Sarpreet Singh - NZ's Wunderkind

I watched some of the game against Fenerbache and Spurs and he did not look out of place.

It has to help playing in a professional league last season rather than in the academy of a bigger club. There is something about him as a player, reminds me a bit of Riyad Mahrez with that style of running and great left foot.

If he can make the bench for Bayern in the Bundesliga that's a serious step up. The NZ under 21 (was it 21?) performing well has to have helped as well.

Another Kiwi at Bayern is the Ferns captain Ali Riley who's towards the end of her career. One thing always holding back the progress of the international team is that their best players are full backs (Ria Percival the other one)

@KiwiPie Was the NZ U20s. Singh only turned 20 in Feb.

He seems to be playing as a left winger for Bayern where he was playing more central for the U20s and Phoenix.

The only football player I follow overseas (or anywhere) is Laura Merrin.

@Magpie_in_aus said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

The only football player I follow overseas (or anywhere) is Laura Merrin.

She hasn't spotted you yet? Top work and great dedication.

@Magpie_in_aus said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

Laura Merrin.

From a court mandated distance?

@Magpie_in_aus said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

The only football player I follow overseas (or anywhere) is Laura Merrin.

I really am at grumpy old man stage (and with the I'm no oil painting etc etc coda) - checked out her instagram, she looks plastic, I really don't like that look. Surprised to discover that she's a Kiwi as she looks like the typical fake-tan over made up Pom.

Also checked out that Ferns captain Ali Riley's instagram, she's an odd one, looks really good in some pics and then not so good in others, expect she'd be quite hot in real life.

Good to see this young Kiwi player doing well, I'm no fan of soccer but always want Kiwis to do well in whatever sport they choose.

@Nepia she's not a patch on many of the hockey girls

@Antisonfire said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

So, to the guy who posted the thread "What is the point of the Phoenix?"; I guess you now have your long-awaited answer: to produce players who are capable of playing for the biggest clubs in the world. In this case, Bayern Munich. A club who can attract basically any player they want and who almost have free reign to pillage clubs for the best German talent.. (except Leroy Sane apparently, but that's another story)

Sarpreet Singh. Around this time last year, he was playing Wairarapa in the wind and rain. Now? He's getting ready to potentially lace his boots for a competitive debut against Borussia Dortmund.

He's gone straight from being benched by Mark Rudan for the last Phoenix game of the season to playing against some of the most recognisable teams in the world; Arsenal, Real Madrid, Milan, Fenerbache, Tottenham; It's an absolutely insane footballing story. It defies belief. There is not one person who expected Singh to get anywhere close to the first team within 3 weeks of joining. He was expected to knock around in the reserves for a good year; but he's torn up the script and written his own. In a game which has become increasingly weighed down by ludicrous transfer fees, Singh went to Bayern for a comparatively measly 850k.

His last action was to bury a penalty during a shootout against Tottenham. Kovac trusted him to take it, and he re-paid that trust in kind.

The latest comments from Bayern coach Niko Kovac;

*I think that was a really good acquisition," Kovac said. "Singh is someone was originally planned for the second team but what he showed in America and in the two games at the Audi Cup in Munich shows that he is a lot further [along] than some of the other players in the second team.

"So without a doubt he will get the opportunities. It depends on his further progress to play in the first team … but I'm very happy with him and I'm surprised, I'm positively surprised and I'm happy about his development."With him and Alphonso Davies you can see they are a lot further [along] than the others who are playing in the second team."With Serge Gnabry in doubt for Sunday's clash after picking up an injury earlier in the week, Kovac said Singh was a chance to make his competitive debut at Dortmund's famous Westfalenstadion.*

He joined the Nix Academy in early 2015 after receiving a footballing scholarship from Winston Reid. (Wonder if Winnie has been on the phone to try and get a slice of his transfer fee..)

I hope this receives the coverage it deserves. It's a real underdog story - and potentially an answer to those who turn their nose up at the Phoenix and the A-League. Either way, it has definitely put the Phoenix on the map.

So the point of the Phoenix is to spend the past 12 years being crap ( more if you add on the Kingz and Knights) to produce one great player who then left as soon as he possibly could.

Cool , now explain the point of the warriors.

@jegga said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

Cool , now explain the point of the warriors.

To keep heart surgeons, anger management counsellors etc and the like in business?

@Nepia said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@jegga said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

Cool , now explain the point of the warriors.

To keep heart surgeons, anger management counsellors etc and the like in business?

I don’t see any league fan getting anger management unless the courts ordered them to as part of their sentence.
You’ve confused them with the Blues .

@Nepia those legs though...

I hear she plays sport too.

@Bones said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Nepia those legs though...

I hear she plays sport too.

I didn't notice them amongst all the plastic and the sport she plays is soccer.

@jegga said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Antisonfire said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

So, to the guy who posted the thread "What is the point of the Phoenix?"; I guess you now have your long-awaited answer: to produce players who are capable of playing for the biggest clubs in the world. In this case, Bayern Munich. A club who can attract basically any player they want and who almost have free reign to pillage clubs for the best German talent.. (except Leroy Sane apparently, but that's another story)

Sarpreet Singh. Around this time last year, he was playing Wairarapa in the wind and rain. Now? He's getting ready to potentially lace his boots for a competitive debut against Borussia Dortmund.

He's gone straight from being benched by Mark Rudan for the last Phoenix game of the season to playing against some of the most recognisable teams in the world; Arsenal, Real Madrid, Milan, Fenerbache, Tottenham; It's an absolutely insane footballing story. It defies belief. There is not one person who expected Singh to get anywhere close to the first team within 3 weeks of joining. He was expected to knock around in the reserves for a good year; but he's torn up the script and written his own. In a game which has become increasingly weighed down by ludicrous transfer fees, Singh went to Bayern for a comparatively measly 850k.

His last action was to bury a penalty during a shootout against Tottenham. Kovac trusted him to take it, and he re-paid that trust in kind.

The latest comments from Bayern coach Niko Kovac;

*I think that was a really good acquisition," Kovac said. "Singh is someone was originally planned for the second team but what he showed in America and in the two games at the Audi Cup in Munich shows that he is a lot further [along] than some of the other players in the second team.

"So without a doubt he will get the opportunities. It depends on his further progress to play in the first team … but I'm very happy with him and I'm surprised, I'm positively surprised and I'm happy about his development."With him and Alphonso Davies you can see they are a lot further [along] than the others who are playing in the second team."With Serge Gnabry in doubt for Sunday's clash after picking up an injury earlier in the week, Kovac said Singh was a chance to make his competitive debut at Dortmund's famous Westfalenstadion.*

He joined the Nix Academy in early 2015 after receiving a footballing scholarship from Winston Reid. (Wonder if Winnie has been on the phone to try and get a slice of his transfer fee..)

I hope this receives the coverage it deserves. It's a real underdog story - and potentially an answer to those who turn their nose up at the Phoenix and the A-League. Either way, it has definitely put the Phoenix on the map.

So the point of the Phoenix is to spend the past 12 years being crap ( more if you add on the Kingz and Knights) to produce one great player who then left as soon as he possibly could.

Cool , now explain the point of the warriors.

Holy shit if this isn't the best cynical sports related post I've ever seen on here you may as well shut the fern down now.

loving your work as always @jegga

I wonder if the Italian version of the fern has a similar thread about Sergio Parisse ?

@jegga said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Antisonfire said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

So, to the guy who posted the thread "What is the point of the Phoenix?"; I guess you now have your long-awaited answer: to produce players who are capable of playing for the biggest clubs in the world. In this case, Bayern Munich. A club who can attract basically any player they want and who almost have free reign to pillage clubs for the best German talent.. (except Leroy Sane apparently, but that's another story)

Sarpreet Singh. Around this time last year, he was playing Wairarapa in the wind and rain. Now? He's getting ready to potentially lace his boots for a competitive debut against Borussia Dortmund.

He's gone straight from being benched by Mark Rudan for the last Phoenix game of the season to playing against some of the most recognisable teams in the world; Arsenal, Real Madrid, Milan, Fenerbache, Tottenham; It's an absolutely insane footballing story. It defies belief. There is not one person who expected Singh to get anywhere close to the first team within 3 weeks of joining. He was expected to knock around in the reserves for a good year; but he's torn up the script and written his own. In a game which has become increasingly weighed down by ludicrous transfer fees, Singh went to Bayern for a comparatively measly 850k.

His last action was to bury a penalty during a shootout against Tottenham. Kovac trusted him to take it, and he re-paid that trust in kind.

The latest comments from Bayern coach Niko Kovac;

*I think that was a really good acquisition," Kovac said. "Singh is someone was originally planned for the second team but what he showed in America and in the two games at the Audi Cup in Munich shows that he is a lot further [along] than some of the other players in the second team.

"So without a doubt he will get the opportunities. It depends on his further progress to play in the first team … but I'm very happy with him and I'm surprised, I'm positively surprised and I'm happy about his development."With him and Alphonso Davies you can see they are a lot further [along] than the others who are playing in the second team."With Serge Gnabry in doubt for Sunday's clash after picking up an injury earlier in the week, Kovac said Singh was a chance to make his competitive debut at Dortmund's famous Westfalenstadion.*

He joined the Nix Academy in early 2015 after receiving a footballing scholarship from Winston Reid. (Wonder if Winnie has been on the phone to try and get a slice of his transfer fee..)

I hope this receives the coverage it deserves. It's a real underdog story - and potentially an answer to those who turn their nose up at the Phoenix and the A-League. Either way, it has definitely put the Phoenix on the map.

So the point of the Phoenix is to spend the past 12 years being crap ( more if you add on the Kingz and Knights) to produce one great player who then left as soon as he possibly could.

Cool , now explain the point of the warriors.

No one can explain the Warriors.

To answer your hard hitting, on brand TSF cynicism semi-seriously; we've had the academy properly in place for around 5 years - this is the second player from that academy to go onto play at a high level. In Singh's case, he'll be contributing to the All Whites - in Tyler Boyd's, unfortunately he crossed over to the US of A. The next will almost certainly be Cacace.

Football continues to get shat on in NZ (with no real help from the Aussie FFA, either), and despite being that, they've managed to create a direct pathway for young players trying to make it in the professional game. A guy like Singh getting signed by Bayern Munich helps these players see what their future could look like.

Kingz/Knights were rightly lambasted. Things are changing.

Singh playing for Bayern is the equivalent of some random kid from Kyrgyzstan being called up for the Hurricanes. Doesn't matter what sport you support - don't understand how you can't get behind that.,

@Antisonfire said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@jegga said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Antisonfire said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

So, to the guy who posted the thread "What is the point of the Phoenix?"; I guess you now have your long-awaited answer: to produce players who are capable of playing for the biggest clubs in the world. In this case, Bayern Munich. A club who can attract basically any player they want and who almost have free reign to pillage clubs for the best German talent.. (except Leroy Sane apparently, but that's another story)

Sarpreet Singh. Around this time last year, he was playing Wairarapa in the wind and rain. Now? He's getting ready to potentially lace his boots for a competitive debut against Borussia Dortmund.

He's gone straight from being benched by Mark Rudan for the last Phoenix game of the season to playing against some of the most recognisable teams in the world; Arsenal, Real Madrid, Milan, Fenerbache, Tottenham; It's an absolutely insane footballing story. It defies belief. There is not one person who expected Singh to get anywhere close to the first team within 3 weeks of joining. He was expected to knock around in the reserves for a good year; but he's torn up the script and written his own. In a game which has become increasingly weighed down by ludicrous transfer fees, Singh went to Bayern for a comparatively measly 850k.

His last action was to bury a penalty during a shootout against Tottenham. Kovac trusted him to take it, and he re-paid that trust in kind.

The latest comments from Bayern coach Niko Kovac;

*I think that was a really good acquisition," Kovac said. "Singh is someone was originally planned for the second team but what he showed in America and in the two games at the Audi Cup in Munich shows that he is a lot further [along] than some of the other players in the second team.

"So without a doubt he will get the opportunities. It depends on his further progress to play in the first team … but I'm very happy with him and I'm surprised, I'm positively surprised and I'm happy about his development."With him and Alphonso Davies you can see they are a lot further [along] than the others who are playing in the second team."With Serge Gnabry in doubt for Sunday's clash after picking up an injury earlier in the week, Kovac said Singh was a chance to make his competitive debut at Dortmund's famous Westfalenstadion.*

He joined the Nix Academy in early 2015 after receiving a footballing scholarship from Winston Reid. (Wonder if Winnie has been on the phone to try and get a slice of his transfer fee..)

I hope this receives the coverage it deserves. It's a real underdog story - and potentially an answer to those who turn their nose up at the Phoenix and the A-League. Either way, it has definitely put the Phoenix on the map.

So the point of the Phoenix is to spend the past 12 years being crap ( more if you add on the Kingz and Knights) to produce one great player who then left as soon as he possibly could.

Cool , now explain the point of the warriors.

No one can explain the Warriors.

To answer your hard hitting, on brand TSF cynicism semi-seriously; we've had the academy properly in place for around 5 years - this is the second player from that academy to go onto play at a high level. In Singh's case, he'll be contributing to the All Whites - in Tyler Boyd's, unfortunately he crossed over to the US of A. The next will almost certainly be Cacace.

Football continues to get shat on in NZ (with no real help from the Aussie FFA, either), and despite being that, they've managed to create a direct pathway for young players trying to make it in the professional game. A guy like Singh getting signed by Bayern Munich helps these players see what their future could look like.

Kingz/Knights were rightly lambasted. Things are changing.

Singh playing for Bayern is the equivalent of some random kid from Kyrgyzstan being called up for the Hurricanes. Doesn't matter what sport you support - don't understand how you can't get behind that.,

What about soccer?

How for so?

@Antisonfire how many times has Kyrgyzstan played in a rugby world cup? Have they had any other players go on to similar heights in rugby before?

He sat on the bench for Bayern's 2-0 defeat to Dortmund and didn't come on. If he can turn himself into Arjen Robben, he could play on the right wing for the next decade

@Bones said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Antisonfire how many times has Kyrgyzstan played in a rugby world cup? Have they had any other players go on to similar heights in rugby before?

The rugby comparison isn’t valid , in true global sports like basketball and soccer we have had occasional outliers like Stephen Adams , Sean Marks , Wynton Rufer and Ryan Nelsen . It doesn’t change anything about how execrable the a league or the Phoenix are.

I want to see the Phoenix do well in the A-League. I just have a sinking feeling that we might still be “plotting their first title” in 20 years time, a bit like Warriors...

Hope springs eternal though!

@Donsteppa I don't really follow soccer - so can officials influence a result as much in the A league as they do in the ARL i.e do the Phoenix really have a chance?

@jegga said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Bones said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Antisonfire how many times has Kyrgyzstan played in a rugby world cup? Have they had any other players go on to similar heights in rugby before?

The rugby comparison isn’t valid , in true global sports like basketball and soccer we have had occasional outliers like Stephen Adams , Sean Marks , Wynton Rufer and Ryan Nelsen . It doesn’t change anything about how execrable the a league or the Phoenix are.

But we have a decent basketball league, so people like Adams and Marks have a path. Like football, the problem isn't the lack of quality, but the lack of teams because Oz and NZ together are still a small market.

Touring international teams do not embarrass the A-League. NBL teams who play NBA teams are surprisingly competitive.

At least as comparative as the rugby equivalents.

@KiwiPie said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

He sat on the bench for Bayern's 2-0 defeat to Dortmund and didn't come on. If he can turn himself into Arjen Robben, he could play on the right wing for the next decade

Unfortunately if Bayern do sign Sane that won't help Singh's chances of getting time on the field.

@Chester-Draws said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

But we have a decent basketball league, so people like Adams and Marks have a path. Like football, the problem isn't the lack of quality, but the lack of teams because Oz and NZ together are still a small market.

The main problem with football in NZ, is a lack of opportunities at international level, particularly for the men. That mainly comes down to a lack of funding as NZ Football is so reliant on qualifying for the Confederations Cup or WC to make any money. The Confed Cup was disbanded so there goes one major revenue stream.

The good news is that the current NZ U20 team has the potential to be a golden generation (by NZ football standards) who are skillful and play possession-based football. Many of them are now playing in lower leagues in Europe. Winston Reid started there in Denmark.

I was reading this in the newspaper yesterday:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/114640598/sarpreet-singh-leads-the-way-as-kiwi-footballers-kick-off-in-europe

@Snowy said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Donsteppa I don't really follow soccer - so can officials influence a result as much in the A league as they do in the ARL i.e do the Phoenix really have a chance?

My sense is that the Phoenix have a sightly better chance with the refs than the Warriors given the way the two respective games flow, but I’m not much of a football expert!

@Donsteppa said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Snowy said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Donsteppa I don't really follow soccer - so can officials influence a result as much in the A league as they do in the ARL i.e do the Phoenix really have a chance?

My sense is that the Phoenix have a sightly better chance with the refs than the Warriors given the way the two respective games flow, but I’m not much of a football expert!

Great call. Only reason the Warriors lost 46-12 was terrible reffing.

@MN5 said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Donsteppa said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Snowy said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Donsteppa I don't really follow soccer - so can officials influence a result as much in the A league as they do in the ARL i.e do the Phoenix really have a chance?

My sense is that the Phoenix have a sightly better chance with the refs than the Warriors given the way the two respective games flow, but I’m not much of a football expert!

Great call. Only reason the Warriors lost 46-12 was terrible reffing.

Yeah, that’s what I said...

I think for either team to win a title, they’d have to have a great season and be good enough to get past losing the occasional 50/50 call. Problem for the 2019 Warriors is that they need to worry about making the tackle first before worrying whether they’ll get pinged for being offside. They’re nowhere near good enough to profit from a siege mentality.

@MN5 said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Donsteppa said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Snowy said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Donsteppa I don't really follow soccer - so can officials influence a result as much in the A league as they do in the ARL i.e do the Phoenix really have a chance?

My sense is that the Phoenix have a sightly better chance with the refs than the Warriors given the way the two respective games flow, but I’m not much of a football expert!

Great call. Only reason the Warriors lost 46-12 was terrible reffing.

I did also mention in another post that are also shit. Great being a Warriors fan that you get to choose on the day - shit or robbed?

Sorry - this was a soccer thread... @Stargazer is going to be all over us for this.

@Snowy said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@MN5 said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Donsteppa said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Snowy said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Donsteppa I don't really follow soccer - so can officials influence a result as much in the A league as they do in the ARL i.e do the Phoenix really have a chance?

My sense is that the Phoenix have a sightly better chance with the refs than the Warriors given the way the two respective games flow, but I’m not much of a football expert!

Great call. Only reason the Warriors lost 46-12 was terrible reffing.

I did also mention in another post that are also shit. Great being a Warriors fan that you get to choose on the day - shit or robbed?

We don't get to choose ... it's usually one or the other, the choice is made for us, then there's the occasional good win to fool us into watching for another couple of weeks.

@Nepia All too true.

Interesting that the Phoenix has been a much better going concern since the Kings/Knights left Auckland for Wellington. It’s curious the way that professional franchises have worked out in Auckland over the last 15 years (Breakers excepted...)

@Nepia said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Magpie_in_aus said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

The only football player I follow overseas (or anywhere) is Laura Merrin.

I really am at grumpy old man stage (and with the I'm no oil painting etc etc coda) - checked out her instagram, she looks plastic, I really don't like that look. Surprised to discover that she's a Kiwi as she looks like the typical fake-tan over made up Pom.

Also checked out that Ferns captain Ali Riley's instagram, she's an odd one, looks really good in some pics and then not so good in others, expect she'd be quite hot in real life.

Good to see this young Kiwi player doing well, I'm no fan of soccer but always want Kiwis to do well in whatever sport they choose.

Good to hear, I hate bandwagon jumpers.

@Donsteppa said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@MN5 said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Donsteppa said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Snowy said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

@Donsteppa I don't really follow soccer - so can officials influence a result as much in the A league as they do in the ARL i.e do the Phoenix really have a chance?

My sense is that the Phoenix have a sightly better chance with the refs than the Warriors given the way the two respective games flow, but I’m not much of a football expert!

Great call. Only reason the Warriors lost 46-12 was terrible reffing.

Yeah, that’s what I said...

I think for either team to win a title, they’d have to have a great season and be good enough to get past losing the occasional 50/50 call. Problem for the 2019 Warriors is that they need to worry about making the tackle first before worrying whether they’ll get pinged for being offside. They’re nowhere near good enough to profit from a siege mentality.

I got rid of all the unneeded words in this post for you.

Would he be the most successful person of subcontinental descent in pro football?

It is an amazing achievement, considering their original plan was to have him playing in the 3rd division with the reserve team. If he can eke out a spot for the season it goes to show that there are quality players in the aussie league

@mofitzy_ said in Sarpreet Singh - NZ's football wunderkind:

Would he be the most successful person of subcontinental descent in pro football?

Almost certainly not. Lots of people from Suriname are of ethnic subcontinent origin. Rudi Gullit looks quite Indian. Frank Rikjaard perhaps. Certainly someone from there will have made it big.