Wait over for Phoenix hopeful
phillip.rollo@stuff.co.nz
Finally it’s game on for Calvin Harris.
The Wellington Phoenix academy player had to wait until his 18th birthday before he could play a competitive game of football.
That is because his parents live in Hong Kong, where he is a permanent resident, and the young forward only came to New Zealand to further his development and to study at Scot’s College.
Under Fifa rules, a player who moves country for football reasons must wait until they are 18 before their international transfer can be completed.
That meant Harris, who arrived in Wellington when he was just 14, could not play football at club level let alone for the Phoenix reserves in the ISPS Handa Premiership or for the first team in the A-League. He was only allowed to play in friendly matches or at unsanctioned tournaments such as the sevena-side Hong Kong Soccer Sevens, which he has attended twice already.
‘‘All my friends were playing and I had to sit at home every weekend and just hear the result at the end of the day,’’ Harris said.
Harris was born in England and holds a British passport but he was only there for four years before moving to Malaysia and then Hong Kong. He was lured to New Zealand after being scouted by the Asia Pacific Football Academy, which used to be based in Christchurch but was relocated and rebranded when the Phoenix took over.
Although he was initially oblivious to the Fifa rule, which would stop him from playing senior football for the first four years, Harris said he decided to ‘‘stick it out’’ in Wellington because he was enjoying the education he was receiving at Scot’s College and he was still allowed to train, on occasion, with the Phoenix first team.
‘‘If I didn’t care about school at all I don’t think it would have worked out. But I committed to it. I was still playing matches, just not at the standard I wanted to be playing at. I just stuck it out and stayed and it’s all worth it in my opinion.’’
Because he is ineligible to represent New Zealand or Australia, Harris will be counted as an import if he signs with the Phoenix – and that does hinder his chances of winning a professional contract. But the Phoenix have big wraps on him, with general manager David Dome revealing that Harris was being looked at as a potential signing for the 2018-19 A-League season.
‘‘We’re looking at him and going ‘is he a potential Phoenix player, even though he would be an import? He doesn’t have an New Zealand or Australian passport. We were looking at him being our plus one, but the A-League didn’t move to 4+1 this year. He’s got a British passport, but he’s been here for quite a long time now,’’ Dome said.
‘‘We’re certainly going to have a look at him once we finalise the coach. We’ll put all these things on the table, say here are all the kids at the academy we think are worth looking into.’’
Harris is fully aware that he will have to prove himself as an import quality player if he is to be signed. But he has been doing all of the right things so far, including scoring four goals and collecting an assist in a spectacular Central League debut for Wellington United.
‘‘I was ready to play,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s a great feeling.
‘‘Even if it is the Central League it’s just great to be with my mates now. I’m in my final year of school so who knows what is going to happen next year, but just knowing that I’m playing with my mates, turning up every weekend and scoring some goals and winning games, it’s what it’s all about.’’
Harris is heading back to Hong Kong with the Phoenix squad for his third appearance at the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens next week.