Wilkinson ready for risky venture
At a time when many New Zealanders are coming home, seeking a safe haven while the Covid-19 pandemic rages on around the world, Hannah Wilkinson is trying her hardest to get to Europe.
The Football Ferns forward has signed to play for Djurgardens in the Swedish Damallsvenskan, which started for 2020 this weekend, but getting to Scandinavia has proven difficult with restrictions on global travel.
‘‘I have got a flight ready, though it could be a bit tricky getting in,’’ she said.
‘‘They’ve got some new restrictions there, which is always fun to deal with, but these things are to be expected at a time like this.
‘‘What’s most important is that I’ve inked with the team, and I’m ready to go, and they’re really eager to get me over there, and I’m really eager to get over there.’’
Leaving New Zealand, which has the virus confined to the border, no community transmission, and a total of 1172 confirmed cases, for Sweden, which does have community transmission, a total of 65,137 confirmed cases and 5280 deaths, might seem an interesting choice but Wilkinson was confident she would be able to stay safe.
‘‘It’s a bit hard to leave a country that’s taken real good care of the Covid situation and to go straight into the eye of the storm, but it’s down to personal responsibility and staying safe.’’
Her last contract, with Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, was terminated early when the pandemic hit hard in March, and more than anything, Wilkinson is just glad to have a place to play professionally.
‘‘I was worried about that, finding a new club after this whole thing, and I know a lot of players are in the same boat, so I feel grateful to have a contract in these circumstances.’’
When Wilkinson does take the field for Djurgardens, she will have an extra spring in her step, as she now has a place in the Football Ferns for a World Cup on home soil in 2023 to play for.
As a 19-year-old in 2011, she scored a stoppage time equaliser for the Ferns that secured them a 2-2 draw with Mexico and their first World Cup point, then in 2015 she became the first Kiwi to score two World Cup goals, when she scored the equaliser in a 2-2 draw with China.
Wilkinson wasn’t at her best last year in France, where she was limited to a bench role at her third World Cup, having just returned from the second serious knee injury of her career, but she is now back to full fitness and then some, after making the most of the Covid-19 lockdown.
‘‘I had been working full-on since my injury towards the World Cup, and then I had a pretty full-on season in Portugal with barely any break over Christmas, so it has been really busy.
‘‘To be honest, it was nice to have a little bit of a break, and get refreshed, and do a little bit of cross training, mountain biking, and surfing here and there.’’
The Portuguese league isn’t among the strongest in Europe, but it gave Wilkinson a chance to rediscover her goalscoring touch – she netted 12 times in 15 league matches for Sporting – and to explore a new side of her game.
‘‘It was a test for me, not being the most skilful player with my feet and being fast in that respect.
‘‘That area of my game grew, my touch got a lot better since I went over there.’’
‘‘I feel grateful to have a contract in these circumstances.’’ Hannah Wilkinson with Paige Satchell after NZ was named as co-host of the 2023 World Cup