'Gee' adds grease lightning

By ANENDRA SINGH | 7th November 2009

Grease is the word simply because it's got groove, it's got meaning.

It's also the time, the place and it's got meaning - singer Frankie Valli knew all that way back in the seventies.

Well, "Gee", you may well ask. How on earth will that reverse the fortunes of Hawke's Bay United soccer this season?

According to head coach Matt Chandler, the source of that grease lightning in the engine room will come from his latest signing, George "Gee" Barbarouses.

The 21-year-old Wellington Olympic midfielder was to arrive in Hastings tonight before watching the Bay boys take on Otago tomorrow.

The older brother of Wellington Phoenix player, Kosta, 19, will live here with his uncle, Stelios Barbarouses, of Hastings, who is also a painter, and work for him over the New Zealand Football Championship season this summer.

"Hopefully, we'll have more Greeks coming our way from Wellington now," an excited Chandler told SportToday.

Kiwi-born Barbarouses' parents, Nick and Penny, from a "small village outside of Athens", settled in the country more than two decades ago.

A knee injury last NZFC season saw George Barbarouses spend his summer in Greece but this season the former Team Wellington midfielder found himself chewing his nails waiting for a chance to play.

"No one had approached me and I thought that's it for summer and that's not ideal but then Matt came along.

"He gave me the opportunity and was keen so he put some faith in me and I want to repay that faith now," the member of the Chatham Cup-winning Olympic team said last night.

Barbarouses played with Kosta for Team Wellington when former Napier City Rovers coach Mick Waitt was head coach and later and his successor, Stu Jacobs.

He rued Olympics finishing runner-up for last winter's Central League title.

"I like to run with the ball and create stuff. I'm more of an attacking midfielder so I like to pick up the ball and distribute it to the guys up front," said Barbarouses also doubles as a striker but emphasised he was equally adept at defending.

Every team needs a midfielder in the mould of former Korean import Woo Jae Kim and, if Barbarouses fits that profile, then he may well be what is needed to put the Bay on their front foot after a 4-2 away defeat at the hands of Waikato United last Sunday.

Said Barbarouses: "I'm all good [fitness wise] and touch wood it'll stay that way. I hope to get involved and if I get on to the field on Sunday then I'll be very happy and try to do my best."

Chandler said he had persevered with Barbarouses who had eventually agreed to sign up.

"He's a midfielder who'll give us bite and some craft," said the Englishman, seeking his first win as head coach.