The Marquette men’s soccer team announced it signed four players to its recruiting class for the 2011 season, including three international players.
The recruit with the best chance to see significant playing time, according to associate head coach Stan Anderson, is Axel Sjoberg.
The 6-foot-7-inch defenseman hails from Stockholm, Sweden. Sjoberg earned Player of the Year honors in 2010 with Sollentuna United FF – a member of the Swedish second division. Sjoberg was captain of his team seven times since 2002 and named Player of the Year four times.
Junior midfielder Calum Mallace said that Sjoberg’s size – which will help on corner kicks – and experience, will give him the best chance to play this season.
“If he’s as good or has the potential like we think he does, then I’m sure he’ll get a lot of minutes back there every game if he’s playing well and stays healthy,” Mallace said.
Sjoberg, as the only defenseman in the class, has an even better chance to play early since junior defenseman Scott Miller will not return to the team. Miller, his family and doctor decided that it was in his best interest not to continue soccer activity because of his problem with concussions.
Anderson said Sjoberg’s recruitment was an “obvious” necessity given the departure of Miller, who announced his decision on Jan. 21.
“We needed somebody there to come in and either step in or provide depth,” Anderson said. “Scott Miller was a top level, MLS-caliber style player and we lost him.”
Sjoberg is joined in the class by fellow Swedish player Sebastian Jansson. The midfielder has played with Enhorna IF since the age of six and was named the top player for his age from 2004-2008 and again in 2010.
Jansson led the club in points five times and in scoring in 2006.
“Sebastian is left-footed, he’s quick (and) he has a strong acumen for the game,” coach Louis Bennett said. “I think his ability to play anywhere – left back, left midfield, left forward – that gives him a huge advantage of finding a place to play.”
Kelmend Islami is a Wisconsin native who played at South Milwaukee and is the only American player in Bennett’s class. The forward scored 43 goals in his senior year, a single-season record at South Milwaukee, and was named Woodland Conference Player of the Year in 2010 and was a two-time all-state selection.
“He’s very quick, very exciting, likes to go at players, likes to add a little bit of creativity to the attack,” Bennett said. “He’s one of those guys that other teams will tend to forget and then he pops up and puts the ball in the back of the net.”
James Nortey was born in Accra, Ghana but played at Hotchkiss in Lakeville, Conn. At Hotchkiss, the midfielder was a three-time all-state and all-region selection. He led the team in goals every year but his junior season.
“He has a discipline and an understanding of the game that will give us a characteristic up front so that we can start getting the same kind of success we’ve had at the back as we do up front,” Bennett said. “He’s another forward that we expect to make and take goals.”
Bennett said all four players were brought in for a specific purpose.
“We went sport fishing rather than fishing with a net,” Bennett said. “Sport fishing is specific people for specific positions and we needed specific positions filled and a specific type of player.”
