West Ham United and Newcastle United arrive this weekend for the highly anticipated Carlsberg Football United New Zealand Tour 2014.
In a historic event that will see four teams playing four games across three New Zealand cities, the excitement escalates as the teams hit New Zealand soil.
West Ham arrives in Auckland on Saturday with some of the most exciting football names to ever appear in New Zealand.
Included in their squad is New Zealand All Whites captain Winston Reid as well as established stars in Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan, Mark Noble, Carlton Cole, Stewart Downing, Ricardo Vaz Te and Jussi Jaaskelainen.
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has been given significant funds in the transfer window to bolster his squad ahead of the 14/15 Premier League and many of these will on show for the first time in New Zealand.
This includes Argentinian Mauro Zarate who was top scorer in Argentina Primera League last season, Diego Poyet a 19 year old midfielder signed from Charlton Athletic and Cheikhou Kouyate, a 24 box to box midfielder from Anderlecht.
Newcastle United arrive Sunday in Dunedin and will boast a host of world class players.
World Cup stars Mathieu Debuchy and Tim Krul are on World Cup leave, but Ivory Coast’s World Cup player Cheick Tiote is making the trip.
Dome said Newcastle’s team will be an exciting team to watch.
“Newcastle is bringing a star studded team including captain Fabricio Coloccini and Cheick Tiote – who played for Ivory Coast at the World Cup – joining exciting new signings Emmanuel Riviera and Siem De Jong who last season was captain of Dutch champions Ajax.
“They are also bringing new signings including Ayoze Perez a 20 year old striker from Tenerife and Emmanuel Riviere another new striker from Monaco who scored 10 goals last season.”
A-League glamour side Sydney will be bringing with them their first team line up including their All White, ex-Phoenix player and fan favourite, Shane Smeltz.
The Phoenix also announced that fans for the Eden Park match get Auckland Transport bus and train travel included free in their match day ticket.
Bus – travel on special event buses is included in your game ticket. Services operate to Eden Park from Northern Busway stations, Manukau, Botany, Pakuranga, Newmarket, Mt Eden and Takapuna.
Train – travel on trains from three hours prior to game kick off until the end of service with game ticket.
Ferry – the Downtown Ferry Terminal is next to the Britomart Transport Centre in Downtown Auckland.
West Ham United: Kevin Nolan (captain), Mark Noble (vice captain), Winston Reid, Aaron Cresswell, James Tomkins, Matt Jarvis, Cheikhou Kouyate, Andy Carroll, Mauro Zarate, Stewart Downing, Ricardo Vaz Te, Adrian, Jey O’Brien. James Collins, Guy Demel, Diego Poyet, Carlton Cole, Daniel Potts, Sam Howes, Daniel Whitehead, Matthias Fanimo, Leo Chambers.
Newcastle United: Fabricio Coloccini (captain), Chiek Tiote (co-vice captain), Siem De Jong (co-vice captain), Rolando Aarons, Mehdi Abeid, Jak Alnwick, Sam Ameobi, Vurnon Anita, Adam Armstrong, Adam Campbell, Jack Colback, Paul Dummett, Robert Elliott, Yoan Gouffran, Massaido Haidara, Ayoze Gutierrez, Lubomir Satka, Ryan Taylor, Steven Taylor, Haris Vuckic, Micheal Williamson, Frederick Woodman, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa
Sydney FC: Ivan Necevski, Sebastian Ryall, Sasa Ogenovski, Pedj Bojic, Matthew Jurman, Nikola Petkovic, Corey Gameiro, Milos Dimitrjevic, Shane Smeltz, Bernie Ibini-Isei, Hagi Gilgor, Alex Brosque, Terry Antonis, Peter Triantis, Nick Carle, Vedran Janjetovic, Daniel Petkovski, Ali Abbas, Rhyan Grant, Aarpon Calver, Alex Gersbach, Christopher Naumoff, Max Burgess
At A Glance
- Newcastle United v Sydney FC, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, Tuesday July 22, 7.30pm
- Wellington Phoenix v West Ham United, Eden Park, Auckland, Wednesday July 23, 7.30pm
- Sydney FC v West Ham United and Wellington Phoenix v Newcastle United, Westpac Stadium Wellington, July 26.
- Tickets available through Ticketek for the Wellington and Auckland events, and TicketDirect for Dunedin.
