PETALING JAYA: For a player who won the AFC Cup with A-League side Central Coast Mariners last year, Australian striker Dylan Wenzel-Halls was expected to join a top club in his first playing stint abroad.
But the 26-year-old surprised many by opting for Penang, a team sitting in mid table of the Super League.
Wenzel-Halls could have attracted the interest of bigger clubs but he settled for the Islanders to embrace the challenge of fighting for a smaller club and helping them move up the league.
‘’This will be a good test for me in my first stint playing outside of Australia. I like the challenge of playing for a side that are fighting their way up. So it’s going to be an exciting experience,’’ he said.
With the Panthers, who are lying seventh in the league, the nippy Wenzel-Halls is expected to partner Brazilian striker Rodrigo Dias upfront, where they will be fed by industrious playmaker Neto Oliveira.
He believes he has the right style of play to complement the two Brazilians.
“I’m an energetic and lively player who’s always out to score goals. I also won’t hesitate to take on players and have a crack at goal.’’
Wenzel-Halls made his professional debut in 2014, when he was just 17, for Australian club Olympic FC.
He want on to play for Brisbane Roar, Western United and Central Coast. In 2022, he won the A-League with Western United and the next year, he won the league again with the Mariners.
With a reputation as an AFC Cup winner, there were surprise glances when Australian striker Dylan Wenzel-Halls, decided to move to Penang as his first-ever overseas club.
The 26-year-old, who was playing for Central Coast Mariners in the A-League, decided it was time to broaden his horizons to Asia.
But selecting Penang as his next club was a surprise choice as the Islanders sit mid-table of the Super League, though showing improvements under the tutelage of young coach Akmal Rizal Rakhli.
Wenzel-Halls though is happy with the decision he made and even said it was an easy one for him.
“I have always wanted to play abroad. South-East Asia is a unique experience and I have travelled many times to Asia and have always wanted to play in Asia. I am very excited and honoured to be here,” he said.
“I have always wanted to test myself playing football in other countries and I look forward to fighting for Penang and giving my best.”
