Wellington have rounded off their compulsory roster by
signing versatile Australian defender Jade North for the new
A-League soccer season.
North, 28, is seen as a ready-made replacement for the
departed Jon McKain, having partnered Phoenix skipper Andrew
Durante in the heart of the Newcastle Jets defence during
their title-winning season in 2008.
North has been capped 28 times for Australia at senior level
after coming through national age-group sides.
He joins after stints with Norwegian side Tromso and South
Korea's Incheon United.
Phoenix head coach Ricki Herbert was delighted to have North
aboard.
"Jade's a proven performer at elite level, with almost 100
appearances in the A-League. He was outstanding for the Jets
alongside Dura (Durante) when they won the title a couple of
seasons back and he'll fit in really well with the group we
have here.
"Not only does he have a wealth of experience but he also
brings significant leadership qualities to the club, having
captained the Jets, and he's a great replacement for Jon
McKain."
Herbert said the signing of North completed the bulk of
recruitment for the Phoenix at this point, with the
compulsory 20 players on the club's books.
The club was also currently trialling Indonesian striker
Bambang Pamungkas.
"We're fortunate in that we've retained the core of the squad
from last season's great campaign and that we've been able to
add some real talent and quality in key areas of the pitch
from front the back.
"There's plenty of cause for optimism about our chances this
season and we're looking forward to getting things under
way," Herbert said.
The Phoenix get their A-League season under way with a home
game against Gold Coast United on August 13.
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