City Go Double Dutch
Posted on: Sat 30 Jun 2007
City have clinched a double deal to sign Dutchmen Arjan De Zeeuw and Ellery Cairo.
Former Wigan captain De Zeeuw, 37, joins after leaving the Latics at the end of last season while winger Cairo, 28, arrives from German Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin.
Both players have agreed one-year contracts and manager Iain Dowie believes they will prove excellent additions to his squad.
Says Dowie: "Arjen is a model professional and is a hugely experienced player while Ellery has pace to burn and will provide some much-needed width to the side.
"I'm sure both players have what it takes to be very competitive at this level and they add more quality to the squad."
De Zeeuw, an uncompromising central defender, boasts a wealth of top-level experience having skippered Barnsley, Wigan and Portsmouth in the Premiership.
He earned cult status amongst all three sets of supporters and began his career in Holland with Telstar before joining Barnsley for £250,000 in 1995.
After more than 150 appearances for the Tykes, he moved across the Pennines to sign for Wigan in 1999 and clocked up another century of appearances before switching to Portsmouth in 2002.
He played a major role as Portsmouth won promotion from the Championship and then cemented their place in the Premiership before a return to Wigan followed during the summer of 2005.
Right-footed wide-man Cairo made his name in his homeland with Feyenoord, scoring five goals in 28 appearances either side of a productive spell with second-tier outfit Excelsior Rotterdam.
He moved to FC Twente Enschede in 2000 and scored 12 goals in three seasons for the club before moving to the Bundesliga with SC Frieburg and then Hertha Berlin in 2005.
Former Wigan captain De Zeeuw, 37, joins after leaving the Latics at the end of last season while winger Cairo, 28, arrives from German Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin.
Both players have agreed one-year contracts and manager Iain Dowie believes they will prove excellent additions to his squad.
Says Dowie: "Arjen is a model professional and is a hugely experienced player while Ellery has pace to burn and will provide some much-needed width to the side.
"I'm sure both players have what it takes to be very competitive at this level and they add more quality to the squad."
De Zeeuw, an uncompromising central defender, boasts a wealth of top-level experience having skippered Barnsley, Wigan and Portsmouth in the Premiership.
He earned cult status amongst all three sets of supporters and began his career in Holland with Telstar before joining Barnsley for £250,000 in 1995.
After more than 150 appearances for the Tykes, he moved across the Pennines to sign for Wigan in 1999 and clocked up another century of appearances before switching to Portsmouth in 2002.
He played a major role as Portsmouth won promotion from the Championship and then cemented their place in the Premiership before a return to Wigan followed during the summer of 2005.
Right-footed wide-man Cairo made his name in his homeland with Feyenoord, scoring five goals in 28 appearances either side of a productive spell with second-tier outfit Excelsior Rotterdam.
He moved to FC Twente Enschede in 2000 and scored 12 goals in three seasons for the club before moving to the Bundesliga with SC Frieburg and then Hertha Berlin in 2005.
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