Nigel Boogaard has re-signed with Adelaide United for a further two years.
Nigel Boogaard has re-signed with Adelaide United for a further two years.
Following negotiations, the 25-year-old defender, whose contract was set to end at the conclusion of United-s AFC Champions League campaign, put pen to paper to extend his time at the Reds until the end of the 2013/14 season.
“A bit of security is always good and it-s pleasing to put it behind me now and be able to concentrate on football,” Boogaard said.
“I always had plans to stay and continue my time here and am glad that we have been able to work something out.”
“I-m looking forward to the rest of the AFC Champions League and feel with the squad we have, hopefully we can finish the campaign off well and take this success into next season.”
Since John Kosmina took charge of the Reds back in December, Boogaard has only missed one of the club-s past 22 games, the former Australian Under 23 representative becoming a linchpin in United-s defence.
“I-m really happy to have Nigel stay on for another two seasons, he-s gone from strength to strength in the last couple of months and he-s been really instrumental in our success in the Asian Champions League,” Kosmina said.
“If we get him fit I think he can be a real asset to the club and I think he has shown that in the last couple of months.”
Indeed Boogaard has been a key figure in the Reds- AFC Champions League campaign. He scored the crucial first goal in Tashkent against Bunyodkor in Match Day 1 and has been part of a Reds defence that has conceded just only two goals in five games.
But according to Kosmina, Boogaard-s value to the squad is not only limited to his football talent, the defender with 87 Hyundai A-League appearances to his name, which includes 55 in four seasons for the Central Coast Mariners, having also brought a strong and positive presence around the playing group.
“He-s a leader, he-s a really good club man and I think that was shown when he picked up the Best Team Man Award at the Presentation Night recently,” Kosmina said.
“He-s a player that is there for his team mates and for the club and that-s important in this day and age.”
Boogaard made the move from Gosford to join the Reds in June 2010, although he received a setback in his first season at the club after suffering a serious ankle injury in a training mishap just one game in, which saw him miss a large portion of the Hyundai A-League 2010/11 season.
However, once he started back playing, he has proven himself as a valuable addition and on field leader for the Reds.
Boogaard-s signing takes the Reds- player roster for next season to 22, just one shy of the maximum 23 permitted for each Hyundai A-League club.
