Los Angeles Blues News Release -- www.labluesprosoccer.com
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
FULLERTON, Calif. – The Blues are excited to announce they have brought on Canadian defender Ladislas Bushiri for the 2012 USL PRO season, pending league approval. The 26-year-old joins the Fullerton-based club after last plying his trade for Persitara Jakarta Utara in the Indonesian top flight. Born in Congo, Bushiri has earned multiple caps with the African nation at the U-16, U-18 and U-20 levels.
In addition to the obvious upsides that come with a 6-foot-4 frame, the newest member of the Blues roster possesses skills that had the coaching staff in for a pleasant surprise during his week-long trial back in November.
“Of course, the first thing that stands out about Ladi is his physical presence,” Associate Head Coach Shayon Jalayer said. “He’s tall, strong and very good in the air, which should help us take care of one of our main weaknesses from last season – our vulnerability on set pieces. Having Ladi on the field will just give us an added security blanket in that regard.
“At the same time, we need more than just the grunt type of defender who can win tackles and headers. Ladi fits the bill perfectly because he also has very soft feet and knows how to play our style. We expect him to win balls defensively and then start the attack with smart distributions to the midfield.”
Bushiri started his career in 2004 with Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL) outfit St. Anthony Italia before donning the jersey of the Premier Development League’s Ottawa Fury from 2005 to 2007. After his time in the Canadian capital, the mild-mannered defender attracted the interest of German Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg, who signed him and sent him on a season-long loan to Arminia Bielefeld.
Having subsequently played in Indonesia for two years, Bushiri is excited to be returning to North America and determined to do whatever it takes to help his new club succeed.
“I decided to sign with the Blues because they showed a lot of interest in me and the coaches were very clear on what they expect,” he said. “That’s the kind if environment I was looking for to keep improving my game and move my career forward. In addition, both the coaches and everyone in the front office have been very warm and social and communicate well with the players. That has really made me feel welcome.
“My individual goals come after those of the team. All of us here should be working to realize the common goals we share as a unit. The biggest ones are winning the league and advancing as far as possible in the U.S. Open Cup. If I can contribute to those in a meaningful way, I will have accomplished my personal objectives for the year.”