Nelson Suburbs welcome Guardiola back into the fold
Nelson Suburbs will be hoping to see the ‘‘happy’’ side of Omar Guardiola this season.
The former Nelson Marlborough Falcons fan favourite has signed with Nelson Suburbs for the upcoming Mainland Premier League season and while he describes his style in one word: ‘‘happy’’, it’s the unhappy Guardiola that showed his face in his final outing for the Falcons.
The talented Colombian was shown the door by coach Davor Tavich after receiving a red card for violent conduct during an ASB Youth League match back in the 2013/14 season. He hit out at an opposition player and he was cut for the rest of the season.
‘‘As a coach I take discipline seriously, and all the Falcon players were warned at the beginning of the season about being red carded for such behaviour,’’ Tavich said at the time.
But Tavich never had any problem with Guardiola the person or the player, only his action, and he has welcomed him with open arms now that he is the cocoach of Nelson Suburbs.
The 20-year-old arrives in Nelson via a stint with Wairarapa United in the Central Premier League and a season with Heartland Wairarapa in the ASB Youth League.
He said he was looking forward to the challenge of the Mainland Premier League and was expecting it to be more physical than what he experienced playing in Wellington’s top division.
‘‘It’s going to be a new league and I can’t wait to play. I think it’s a lot more different to Wellington. It’s a lot more physical. It did suit me more [up there], playing faster is better,’’ the former Marlborough Boys’ College first XI player said.
As for his own personal expectations? ‘‘I’m looking forward to scoring my first goal and to bring more goals to Suburbs. It’s nice working with Davor again, to be playing for the same coach. He knows me pretty well and he knows what’s best for me.’’
There is no shortage of attacking options in the Nelson Suburbs squad this year and player/co-coach Ben Wright, who is likely to lead the line once again, was looking forward to having Guardiola alongside him.
‘‘It’s going to be a new challenge for Omar and he’s an exciting player that on his day he can turn games in moments. We’re hoping that he can produce some good form and have a good season,’’ Wright said.
‘‘Omar, like anyone else, has to buy in with what we’re doing, but at the moment he’s working hard and he’s aware that he needs to get a little bit fitter, which he’s doing, and we’re hoping by the start of the season he’ll be ready to go and he’ll add something different that’s for sure.
‘‘He’ll have freedom in the final third to do his thing. We know he’s got the talent, he’s just got to go out there and produce it now.’’
Though he couldn’t get one over the Falcons when he was with Heartland Wairarapa, Guardiola said he was happy to see his former team take the title. ‘‘I was happy for them. It was something we worked so hard towards and I’m happy they did it.’’