Brisbane Roar’s recruiting program for next season has received a significant boost with exciting young New Zealand international Costa Barbarouses signing with the club for three years.
Brisbane Roar-s recruiting program for next season has received a significant boost with exciting young New Zealand international Costa Barbarouses signing with the club for three years.
The pacy youngster has spent the past two full seasons with Hyundai A-League club Wellington Phoenix and inked the deal this week.
The youngster will join the Brisbane Roar squad for pre-season training at the start of May.
Barbarouses said the prospect of linking with Ange Postecoglou-s squad was an exciting one and an opportunity he was planning to make the most of.
“It-s a time in my career where I have to get out of the comfort zone and really give myself a challenge,” Barbarouses said.
“These next few years with Brisbane will be really crucial for my career leading into the most crucial years of the early 20s.
“I-m leaving my hometown club and I-m really excited for the challenge ahead with the Roar.
“I think we can do something special with the team that-s being built there.”
Postecoglou said he believed Barbarouses would be a perfect fit for the squad he is building and said he would more than have the opportunity to cement himself in the club-s Hyundai A-League squad.
“I think he fits in with the style of football we want to play,” Postecoglou said.
“He-s quick, exciting at an age where he really wants to break through and make a name for himself.
“We don-t have his type of striker at the club, when you have a look at what we have with Reinaldo and Sergio (van Dijk), they are big strong strikers.
“Costa will give us that variety and we-ve already shown that if young players are good enough we-ll play them.”
The 20-year-old said leaving his hometown club would be difficult, but the keen interest shown by the Roar to secure his services had persuaded him it was the right decision.
“As soon as I was looking around they were keen to have me and like I said, I like the direction the club is heading in,” he said.
“(Ange) already has a couple of good strikers in Sergio and Reinaldo, but I feel I can offer something different up top with my speed and working off the target players.
“I think there could be some good combinations there.”
Despite limited game time this season, the young striker scored against Sydney in November with a volley over Clint Bolton and has two assists to his credit.
Barbarouses has represented New Zealand at under-17 – where he captained his country at the 2007 World Cup tournament in Korea – under-20 and under-23 levels.
In November 2008 he made his senior debut for the All Whites against Fiji during the World Cup Qualifying process.
FACT FILE
Date of birth: Feb 19, 1990
Place of birth: Wellington, New Zealand
Nationality: New Zealander
Weight: 70 kg
Height: 171 cm
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: Wellington Phoenix, Wellington Olympic
Junior Clubs: Miramar Rangers
Representative Honours: All Whites, New Zealand under-23, under-20, under -17, under -15
