Stephen Kenny hopes new signing Max Mata can force his way into the New Zealand squad for next summer’s World Cup.
Max Mata in action for New Zealand against Ireland’s Andrew Omobamidele and Shane Duffy(Image: Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
St Patrick’s Athletic have swooped for former Sligo Rovers striker Max Mata – and manager Stephen Kenny has urged the striker to get into the “conversation” for New Zealand’s World Cup squad next summer.
The 14-time capped international has returned to the League of Ireland to join a Saints side that has lost teenager Mason Melia to Tottenham.
Mata (25) had a successful spell at Sligo Rovers, scoring nine goals in 2022 and 12 in just 24 appearances in 2023, before his move to Shrewsbury Town.
He was most recently at Auckland Town on-loan, but has now made a permanent switch back to the League of Ireland, subject to a work permit and international clearance.
Kenny said: “At 25, we are getting Max at a good time in his career. He is a traditional number 9, who has a high work ethic and will lead the line and bring a physical presence to the team.
“Max is a different profile to what we’ve had in that position, he’s strong, links the play really well, attacks crosses and scores headed goals.
“Being part of a team that won the Australian A League is a huge success story. Max is a full New Zealand international, and played against Ireland at The Aviva a couple of years ago.
“It’s a World Cup year too, now that he’s come back from the injury that saw him miss the last couple of squads, he will be highly motivated to make a big contribution here at St Patrick’s Athletic to be in the World Cup conversation.
“Max has recent experience of playing in and scoring in the League of Ireland which is important, we feel he will be a really good team player who will make a positive impact here.”
Mata expressed his delight at returning to the League of Ireland.
“I’m really excited to have signed for a big club like St Pat’s, obviously I’ve played in the League of Ireland before and Pat’s have always been a club that I enjoyed playing against, home and away.
“I’m really looking forward to getting started and hopefully scoring loads of goals.
“I know the League quite well having played there before, so I’m familiar with many of the teams, players and stadiums so that bit of familiarity for me was a big reason for wanting to come back to Ireland, connecting back up with Aidan Keena after our time together in Sligo was another big pull factor for me.
“I’ve had some really good, promising conversations with the people at the club over the last while, we’ve discussed how we want to play and how I’ll fit in and it seems like the right move for me.
“The club is ambitious, The manager is ambitious and I feel we’ve got a really good group of people to push in the right direction.
“Playing at Pat’s as an away player was always a good experience and I enjoyed playing at Richmond Park, the fans get pretty rowdy which is exciting of course, it will be bit of a different experience for me now being a Saint so I’m really looking forward to that and getting going with my new teammates in the new year.”
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