Singular goal for new Suburbs imports

New Suburbs’ international imports Dauntae Mariner and Trevin Myers have one thing on their minds as they enter the new season.

“Making the National League is really the goal,” says Daunte.

“I really hate losing,” says Trevin.

The pair, who both play anywhere in the attacking midfield, are excited to put their skills to the test on foreign soil.

While Trevin, a Florida native, has experience in the Southern League after a season last year with the since-relegated Green Island, it’s Dauntae’s first time playing in New Zealand after several years in Australia.

“I’m just going to take it as it comes. I don’t have expectations,” says Dauntae.

“It’s a case of preparing for the worst but hoping for the best, in terms of difficulty.”

Having spent several seasons bouncing around the fringes of the A-League and two years playing professionally in Portugal, he says it’s exciting to have a chance to showcase his skills.

Trevin’s first professional stint was last season with Green Island, having previously played division 1 NCAA football with Florida Gulf State University.

“I love the way the Suburbs play,” he says.

“At Green Island, it was more of a long ball and kicking it long, but I prefer having more of a strategy.”

He says the way Suburbs play is a much more appealing brand of football that suits his game better, having decided as a teenager to pursue the sport as a career as he started to consider ways to attend further education while still at high school.

Having returned home to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with family before returning ahead of preseason training, Trevin says it’s also exciting to be in a city with a bit of a warmer climate.

With Daunte arriving last week, the pair say they’re looking forward to getting into training and learning the ropes of their new team.

“In the next couple of weeks, we’ll split off into teams and work a bit more. But, everyone’s being eased on, which is nice,” says Dauntae.

Their Southern League campaign will kick off in March, with the team also scheduled to take on the Chatham Cup, which traditionally starts in May.