26/8/23
Above: Ruby Nathan in action for New Zealand. Photo: Canberra United.
Canberra United have today announced the addition of New Zealand U20 international Ruby Nathan to their ranks for the A-League Women season.
Nathan, a strong running forward who has been playing club football in her native New Zealand, was a member of the Junior Football Ferns who played at the U20 World Cup in Costa Rica and travelled to the U17 Women’s World Cup in India for the Young Ferns.
“Ruby is a quality addition to our ranks, and will no doubt have an important part to play in our 2023/24 Liberty A-League season,” Canberra United Head Coach Njegosh Popovich commented.
“We have been monitoring her for a while and have been impressed with the displays that she has put in at international level for the various New Zealand age grade representative teams.
“Ruby is a tall attacker who can operate anywhere along the front line, or deeper, and brings a lot of experience of tournament football despite her youthful age. I am sure that she will settle perfectly into our group as she possesses the characteristics that we look for in our young players.”
Nathan, who won the Golden Boot award at the 2023 OFC U19 Championships in Fiji, scoring eight goals including a brace in the Final victory over the host nation in Suva, is looking forward to the opportunity the move presents.
“I am extremely excited by the opportunity that joining Canberra United will provide me and can’t wait to get started,” Nathan said.
“I have always wanted to test myself at the top level and feel that joining a club like Canberra in the A-League Women is the natural next step for my career as they have a reputation for helping young players to flourish.
“I have heard excellent things about the club and have heard that the supporter base is large and enthusiastic. I am looking forward to working with the fantastic players that are at the club and to repaying the faith the coaching staff have shown in me.”
Central Coast Mariners have today revealed the signing of American defender Jazmin Wardlow from Italian Serie A side Fiorentina.
The 25-year-old has spent the past 12 months at the Italian club, playing 21 matches and scoring one goal. Wardlow attended Santa Clara University between 2015-2016, lining up for the Santa Clara Broncos. After success in the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Tournament, the defender took her talents to the University of Oregon, making 38 appearances forthe team.
In 2019, she was 21st in the National Women’s Soccer League draft, becoming the first-ever player from her University to be drafted in the competition. Wardlow moved to Europe in 2021, joining Serbian SuperLiga champions ZFK Spartak Subotica. She made her debut for the club in the 2021/22 UEFA Women’s Champions League shortly after.
Mariners’ Head Coach Emily Husband sees the American as an extremely valuable addition to the squad. “I am very excited to be able to welcome Jazmin to the Coast. She will be a really good addition to the group that we are building ahead of the upcoming season.
“She has a lot of flexibility in where we can play her, which is great for our versatility. She has a fantastic left foot, a brilliant engine as well as good attacking and defensive output. She brings experience to this team which will be huge for us this season.”
Wardlow is extremely excited to be joining the Coast, eager to get started as the season approaches quickly.
“I am super excited to be able to play for the Central Coast this season. I wish we were already starting; I am looking forward to meeting all of my teammates,” she said.
“Speaking to Emily it just made the decision to sign for the Coast super easy. I felt so much love and support from her and Shaun which is amazing being so far from home. As a footballer, I am extremely passionate, physical, technical, tactical, hard-working and a great leader. I honestly just can’t wait to get started.”
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