Nigel Vanu
{{short description|Singaporean footballer}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Neil Vanu
| image = Neil Vanu.jpg
| image_size = 300
| caption = Neil Vanu in action for Woodlands Wellington in a S.League match against Geylang United at Bedok Stadium on 21 June 2012.
| fullname = Navin Neil Vanu
| height = {{height|m=1.75}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1989|08|11}}
| birth_place = Singapore
| years1 = 2010–2011
| clubs1 = Woodlands Wellington FC
| years2 = 2011–2012
| clubs2 = Courts Young Lions
| years3 = 2012
| clubs3 = Woodlands Wellington FC
| caps1 = 46
| goals1 = 1
| caps2 = 16
| goals2 = 1
| caps3 = 4
| goals3 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2011 –
| nationalteam1 = Singapore Under-23
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| position = Striker
| pcupdate =4 November 2012
}}
{{Indian name|Navin Neil|Vanu}}
Navin Neil Vanu (born Navin Nigel Vanu, 11 August 1989) is a Singaporean footballer who last played as a striker for Woodlands Wellington FC. Apart from playing as a forward, he can also operate effectively as a winger.
Club career
Having played for Geylang United and Woodlands Wellington in his youth, Neil was promoted to the senior squad of the Rams in 2010, where he made 28 appearances for the northern side in his maiden season with the senior squad. His speed and nifty footwork were soon noticed by Slobodan Pavković, the coach of the Singapore Under-23 squad and he was soon drafted into the Young Lions in the midst of the 2011 season in preparation for the 2011 Southeast Asian Games held in Indonesia later that year.{{cite web|url=http://www.courtsyounglions.com/profile/nigel_vanu.php|title=Neil Vanu's player profile in the Courts Young Lions page|publisher=Courts Young Lions}} However, his appearances were limited as he found it hard to break through the squad.
In June 2012, it was announced that Neil Vanu would return to his former club, Woodlands Wellington, during the mid-season transfer window and will be assigned the number 34 jersey.
On 21 June 2012, Neil made his re-debut for Woodlands in a match against Geylang United.{{cite web |title=No winners in bottom of the table clash |url=http://www.footballopod.com/ViewArticle.aspx?id=6606/ |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130123141235/http://www.footballopod.com/ViewArticle.aspx?id=6606/ |archivedate=23 January 2013 }}
On 23 November 2012, it was announced by Woodlands Wellington that he would not be retained for the 2013 season.{{cite web|title=Official Retain List for 2013 Season|url=http://woodlandswellingtonfc.blogspot.sg/2012/11/official-retain-list-for-2013-season.html|publisher=Woodlands Wellington Football Club}}
=Club career statistics=
{{updated|4 November 2012}}
[https://int.soccerway.com/players/navin-nigel-vanu/119810/ Navin Neil Vanu's Profile]
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||||
| colspan="2"|Club Performance
!colspan="2"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="5" rowspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| colspan="2"|Singapore
!colspan="2"|S.League !colspan="2"|Singapore Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup | ||||||||||
| |Club
!|Season !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals ! style="width:25px; background:#fe9;"|{{yel}} ! style="width:40px; background:#ff8888;"|{{sent off|2}} ! style="width:25px; background:#ff8888;"|{{sent off}} !Apps !Goals | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Woodlands Wellington
|2010 |9 (19) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (2) | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 10 (21) | 1 |
| 2011
|12 (6) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 12 (6) | 1 |
| rowspan="2"|Courts Young Lions
|2011 |9 (1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 (1) | 1 |
| 2012
|1 (5) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 (5) | 0 |
| rowspan="1"|Woodlands Wellington
|2012 |3 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 (1) | 0 |
:All numbers encased in brackets signify substitute appearances.
International career
Neil is probably most remembered for being sent off in the Singapore Under-23 team's SEA Games Group A match against Indonesia. He got a red card in the 23rd minute of the match after picking up his second yellow for hitting an Indonesian player while they were tussling for the ball.{{cite web|url=http://redsports.sg/2011/11/11/sea-games-football-singapore-indonesia/|title=SEA Games Football: 10-man Singapore go down 0–2 to Indonesia|publisher=Redsports}} He has since apologised publicly for the incident.
Neil also left a huge impression by coming on as a substitute against Cambodia and scoring the winner in the 74th minute of the match with a firm header off Yasir Hanapi's cross.{{cite web|url=http://redsports.sg/2011/11/09/sea-games-football-singapore-cambodia/|title=SEA Games Football: Singapore labour to beat Cambodia 2–1|publisher=Redsports}}
=International appearances for U23 teams=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||
| style="background:beige"
!National team !Year !Apps !Goals | ||
| Singapore U23
|2011 | 2 | 1 |
| style="background:beige"
!colspan="2"|Career total !2 | 1 |
=International goals=
| class="wikitable"
|+ ! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition | ||||||
| 1. | 9 November 2011 | Senayan Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia | {{flagicon|Cambodia}} Cambodia | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2011 Southeast Asian Games |
| colspan="12"|Updated 1 July 2012 |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vanu, Nigel}}
Category:Singaporean men's footballers
Category:Woodlands Wellington FC players
Category:Singapore Premier League players
Category:Singaporean people of Tamil descent
Category:Singaporean sportspeople of Indian descent
Category:Men's association football forwards