SCOTT WARA: RISING FIJIAN STAR
JOINS ENGLISH FOOTBALL CLUB FOR EXPERIENCE
Stoke City scouts are looking around the world for talent these days, even for prospects to join the Academy. That is highlighted by the fact international call-ups for Belgium, Northern Ireland, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Denmark and Portugal, as well as England, limited Glyn Hodges’s choices in the Checkatrade Trophy at Rochdale in mid-week.
Yet it shouldn’t be overlooked that three of the Potters’ back five were local lads .
LONGTON FIJIAN
There was Tom Edwards, from Stafford, albeit that he was sent off mid-way through the first half; captain and former Stoke season ticket holder Lewis Banks, from Stone; and Scott Wara, the Longton Fijian.
Wara flew the flag for the Under-18s alongside striker Tyrese Campbell, promoted from their age group to the U21s to keep out a League One attack. A 0-0 draw and subsequently shoot-out win means Stoke are still in contention to reach the knock-out stage.
Wara only turned 18 last week but the former Discovery Academy student is a solid unit and he showed the discipline that the circumstances required on Tuesday night too.
His progress has already been rewarded by invitations to join Mark Hughes’s squad at training and being named in Fiji’s senior national squad – although that’s on the backburner because it would have taken him out of Stoke’s season for a month or more … and there have been murmurings that England are watching. It’s not bad for a lad whose world was rugby until not all that long ago, following in the footsteps of brother Billy Wara, the Longton winger who is on the books at Sale Sharks.
Wara only turned 18 last week but the former Discovery Academy student is a solid unit and he showed the discipline that the circumstances required on Tuesday night too.
Scott explained: “Just growing up I come from Fiji and there are a lot of coconuts around. You can’t really kick a coconut so you throw it around. I grew up playing rugby but somehow I found an adjustment to football, enjoyed it and carried on.
BIG CHANGE
“Billy has carried on playing rugby and moved onto Sale Sharks now so he’s doing well for himself.
“I played rugby for Stoke and Longton rugby clubs but in school I started playing football and found a way into the team.
It’s taking his development seriously which has persuaded him to hold fire on the international front, having been wanted for a tour of Indonesia in the autumn.
He said: “Right now I’m trying to focus on my club. They like the way I’m going and I just want to carry on, I can think about internationals further down the line.”
The reward has been opportunities in the Checkatrade Trophy, starting both games at Blackburn Rovers and Rochdale. Stoke now head to another League One side, Bury, next month knowing they need to win to all-but guarantee progress.
“It’s a big step up obviously but the boys have welcomed me in and it’s gone all right,” said Wara.
“It’s faster and stronger and your teammates help you through it.
“I think (the Checkatrade Trophy is) a great experience. Coming up against players like that can only make you better. There were players in our team (Ibrahim Afellay and Charlie Adam) as well who are very experienced.
“But at the end (at Rochdale) there was only senior player (Jakob Haugaard) on our side so we had to be mature and I think we did well.”
The Edwards dismissal dictated Stoke’s approach at Spotland but that was probably a useful experience in a tournament intended to provide a learning curve. Wara said: “We went down to 10 men and had to change the tactics but I think the boys adjusted to it well. The manager said at half-time to go back to the basics, not to go chasing the ball and to watch the game out, hopefully we would get a chance.
“Harry Souttar got the boys together at the back and the skipper Banko kept everyone organised. I think we did ‘the other side of the game’ very well. “Everyone was buzzing after the game. The group’s open. The next game is one we need to win so now we’ll just focus on that.” -