Huge boost: Reid to join Oly Whites at Olympics
New Zealand’s football hopes at the Olympics have received a major boost, with Winston Reid to join the men’s team in Tokyo.
When the squad was named last week, Reid’s participation was up in the air, as the West Ham defender had yet to receive clearance from his club.
Since the Olympics are not staged within a Fifa window, Reid was bracketed alongside Wellington Phoenix defender Tim Payne.
But the Weekend Herald understands Reid has been given the green light by his Premier League club and will link with the Oly Whites in Japan.
The importance of his presence can’t be underestimated. The All Whites captain brings mana and leadership to such a young group.
He has been on the English Premier League scene since 2010 and remains someone aspiring Kiwi footballers look up to.
Along with Chris Wood and Michael Boxall, he will drive standards on and off the field, and lift the levels in training.
Most importantly, Reid remains New Zealand’s best defender, with his pace, anticipation, athleticism and ability on the ball.
He’s had a nightmare run with injuries and hasn’t played for West Ham in the Premier League since March 2018.
But he looked good for Brentford during a loan spell last season, helping the Bees achieve promotion to the Premier League for the first time. Before that, he played 12 games for Sporting Kansas City in the MLS.
It wouldn’t have been straightforward to gain a release from West Ham, which only underlines Reid’s desire to be in Tokyo.
This will be his first Olympics campaign, after he missed the 2012 London Games to focus on preseason with a Hammers team that had just been promoted from the Championship.
It will also be a chance for Reid to perform on the world stage. It’s not known if he is part of West Ham’s plans for the coming season, though manager David Moyes will likely assess him on his return from Tokyo.
He has two years remaining on his contract at the London club and his experience could be a plus for the squad.
The Oly Whites leave for Japan today, with pool games against South Korea on July 22, Honduras on July 25 and Romania on July 28.