Premier League cult hero lands worldwide function for tiny Pacific island nation

Former Premier League star Dave Kitson is now boss of a tiny Pacific island’s nationwide staff.

Kitson performed 81 instances for Reading and Stoke City within the English prime flight – however his new job is way from the glamour he loved throughout his enjoying days. Nauru, an island in Oceania, has a inhabitants of simply 12,000.

After a prolonged hiatus their Soccer Association was re-formed in 2018, however their plans of enjoying a match have been placed on maintain by the pandemic. They’ve introduced in Kitson to assist obtain their objective this yr, studies the Mirror.

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He’s going to work alongside fellow Englishman Charlie Pomroy. Nauru are certainly one of simply two nations on this planet who have not performed a global soccer match. A pleasant towards American Samoa is within the works.

Gareth Johnson, a number one determine within the plans mentioned: “If we do not play at least one match in a Nauru kit I will see 2024 as a failure.”

The Nauru Soccer Federation placed on their web site: “The Nauru Soccer Federation are delighted to announce the appointment of former Premier League star Dave Kitson as our new nationwide staff supervisor and worldwide ambassador.”

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Johnson mentioned getting Kitson on board was deliberate for some time. He shared: “I first came into contact with Dave during 2020 through our mutual interest in travel when we began discussing a few projects, one of them being Nauru. As things have quickly progressed I am now happy to be in a position to offer him the management role.”

Kitson’s ardour for the challenge was an enormous attraction. “He genuinely cares about the project. One of the reasons for such a high profile appointment is to help the game, not just in Nauru, but the whole region,” Johnson added.

Kitson began his profession as a non-league participant with Hitchin within the late Nineties and climbed up the ranks. He performed for Cambridge United earlier than being picked up by the Royals.

He was their prime scorer after they gained the Championship in a record-breaking yr in 2006. After their relegation in 2008, he left them and joined Stoke, the place he scored solely 5 instances in his two seasons. Kitson later returned to Reading, Portsmouth and Middlesbrough.

The striker hung up his boots in 2014 with Oxford United being his final membership. Kitson hasn’t had any important teaching function but, however he did begin his personal academy in October final yr. He additionally started teaching at Reading Blue Coat School, main their 1st XI to the ultimate of a nationwide cup competitors for the primary time on February 28, 2024.