Costa Barbarouses

Age 17
Club Wellington
League NZFC
Position Striker

------------------------------------

The secret is out. Team Wellington’s Costa Barbarouses is the hottest young talent in New Zealand, according to the country’s coaches.

The striker, who’s just turned 17, has all the hallmarks of a star man in the New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC).

Playing the last eight matches in 2006/07 and all the games so far this season, Barbarouses has become Team Wellington’s go-to man. Former All White coach Mick Waitt is effusive about his young charge.

“Physically he is well up to this league with his astonishing pace and broad strength – he looks and is an athlete,” says Waitt. “What he also has is natural skill and flair. Costa can burn any fullback over five or 10 metres and has a first touch that allows him to set himself up early for any option. In a one-on-one, you back him.”

For a player whose favourite book is the Bible, perhaps it’s no surprise that Barbarouses is being spoken of as NZ football’s Second Coming.

“I’ve absolutely no doubt he can make the grade as one of the U20 players in an A-League squad,” assesses Ricki Herbert, the All-Whites coach and likely coach of a Wellington A-League franchise.

Herbert coached Barbarouses in the Kiwi U17s, where on a trip to South America last October the young gun shone against the likes of Chile and Peru, upsetting the Peruvians 2-0. Barbarouses also recently captained the NZ U17s and netted seven times against Tahiti U17 in two games.

Auckland City defender Riki Van Steeden, who plays against Barbarouses in the NZFC, reckons the forward is one of the best talents to come out of the country in a long time. “There’s a massive vibe surrounding him.”

The A-League surely cannot be far off for Barbarouses, especially if his home city of Wellington gets the nod for the Kiwi A-League franchise in season three.