Jai Ingham

Jai Emile Mau'u Ingham (born 14 August 1993) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Brisbane Roar.[2] Born in Australia and of New Zealand and Samoan descent, Ingham represents the New Zealand national football team internationally.

Jai Ingham
Ingham playing for Melbourne Victory in a friendly match against Port Melbourne, 9 August 2016
Personal information
Full name Jai Emile Mau'u Ingham
Date of birth (1993-08-14) 14 August 1993
Place of birth Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Club information
Current team
 Brisbane Roar
Number 7
Youth career
2013–2014 Brisbane Roar
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Olympic FC 23 (14)
2013–2014 Brisbane Roar NPL 11 (13)
2014–2015 Brisbane Roar 1 (0)
2015–2016 Hume City 26 (9)
2016–2019 Melbourne Victory 52 (4)
2019 Central Coast Mariners 0 (0)
2019– Brisbane Roar 9 (0)
National team‡
2017– New Zealand 4 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25 August 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 24 December 2018

Career

Olympic FC

Ingham started his career with Olympic FC seniors in the National Premier League while training to be an electrician.[3] In July 2013, he was picked as one of Australia's top eight players outside the A-League.[4] Selected in the QLD NPL football team of the year 2013.

Brisbane Roar

At the beginning of the 2013–14 National Youth League, Ingham joined Brisbane Roar's youth side.[5][6] Scoring 13 goals in 11 appearances. Including a second half hat-trick that secured victory over Adelaide.[7]

On 24 January 2014, Ingham debuted for the senior team, coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute of a 2–1 victory over Wellington Phoenix.[8]

Hume City

Ingham drew positive reactions while at National Premier Leagues Victoria side Hume City during the 2015 FFA Cup.

Melbourne Victory

Ingham trained with Melbourne Victory for a month ahead of the 2016 January transfer window and was signed as the club's first use of the Mature Age Rookie salary cap allowance.[9] Ingham made his debut for Melbourne Victory against the Central Coast Mariners on 8 January 2016, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute for Fahid Ben Khalfallah in an eventual 3–3 draw.[10]

Ingham made his first start for Melbourne Victory in their opening 2016 AFC Champions League match against Shanghai SIPG F.C. on 24 February 2016, in what was only his third appearance for the club. During the match, he scored his first goal for the club, scoring in the 31st minute in an eventual 2–1 win. He then went on to make his first A-League starting appearance on 6 March against the Central Coast Mariners, setting up both Besart Berisha and Fahid Ben Khalfallah for goals and was voted best on ground in a 2–0 win at Central Coast Stadium. Ingham scored the equaliser against Juventus F.C. in a pre-2016–17 A-League season friendly match at the MCG. Ingham scored his first A-League goal for Melbourne Victory on 12 November 2016, against the Western Sydney Wanderers, in an eventual 3–0 win.

Ingham has an impressive AFC Champions League record for Melbourne Victory with 9 appearances 3 goals and 1 assist. Due to this Fox Sports commentator Andy Harper gave him the nickname "The Asian Specialist," after his third goal in Asian Champions League against Chinese giants Guangzhou Evergrande, April 22nd 2019.

Ingham was released by Melbourne Victory at the conclusion of the 2018–19 A-League season.[11][12][13]

Central Coast Mariners

In June 2019, Ingham joined Central Coast Mariners on a two-year contract among a host of signings under new coach Alen Stajcic. [14]

Return to Brisbane Roar

In August 2019, less than 2 months after signing with Central Coast Mariners, Ingham negotiated a mutual contract release with the club and joined Brisbane Roar.[15]

International career

In May 2016, Ingham was named to the Samoan national squad for the 2016 OFC Nations Cup[16] however he did not travel to Papua New Guinea for the tournament and was listed as an absentee.[17]

In March 2017, Ingham was called up to the New Zealand national squad for World Cup qualifiers, along with his brother Dane.[18] He made his debut on 28 March 2017 against Fiji.[19]

Personal life

Jai is the cousin of Samoan international Johnny Hall[20] and brother of Perth Glory player Dane Ingham.[21] In addition to holding an Australian passport, Ingham also holds Samoan and New Zealand passports,[22][23] as he has a Samoan-New Zealand mother and an Australian father.

Honours

Club
Melbourne Victory

References
  1. "Jai Ingham". melbournevictory.com.au. Melbourne Victory FC. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  2. "Jai Ingham". Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  3. Heslehurst, Brayden (30 May 2013). "Gun teen provides spark for Olympic". City South News.
  4. Dorman, Matt (12 July 2013). "Ingham & Carroll Best Outside A-League". Football Queensland.
  5. "Olympic's Ingham Set For Roar Debut". Olympic FC. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  6. "Roar name NYL squad". Football Federation Australia. 24 October 2013.
  7. "Brisbane sink 10-man Adelaide with late winner". y-league.com.au. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  8. "Brisbane Roar vs. Wellington Phoenix". Soccerway. 24 January 2014.
  9. Victory signs Hume City winger Jai Ingham Melbourne Victory FC Official Website, 6 January 2016
  10. "Central Coast Mariners 3–3 Melbourne Victory". ALeague Stats. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  11. "VICTORY SEVER TIES WITH VISA STARS". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  12. Lynch, Michael. "Baema, Niedermeier and Ingham depart Victory". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  13. "Rebuilding Victory shed Baena, Niedermeier, Ingham". The World Game. Special Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  14. "Four additions to the Mariners squad". Central Coast Mariners. Football Federation Australia. 21 June 2019.
  15. Bossi, Dominic (1 August 2019). "Roar deal: Mariners' recruit set to skip town before season begins". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  16. Huckert, Mathias. "Prepared for P.N.G." Samoa Observer. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  17. "SAM 0–8 PNG". Oceania Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 3 August 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  18. "Hudson names his strongest squad". New Zealand Football. 9 March 2017. Archived from the original on 10 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  19. Pine, Jason (29 March 2017). "Football: All Whites power rankings". The New Zealand Herald.
  20. Stamocostas, Con. "Hume City flyer aims to outgun Cannons". Four Four Two. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  21. Gareth Morgan (18 July 2020). "Ingham strike fires Glory to victory". Perth Glory FC. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  22. "Melbourne Victory attacker could play for New Zealand in Confederations Cup". Sporting News. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  23. Huguenin, Michael. "Victory's Ingham eligible for New Zealand". goal.com. Retrieved 24 February 2017.

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