Ironmen ink 2005-06 MVP Adauto Neto
October 2, 2008 - Xtreme Soccer League (XSL)
New Jersey Ironmen News Release
Newark, N.J. (Thursday, October 2, 2008)- The second-year New Jersey Ironmen became much more experienced today when the team announced the signing of 2005-06 MVP Adauto Neto. The Brazilian striker, highly regarded as one of the top players in the indoor game, officially became a member of the Ironmen when he put the ink to his contract at a press event today at Prudential Center in Newark.
"Neto is the type of player that can turn a game on its head in an instant," Ironmen Head Coach Omid Namazi excitedly stated about the signing. "Anytime he touches the ball, he becomes dangerous to the opposition, and I am thrilled to have him here in New Jersey."
This marks the second time that Namazi and Neto have linked together. Namazi was the head coach of the Cleveland Force in Neto's rookie season of 2003-04, something that the Itabuna, Brazil, native still remembers vividly.
"I played with Omid in Cleveland, and he is the person that taught me how to play indoor," Neto reflected. "A lot of the things that I know today came from him. I like his style of coaching, and I look forward to playing with him again."
Neto has garnered the reputation as a dominant offensive player, and rightfully so. In his 137 game career (including playoffs), he has tallied 106 goals and 72 assists. Unlike most offensive juggernauts in professional sports today, he possesses another aspect in his game that impresses Namazi most.
"He sets an example on the field in being an offensive threat that hustles back on defense," the two-time Coach of the Year said. "When players see their best offensive player on the field hustle back to play defense, that kind of effort permeates to everyone and raises the level of the entire team."
Additionally, there is another feature that the University of Mobile graduate has that holds much importance in the eyes of Namazi.
"Neto is a team player," he concluded. "You may surround him with a few role players, but he's the type of player that will also take on a role when it is needed. He will do whatever it takes to win."
Winning has obviously been a persistent characteristic of Neto over the years. The three-time NAIA Division 1 All-American has two league titles under his belt, including a championship last season while playing with the Baltimore Blast.
"I'm not coming to New Jersey to look fancy," Neto commented. "I'm coming here because I believe in the coach, team and organization. I'm coming here to work hard for my team, and hopefully, we can win a championship."
Neto debuts in the Maroon and Mandarin at Prudential Center on Sunday, December 14th, when the Ironmen open up their sophomore campaign at 4:00 p.m. against the Chicago Storm. Don't miss out on the action! Call 1-800-IRONMEN today to see the Ironmen embark upon their mission of bringing a championship to the Garden State!
Xtreme Soccer League Stories from October 2, 2008
- Ironmen ink 2005-06 MVP Adauto Neto - New Jersey Ironmen
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