Above: Tijan McKenna, who has departed Perth Glory to join her sister Leticia at Melbourne City. Photo: Perth Glory
29/8/23
Melbourne City FC today announced the signings of Leticia McKenna and Tijan McKenna ahead of the upcoming A-League Women’s season.
Leticia McKenna has re-committed to City for a further two seasons, where she will be joined by her younger sister, Tijan, who has penned a one-year deal with the club. The talented Australian international youth duo is set to further strengthen Head Coach Dario Vidosic’s midfield ahead of the upcoming season.
Leticia joined City ahead of the 2021/22 season and has been an important member of City’s midfield. The technically gifted 21-year-old has made 68 A-League Women’s appearances, including 19 in City blue last season. Two of her five goals in the competition came under Vidosic last season.
Joining her sister at City this season is 18-year-old Tijan. The Western Australian joins after having spent the past three seasons at Perth Glory, where she has made 15 A-League Women’s appearances.
A talented youngster who has already spent three seasons in the competition, Tijan is a skilful midfielder who loves the ball at her feet.
Speaking on her arrival at the club, Tijan McKenna said: “I’m really excited to join Melbourne City, I’ve obviously heard a lot of great things about the club and I can’t wait to get started and play in front of the home fans in Melbourne.
“It’s an incredibly professional club with a great group of players and I think it’s an environment that will allow me to take my game to another level. I’m looking forward to playing football in the City style of play and think it’s a style that suits me.”
Older sister Leticia spoke of her delight to extent her stay at the club. “This club is second to none and I’m so happy to be calling City home for the next two years.
“We’ve built a really strong foundation over the past few years and we’re ready to do everything that we can to challenge for silverware this season. I can’t wait to get stuck into pre-season with Dario, the coaching team, and the girls, and build towards Round one.”
City head coach Dario Vidosic was delighted with his double signings. “We’re thrilled to have Leticia on board for another two seasons and to welcome Tijan to the club.
“Leticia is a creative footballer that gives us another dimension in the middle of the park and Tijan is a composed player who is incredibly talented in possession. We’re building a really exciting squad and both Leticia and Tijan will have important roles to play once the season commences.”
Brisbane Roar
Brisbane Roar have further boosted their squad for the 2023/24 season with the signing of exciting youngster Leah Scarpelli.
Scarpelli played college football for Penn State University for one year before joining Florida Gulf Coast University from 2020-2022. She then got the opportunity to play overseas for Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon where she spent seven months.
The 21-year-old will bolster the defence, after previous stints with the USA Women’s Youth National Team from the U15 team to the U19 team.
Scarpelli brings versatility to the squad, having grown up playing central midfield and left midfield before eventually falling into a strong centre-back role.
“I’m so excited, I have never been to Australia before, but I have talked to so many people who have and heard great things about it. I’m so excited to play in the A-League,” Scarpelli said.
Through her time spent in college football and in Portugal, she believes these experiences have developed her as a player as she joins the Liberty A-League.
“It was amazing, I am so grateful for the experience and Portugal was a beautiful country, I was grateful to be a part of their culture and also learn a bit of Portuguese along the way,” Scarpelli said.
“I’ve played for a lot of different teams growing up, some club teams, academy teams, national teams, college teams, and every team that I’ve played for have had a different style of play. I think playing for multiple different teams growing up at different levels has helped me become the player I am today.”
Head Coach Garrath McPherson looks forward to welcoming Scarpelli to the club. “I’m excited to see her integrate into our city and feel like part of our story. She has huge potential that has been recognised in selection in youth USWNT squads and a bright future ahead of her in the game.
“Leah has achieved success, winning trophies in her college career. This mindset has been a key factor in our recruitment strategy for this season. She will be an asset to our locker room.”
Wellington Phoenix
Three of Aotearoa’s brightest young female footballers have landed their maiden professional contracts with Wellington Phoenix.
Attacking midfielder Olivia Ingham, winger Manaia Elliott, and defensive midfielder Daisy Brazendale have signed three-year deals. The Phoenix academy graduates will be on scholarship contracts for the next two seasons, before being upgraded to full-time deals for the 2025-26 Liberty A-League.
Head coach Paul Temple has “got a lot of confidence” in Ingham, Elliott, and Brazendale to step up to the professional ranks. In January I was coaching the reserves so I’ve worked with all three of them,” Temple said. “I know them as people, I know their families, and I know what makes them tick.
“They’re three talented young women, but what really separates them is that they are so driven and committed to this journey and doing whatever it takes on and off the field to become a professional footballer.
“I know a lot of first-team coaches don’t get the privilege of moving with the players through the system. It’s a really cool position to be in because I know what Liv, Manaia and Daisy can do and I’ve got a lot of belief in them.
“We’ve got a lot of good players in the academy and without a doubt there were more contenders for scholarship places.
“Sometimes it comes down to the positions you need in the squad. Daisy is an out-and-out six, Olivia is an attacking midfielder and Manaia is a winger – positions on the pitch we felt we needed a little extra cover in.”
Ingham, Elliott, and Brazendale have followed fellow academy graduate Macey Fraser into the women’s first team, replicating the successful Phoenix pathway that has been in place for several years in the men’s game.
“This is just the start of the evolution and it shows how much we value and appreciate our academy. We’ve seen the system work in the men’s team and we are now starting to see that in the women’s space.
“It’s going to be really cool when we get some of these academy graduates on to the pitch and the supporters can see the quality that is coming through the academy, and young women around the country can see the pathway is really clear and visible to them.”
The three scholarship signings have all taken different paths to professional football. Olivia Ingham, 17, was the first female player to join the academy in 2021, after coming through the ranks at North Wellington FC.
The born and bred Wellingtonian is the academy’s reigning women’s player of the year, having scored and created goals for the club’s reserves and represented New Zealand at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India.
“It’s really exciting to have signed my first pro contract,” Ingham said. “I’ve been working hard for the past few seasons trying to strive towards the A-League. I’m really grateful for the opportunity and it’s cool for all of the girls at the academy that there is a pathway into the first team.
“It’s really beneficial for them to see that it is possible if you believe in yourself, take in what the coaches are saying, and enjoy your football.”
Unfortunately, Ingham ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee last December and has been unable to play this year. She is in the final stages of her rehab and is hoping to return to the pitch soon.
Manaia Elliott, 18, joined the academy from Melville United AFC in Hamilton at the start of this year, with her parents following her to the capital soon after.
“It was such a great opportunity to move to the academy,” Elliott said. “Paul, Katie (Barrott) and Callum (Holmes) have taught me so much already and I am so grateful for the belief they have in me. My parents have been so supportive of me throughout this journey too and this opportunity wouldn’t have been possible without them.”
Elliott captained the Young Football Ferns at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India and led New Zealand to an eighth OFC U-19 Women’s Championship title in July.
“I’ve been able to pick up a few leadership roles with the under-17s and the under-19s, which has helped me massively. Hopefully, I’ll be able to bring that into the Phoenix first team. I have a new perspective and a good tactical awareness of the game.”
Daisy Brazendale, 17, will be the youngest member of the Wellington Phoenix women’s squad. Brazendale, who doesn’t turn 18 until the end of this season, joined the academy last year from FC Nelson.
“I’m absolutely buzzing to have been given this opportunity,” she said. “I’m so grateful to be in an environment like the Phoenix and be coached by people like Paul and Katie, who push me hard every day, but also look after me so well as a player and as a person.”
Originally from Golden Bay, Brazendale’s parents have sacrificed a lot for her to follow her footballing dreams. “I know for a fact I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for them.
“They used to drive me for four hours to get to training in Nelson and my parents then left their jobs and moved to Wellington so I could join the academy, so I can’t thank them enough.”
Western United
After starring in Western United’s inaugural Liberty A-League Women season, midfield maestro Emma Robers and energetic full-back Stacey Papadopoulos will return for season two.
Both players have signed one-year contract extensions and will be looking to help lead the side to further success in 2023/24.
Papadopoulos was limited to just 10 appearances last season but was pivotal in each match she played, while Robers was a constant in midfield, missing only one of the 20 total fixtures.
Ahead of their return, both Robers and Papadopoulos shared similar messages of anticipation looking ahead to the new campaign.
“I’m so excited to get back with the group. It’s been a long off-season so we’re definitely ready to get going,” Papadopoulos said.
“Last season was tons of fun and the team did really well, so I’m just ready to bring back the same energy this season and go one better.”
Robers added: “We proved a lot of people wrong with our huge success last season. We changed our narrative from ‘underdogs’ to ‘competitors’ and I can’t wait to keep this going and take it all the way this season.
“After coming in second in the Premiership and the Championship, it’s now time to challenge for the number one spot and there is no group of people I would rather do that with than my Western United family.”
Western United General Manager of Football Mal Impiombato hailed both players as crucial pieces of the squad both on and off the pitch.
“Emma and Stacey were excellent for us in our inaugural season. We were delighted with their performances on the pitch, but they made their presence felt in equal measure off the pitch,” he said.
“Both players became key influences in the dressing room in setting the foundations for the culture in our inaugural team. We are extremely pleased to see them returning for next season.”
Having both come through United’s pathway at Calder United in NPLW Victoria, Robers and Papadopoulos will continue to lead the club’s women’s football program into the future.
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