Full name Manjrekar James 2003–2009 North York Azzuri Place of birth Roseau, Dominica Name Manjrekar James | Role Soccer Player Number 25 Height 1.91 m | |
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Date of birth (1993-08-05) 5 August 1993 (age 22) Current teams Diosgyori VTK (#25 / Midfielder), Canada men's national soccer team (Defender) Profiles | ||
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Manjrekar James (born August 5, 1993) is a Canadian soccer player who currently plays for Vasas and the Canada national team.
Contents
- Early life
- Youth career
- Hungary
- International career
- Career statistics
- International career statistics
- International goals
- References
Early life
James was born in Roseau, Dominica while his father was born in Pichelin and his mother was born in Grand Bay. James and his parents moved to North York, Ontario, Canada when he was nine years old.
Youth career
At age 10, James signed for North York Hearts-Azzuri youth soccer club. At age 16, James signed for Sigma FC of the Ontario Soccer League. At age 18, James went on trial with RCD Mallorca of La Liga. Although he had a successful trial at the club, James was not signed because of strict visa laws for foreign players in Spain. Following his trial at Mallorca, James went on a 10-day trial with SC Paderborn 07 of the 2. Bundesliga. During the trial, James went directly into training with the first team but was ultimately not signed.
Hungary
In mid April 2013, James went on trial with Pécsi MFC in the Nemzeti Bajnokság I, the top division of the Hungarian football league system. After several months of training with the reserve squad, James was offered a contract. James played with the reserve squad in the 3rd division and continued to train with both the reserve and senior squads. He was expected to be called into the first team for the first time in early September 2013.
James made his professional debut March 18, 2014 in a Ligakupa, the Hungarian league cup, match against Videoton FC. He then played another cup match against the same opponent on April 2, 2014. James started and played the full 90 minutes in both matches. James made his league debut for Pécsi on 18 October 2014, coming on as a late substitute for Roland Frőhlich and playing two minutes in a 0-2 defeat to Ferencvárosi. It had been two years since he joined Pécsi before he made his first-team league debut. James made his second league appearance for the club two matches later against Dunaújváros on 1 November 2014. In the match, James entered as a 75th-minute substitute for Andrej Čaušić. At the end of the season, Pécs were relegated to the Hungarian fourth division due an unstable financial situation. James and many other first team players were subsequently released.
After leaving Pécs, James signed with fellow Hungarian club Diósgyőri VTK on August 25, 2015.
James moved to fellow Hungarian side Vasas on June 8, 2016.
International career
James was called into camp with the Canada U18 squad in December 2011. In 2012 and 2013, he was again called into several camps with the U20 team in preparation for the 2013 CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Mexico. In the tournament, James made one appearance, a 2-4 defeat to the United States in which he received a red card ejection. James was called up to the senior team for the first time in May 2014 for friendlies against Bulgaria and Moldova in Austria on May 23 and 27, respectively. James received his second call up to the national team for a January 2015 camp and friendlies against Iceland. He made his debut for Canada as a starter in the first of the two friendlies on January 16, 2015. James became cap-tied to Canada on June 11, 2015 against his native Dominica. Prior to the match, James received harassment from Dominica fans. James scored his first goal for Canada against Honduras in San Pedro Sula on September 2, 2016.