Entries Tagged 'Nick Ward' ↓

This news came out before the weekend, but I never got time to post about it. Nick Ward has been named as Melbourne Victory’s Youth Marquee.

Under the youth marquee system, every A-League club is allowed to pay one local player under the age of 24 up to $150,000 outside the salary cap. 23-year old Ward, who came to Melbourne on a six-month contract back in December, extended his contract to run till the end of April 2009.

Sebastian Ryall is joining the Olyroos as they prepare for the Beijing Olympics. He is one of 25 players picked by Graham Arnold for a training camp in Sydney, due to start tomorrow (Saturday).

Billy Celeski and Leigh Broxham are also both in the selection, but Nick Ward misses out because of ongoing injury.

Meanwhile, Ward looks likely to re-sign with Melbourne for an extra year. He said earlier this week that he’s leaning towards staying another year, news which will surely please many Victory fans.

Pim Verbeek announced his 22-man selection for a Socceroos training camp next week. Among them are Melbourne Victory’s Archie Thompson, Kevin Muscat and Rodrigo Vargas.

Only A-League players were picked for the training camp, though Verbeek insists there’s no guarantee that he’ll pick exclusively A-League players for the opening World Cup qualifier against Qatar on February 6.

On his perception of the A-League, Verbeek said:

“I enjoyed every game I’ve seen, the stadiums are fantastic, the crowds are unbelievable.”

“I saw great goals, but I saw also unbelievable mistakes.”

“It’s up to me to find out if the players make that same mistake too many times because then I cannot use them.” (The World Game) Continue reading →

Early in November, Ernie Merrick promised Melbourne Victory fans that the club would sign some new talent in the November transfer window. As the month reached its end last week, Merrick explained the type of player he was looking for:

“I am looking for a Paul Wade type of character, a real hard grafter, a box-to-box midfielder, someone who is capable of getting forward”

Now, one week into December, Merrick has finally found the player he’s looking for: Nick Ward, a 22 year old attacking midfielder who was the Hyundai A-League Young Player of the year in 2005-06. After that successful year with Perth, in which he scored five times, Ward made a move to England in August last year, signing with English Championship side the Queens Park Rangers. He found goals harder to come by in England, picking up just one for the Q.P.R., and scoring another during his short loan to Brighton. Continue reading →

The Melbourne Victory signed Nick Ward today, a 22-year old Olyroo who has been playing in England for the Queens Park Rangers. Some of you may remember him from the inaugural A-League season, when he played for the Perth Glory.

Ward is a midfielder, and an attacking one at that. Sounds like just what Melbourne needs to reinvigorate a tired, overly defensive midfield.

He joins Melbourne on a six-month contract – enough to see out the rest of this A-League season and the group stage of the AFC Champions League.

Perhaps the bright spark Melbourne needs to kick into gear?