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Media Kit: Archived Press Releases
New Top-Class English Defender Set to Make His Debut to Bolster Defense
June 21, 2006The New Orleans Shell Shockers this weekend play two games in two days against the team ranked the second best in the States last year.
At Muss Bertolino Stadium in Kenner at 7:30 pm on both Friday and Saturday they host the El Paso Patriots, the side who last season only lost the national championship on penalty kicks.
Set to make his debut is 20-year-old central defender Nick Beasant from England who will join up with the squad for the first time on Thursday. Beasant has experience of soccer at the very highest level as he trained as a schoolboy with current English Premier League champions Chelsea for nine years. He has also played at English league teams Wycombe Wanderers, Barnet and Brentford.
Head Coach Kenny Farrell is hopeful his ability and experience will strengthen the back four and help cut down on the mistakes and lack of concentration which have cost goals this season.
He said: “I will be making some changes to the formation to try and stop the breakaway goals we have conceded too many times this year. I want to flood the midfield with five men so there is always someone holding in a defensive position if the other side counter-attack.
“Despite our results so far this campaign I believe we can beat every team in the league, and if we can just play like we did in Austin recently when we scored three goals in seven minutes then we can win any game.”
Forward Eric Diaz returns from a three-match suspension after being sent-off against the DFW Tornados on June 3, but the Shell Shockers will be without goalkeeper Dustyn Brim who was red-carded last week against the Nashville Metros. First-choice keeper Fred Mince will start despite not being fully recovered from a damaged cartilage.
He will have to be at his best to shut out Patriots’ striker Daniel Frías who was voted the top player in the league last season, and who has already scored against the Shell Shockers when he appeared as a second-half substitute in El Paso in May.
Farrell added: “He is a lethal finisher and a class above the level of the league, so the defense will have to be on their toes for the full 90 minutes.”