The Bulletin takes a look at five players from abroad lighting up football on the Gold Coast
AS the football season nears the business end, the Bulletin takes a look at five players from abroad lighting up the game on the Gold Coast.
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THE Bulletin takes a look at five players from abroad lighting up football on the Gold Coast.
NAME: Mackenzie Akins
COUNTRY: USA
CLUB: Gold Coast United (NPL Women’s)
INFO: From Lake Elsinore in California, Akins was on the comeback from a knee reconstruction when she joined United this year from Swedish outfit Assi IF.
The 24-year-old striker has proved lethal for the Surfsiders, bagging 19 goals in 21 games to sit sixth on the NPLW goalscoring leaderboard.
COAST CHAMPS EYEING BIGGER PRIZE
NAME: Bruno Rodriguez
COUNTRY: Uruguay
CLUB: Surfers Paradise Apollo (Gold Coast Premier League)
INFO: Born in Montevideo, Rodriguez spent time at famous Argentinian club River Plate before moving to Australia at the age of 11.
After time at Merrimac, Burleigh Heads and Musgrave, the 28-year-old midfielder has spent the past six seasons at Surfers, winning the 2016 title.
PREMIER LEAGUE FIELD LIKE BEING ‘IN SYRIA’
NAME: Ailie Rennie
COUNTRY: England
CLUB: Mudgeeraba (NPL Women’s)
INFO: In Australia to study criminology at Griffith University, Rennie starred for Musgrave in the 2017 Women’s Premier League before making the switch to Mudgeeraba.
Awarded the captaincy by coach David Thompson, the 20-year-old defender/midfielder has been a model of consistency in a tough year.
KNIGHTS COACH SLAMS DETRACTORS
NAME: Ryosuke Kawakami
COUNTRY: Japan
CLUB: Tweed United (Gold Coast Premier League)
INFO: The 25-year-old winger arrived in Australia three years ago, spending one season in Brisbane before helping the Gold Coast Knights to last season’s championship.
He then followed coach Alex Morrison to Surfers Paradise before a mid-season switch to Tweed United.
BULLETIN’S FOOTBALL GOLD COAST REPORT CARD
NAME: Ferdinand Annor
COUNTRY: France
CLUB: Coomera (Gold Coast Premier League)
INFO: The affable Frenchman has quickly turned into a much-loved figure at Coomera after joining the club from the UK in March.
Born and raised in Paris, the 26-year-old winger has helped the Colts defy all expectations in 2018 and hopes to stay in Australia long term.
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