Ibrom media release day upon taking up the position of Academy Director 2015
Ibrom presenting on the Academy at the Inspire Conference in 2015
Establishing the first Professional Academy in New Zealand
Wellington Phoenix Academy 2015 cohort
Ibrom with two players he'd recruited from Mexico
18 players were initially recruited by Ibrom from within New Zealand and from overseas. Players quickly transitioned into a full-time holistic training program aligned with their academics.
Ibrom instructing players prior to tactical training
WPFA 2014. A number of players would go on to professional clubs and US Colleges such as Wake Forest and Harvard.
International Recruitment
Monterrey Mexico 2013
Ibrom spent time on recruitment trips to Mexico, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and Australia identifying and recruiting potential elite footballers into the Wellington Phoenix. These included Eugenio Pizzuto (Pictured Right) and Calvin Harris from Hong Kong in 2012 now at Wake Forrest University.
Eugenio Pizzuto recruited at 11 years old from Monclova Mexico 2013 would go onto represent the Mexican National Team
Going Pro
Academy Graduate Eugenio Pizzuto would go on to sign with Pachuca and Captain the U17 Mexican National Team
12 year old Sam Adams signing with the academy 2015
James McGarry signed a 3 year professional contract 2015
Alex Rufer signed a 2 year professional contract 2014
Joe Bell would go on to sign a professional contract with Viking FK 2020
The Phoenix Academy investment bore immediate fruit with the club signing outstanding 17-year-olds James McGarry and Logan Rogerson on three-year professional contracts. This followed on from another academy graduate Alex Rufer who signed a two-year professional contract in 2014.
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