22-year old Olyroo Daniel Bouman has joined the Central Coast Mariners for the A-League 2020/21 season.
Bouman was part of the team that helped the Olyroos qualify for the Tokyo Olympics and had been training with Alen Stajcic’s Hyundai A-League squad throughout the season restart. He has now put pen to paper on a contract for the new season which is slated to start in December.
The Dutch-born attacking midfielder, who spent his junior years playing club football in Sydney, moved back to the Netherlands with family in 2014 and joined the Groningen youth setup in that same year.
A strong stint in the youth ranks at Groningen saw Bouman on the fringes of the first team, but a move to SC Cambuur gave him consistent experience around the senior squad and his side were on the verge of promotion before the pandemic struck.
Amazing experience to score my first goal for Australia in front of about 16,000 people! ? Great team performance to get the 1-5 win in the first match of the Dazu International Cup ⚽️? pic.twitter.com/bbOTCDrt9I
— Daniel Bouman (@dan_bouman) November 16, 2019
A move back to Australia to further his career culminated in a training stint with the Mariners and then a senior deal for the upcoming season.
“It’s massive for me, to help me move forward in my professional career,” Bouman said after signing his deal.
“It’s what any kid wants when they are younger. I always dreamed of playing football professionally and it’s a bit surreal when you think about it, that it’s become a reality from such a young age.”
“I used to watch football all the time and come to Mariners games every once in a while, so to be able to join this club is huge for me.”
“The training period has been great for me to come in and work with the team, form a relationship with Staj and learn the way they want to play.”
“The last couple of seasons here have been leaner years, but when I was younger the Mariners were always a strong team and one that was near the top, and I know that is where this club deserves to be and I want to help the Mariners to get back up there.”
Stajcic praised the youngster for his willingness to work hard and his hunger to succeed and said Bouman would be a great addition to the squad moving forward.
“Dan has spent the last few years in Holland and has had to work hard and grind himself to get to where he is now,” Stajcic said.
“He has shown a great deal of professionalism as well as a desire and hunger to succeed and that has brought him to this point.”
“Being part of the Olyroos side that secured qualification for Tokyo gives an indication of how highly regarded he is here in Australia and we’re very excited to have secured him for next season.”
Current Squad (Announced): Mark Birighitti (GK), Jack Clisby, Oliver Bozanic, Daniel DeSilva, Adam Pearce (GK), Kye Rowles, Gianni Stensness, Ruon Tongyik, Joshua Nisbet, Lewis Miller, Alou Kuol, Daniel Bouman
