Whitley snapped up for summer league

WINNING SMILE: Israel Whitley, above and right (in action for Forrest Hill Milford United), has plenty to smile about. Whitley helped FHM win the Northern League Division 1 title and promotion to the Northern Premier League for next season. Whitley has also signed a semi-professional contract with ASB Premiership team Waikato Bay of Plenty, whose season starts in four weeks. Pictures supplied

FORMER Lytton High School midfielder Israel “Izzy” Whitley has been snapped up by Waikato Bay of Plenty (WaiBoP) for this season’s ASB Premiership football campaign.

Whitley, 21, has played for the Waitakere youth team in the national youth league for three seasons but decided to trial for WaiBop in a bid to secure a contract for the premiership.

“After three years with Waitakere’s youth team without breaking into their premiership side, I figured I would have more opportunities with WaiBoP,” said Whitley, who helped Forrest Hill Milford United win the Northern League Division 1 title and promotion to the Northern Premier League for next season.

“I’ve had two good seasons with Forrest Hill, who are coached by former All Whites David Mulligan and Andrew Boyens,” he said.

“The WaiBop coach Peter Smith made some inquiries and invited me to take part in a trial match.

“I played in a trial game on a Tuesday evening and was told two days later the club wanted to sign me. It’s pretty exciting. Ten of our 14 matches are being televised live on Sky.”

Whitley, who left Gisborne as a 16-year-old to chase his dream of a professional football career in Auckland, played most of his time in Gisborne as a midfielder.

“I’ve been playing leftback for Forrest Hill and that’s where WaiBop want me to play.

“They have two other leftbacks but I’m looking forward to the challenge of cementing a regular first-team spot.

“Peter told me he liked the way I played when he watched me play for Forrest Hill. He wants the fullbacks to get forward as often as possible and that suits me.”

Whitley lives on the North Shore, works part-time at a clothing store and studies part-time for a business degree. He is one of seven Auckland-based players in the WaiBop squad.

“We travel down to Hamilton twice a week for training, a couple of hours each way, and the Auckland-based players do at least four sessions a week in a gym.

“The WaiBop trainer, Sunz Singh, runs a Human Performance Centre on the North Shore, which is great for us.”

Seeking professional contractWhitley, son of Tracy and the late Ian Whitley, said his goal was a fulltime professional contract.

“But the first thing I have to do is cement a regular spot in the WaiBop side, starting with our first game in the premiership (against Wellington Phoenix Reserves in Hamilton on November 14).

“I want to play in the first game and then play well for the rest of the season.

“We’ve got two pre-season games, one against Hawke’s Bay United on Saturday in Taupo and then another against Auckland the following week in Auckland.

“I’m hoping I can use these games to show that I deserve a place for the first premiership match. I think four players from the ASB Premiership have gone on to play in the A-League and that’s my goal but, like I said, I have to make the WaiBop team.”

Whitley started his football career “from the time he could walk” kicking a ball with his father Ian and elder brother Ben before attending Makauri School, where he was coached by former Gisborne City central league striker Nic Somerton.

He was then coached by Lenny Cudd during school holidays at the local football school where his passion for football grew.

He went through all the grades playing rep football for Poverty Bay and represented the Central Federation at age-group level.

“As a family and proud Gisborne residents, we’re stoked to say the least,” elder brother Ben said.