Peter Schaale Returns To The Wanderers For 2020

23-year-old German centre-back Peter Schaale will be returning to the Halifax Wanderers for the 2020 Canadian Premier League season.

The club’s most recent addition is sure to be a popular one with fans: Schaale completed 21 league appearances with the east coast club this year as a CPL-U SPORTS Draft pick, and even captained the side several occasions.

He was one of the brightest defensive sparks for a team that, collectively, were one of the better defensive Canadian Premier League sides throughout the inaugural campaign, though the club still slid to a last-placed finish in the fall.

The Halifax Wanderers even collaborated with the city’s mayor, Mike Savage, to celebrate the announcement Schaale’s return:

Incoming ? from Cape Breton

? @MikeSavageHFX @MayorCBRM @902AdGroup ? pic.twitter.com/lTcDHFZEqU

— HFX Wanderers FC (@HfxWanderersFC) December 12, 2019

When the 23-year-old defender announced that he would miss the end of the 2019 season in order to finish off his last year of university studies, the club brought in League1 Ontario defender Duran Lee to replace him. As of right know, Lee’s contract status is unknown.

Schaale – now a Cape Breton University graduate – feels ready to take the next steps in his professional playing career now that he has a degree in his back pocket.

It’s a great feeling, I had a great time last year and a great connection with my teammates, the city and the fans, so I’m happy to come back. It’s a relief because my university career came to an end and also my studies. I saw how much the fans and the city care so I wanted to be back.

Peter Schaale

Given that the German national isn’t arriving through the CPL-U SPORTS Draft this time around, Schaale will now occupy an international roster spot for the Wanderers. This means that three of the club’s seven international roster spots are now in use, with Akeem Garcia and Andre Rampersad having re-signed earlier on.

While it remains to be seen if other internationals like Juan Diego Gutierez and Luis Alberto Perez return, the club will have some additional international roster spots open due to the departure of Kodai Iida and the retirement of Jan-Michael Williams. It’s unclear if a recent Instagram post by Elton John was, in fact, a goodbye message.

Having just finished his last U SPORTS season with the Cape Breton Capers, Schaale also has a working knowledge of first overall draft pick Cory Bent, who Schaale expects fans will take a liking to given his ability to finish chances – an area where the club needed some improvement in the inaugural season.

The Halifax Wanderers have now signed ten players for the 2020 season, three of whom are brand new signings, including east coast CCAA phenom Ibrahima Sanoh. The club also recently revealed that it was close finalizing the last of its re-signing players, with announcements expected to continue as the winter holiday approaches.

The length and financial details of Schaale’s contract were not disclosed by the Halifax Wanderers.

Source: Canadian Premier League