and are more rigourous than they used to be but McFarland says this can only help make better players.

"Youth football has changed immensely for the good since I first got involved in coaching 20 years ago.
"Firstly the expectations amongst the football community around what is required to become 'elite' has changed.

"There is much more acceptance that frequent, player centred and aligned programmes are required to develop international standard players.

"Training 4-5 times per week and 10/11 months of the year is not uncommon anymore.

"Secondly the influence of countries outside of the UK have become more influential in our training programmes - nations player development programmes including the Netherlands, Japan and Spain are among many that coaches are drawing influence from for style of play and training content.

"This is resulting in more adaptable players being produced. However, I believe that the youth arena still has huge potential for structural improvement to better meet the needs of the players and if, as a country we can address these positively we will make even greater strides forward," he said.

For National Youth League fixtures click here.

Ends

Auckland City FC - National Youth League Squad 2017

Goalkeepers

1 Cameron Brown Goalkeeper (Bay Olympic)
18 James Dunn Goalkeeper (North Shore United)
24 Nicholas Burke Goalkeeper (Onehunga Sports)

Defenders
2 Robert Tipelu Defender (Onehunga Sports)
17 Sione Fa'Apoi Defender (Central United FC)
4 Dino Botica Defender (Bay Olympic)
21 Callum McNeill Defender (Onehunga Sports)
3 Wilson Fisher-Van Der Veen Defender (Central United FC)
13 Joshua Jones Defender (East Coast Bays)
25 Solomon Granger Defender (Onehunga Sports)
30 Dalton Wilkins Defender (Western Suburbs)

Midfielders
27 Matthew Ellis Midfielder (Onehunga Sports)
12 Seli Fuimaono Midfielder (Central United FC)
10 Leon Van Den Hoven Midfielder (Onehunga Sports)
21 Hugo Kidd Midfielder (Onehunga Sports)
8 Jaylen Rodwell Midfielder (Manurewa AFC)
6 Oscar Spragg Midfielder (Western Springs AFC)
15 Zacary Ballantyne Midfielder (Central United FC)
23 Ricardo Yugovich Midfielder (Central United FC)
20 Jack Duncan Midfielder (Onehunga Sports)
28 Owen Parker-Price Midfielder (Western Suburbs)

Forwards
26 Thomas Golding Forward (Central United FC)
11 Michael Soffe Forward (Three Kings United)
7 Antonio Bonkovich Forward (Central United FC)
14 Oscar Browne Forward (Western Springs AFC)
16 Justin Bailey Forward (Onehunga Sports)
9 Jack Anderson Forward (Forest Hill Millford)
22 Joshua Oliver Forward (Central United FC)
19 Thomas Drillien Forward (Onehunga Sports)
29 Callum McCowatt Forward (Western Suburbs)

STAFF
Head coach: Aaron McFarland
Assistant coach: Hiroshi Miyazawa
Assistant coach: Greg Uhlmann
GK coach: Matti Hamnett
Physio: Jamie Sutton
Logistics: Tom Bray
Team Manager: Blair Shaw