Whanganui Athletic snap up talents from abroad ahead of season

Whanganui Athletic Football Club has added international talent to its roster with Ryan Noon (left), Victor Nwankwo and Dragiša Eraković. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown

Whanganui Athletic Football Club has brought in five players from abroad ahead of the 2025 season to bolster its squad.

After the appointment of head coach and director of football Aaron Folan, the club has brought in further assets to help it gain promotion.

Whanganui Athletic Football Club (WAFC) has signed up English centre-back Ryan Noon, Serbian Dragiša Eraković and Canadian Ahmed Cisse from the Prague Raptors, American forward Victor Nwankwo from Houston, Palmerston North Marist’s Zac Farmer and Moroccan-Canadian Ilias El Maakoul.

Noon, Nwankwo, Farmer and Eraković have settled into team trainings, while Cisse and El Maakoul are yet to arrive.

Folan said it has been exciting to get the first three involved in such short notice.

“It’s been brilliant, the standard in the training sessions and the professionalism that they bring to the football club is really good,” Folan said.

“I see them on a day-to-day basis and the way that they look after themselves and train – they are very vocal, intense and hard-working people.”

The internationals are helped with accommodation, job opportunities and how to settle into life in New Zealand.

Folan said getting them in was to further enhance what was already there in terms of high-quality players.

“In the league, every coach that comes in would like to add some quality players and the club were really supportive,” he said.

“We don’t pay them but we try and help them out a bit in terms of finding accommodation and jobs.

“I wanted to bring in some quality players in the forward areas – you can never have enough goals, so once we identified them we went for them.”

Whanganui Athletic Football Club first-team coach Aaron Folan has brought in talents from abroad to enhance the professionalism at the club. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown

The majority of players brought in are expected to play in forward positions. Folan hopes their wisdom and skill can be an asset for the side.

“I think they are massive for us in terms of overall quality – it gives us so many attacking options to add to the ones we already have,” he said.

“I was quite happy with the defence when I came in so Ryan [Noon] gives us an extra quality number.

“I think they can bring a whole lot with attacking flair and creativity in forward areas.”

Former Whanganui Athletic forward Zac Farmer has returned to the side after a stint at Palmerston North Marist, where he was the top goal-scorer and most valuable player for the club.

New centre-back Noon had previously played in New Zealand for Western Springs AFC and later, Melville United FC, where he met Folan and was able to connect Eraković and Cisse with the club when he played in Prague.

Noon said Folan played a role in him joining WAFC but the goals of the club aligned with his own.

“Aaron was a big part in my decision, I knew him from my time at Melville FC, but also the club were in the top division not too long ago and the aim is to get back up there so I want to be a part of something,” Noon said.

“I can bring a bit of quality with playing from the back and talking to those around me – hopefully I can chip in with a goal or two.”

For Eraković and Nwankwo, this is their first introduction to New Zealand and the country’s football scene.

They both admitted to knowing little about New Zealand football but they are eager to get stuck in.

“I didn’t know much, this is new to me but I want to know everything about the football in New Zealand and life in general,” Eraković said.

Eraković is grateful to get the opportunity to play for WAFC.

“It’s a pleasure, Ryan told me a lot of good things before I came here so I think it will be a good match for me here to upgrade my football skills and life,” he said.

“I can bring a lot of speed, I am also a fast thinker and I talk a lot.”

Speed, finishing and technique are the self-perceived threats of Nwankwo’s game, too.

El Maakoul and Cisse are set to arrive in the next few weeks ahead of the team’s first competitive game on March 29.