Mirko Boland’s signing becomes Adelaide United’s fourth of the offseason after agreeing to a two-year contract.
The German was a club stalwart at Eintracht Braunschweig where he has played virtually the majority of his professional career at the Lions.
Boland is a composed, left-footed midfielder with an abundance of experience and will bolster the midfield for Marco Kurz.
The 31-year-old can be deployed anywhere in the midfield – on the left, in a more holding role or even in an advanced position. He is known for his box-to-box attributes and his long-range shooting ability.
Born in April 1987, Boland started his youth career with SV Rees, before moving to Schalke 04 and then MSV Duisburg.
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While at Duisburg he played 74 games and scored eight goals for the Reserves between 2006 and 2009, and earned his first senior contract in 2008.
But after a lack of first-team opportunities, he joined 3. Liga outfit Braunschweig in January 2009.
After two-and-a-half years with the club, he helped secure promotion to the second division.
And following a further two years in 2. Bundesliga, Braunschweig gained promotion to the top-flight for the first time in 28 years, after finishing the 2012/13 season as runners-up.
That season, Boland netted a then career league-high four goals in 30 matches, while contributing five assists.
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Boland would also feature regularly during the 2013/14 Bundesliga season – his only experience of top-tier football. He started in 29 of the 33 matches he appeared in, notching five assists, with his only goal coming in a 4-1 loss against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Braunschweig were relegated at the end of the season, but Boland remained loyal with the club based in Lower Saxony.
He spent the next four years there and continued to be a mainstay before departing the side at the end of the most recent campaign.
During his time with Braunschweig he accumulated a total of 29 goals and 37 assists in 307 matches.
Adelaide United host Central Coast Mariners in the Round of 32 of the FFA Cup 2018 on Wednesday, 1 August at Marden Sports Complex. Kick-off is at 7.00 PM ACST.
