Hawke's Bay United have signed national age-group football goalkeeper Adam McDonald this summer.
McDonald has moved from Auckland in search of regular first-team games to try to gain a spot in the New Zealand Under-20 side ahead of the Fifa U20 World Cup to be held in New Zealand inJune next year.
"Hawke's Bay has opened up a lot of opportunities for me, to be able to come down start fresh and to really push my development on, in search of the World Cup next year," says the 18-year-old before the ASB Premiership kicks off.
Coming off a successful season with Western Springs, winning the league and gaining promotion to the Lotto NRFL Men's Premier League under All Whites assistant coach Neil Emblen, McDonald is relishing the opportunity to play at the next level.
"I want to push myself on and start to make a name for myself. I obviously want to stay in the country but this is, hopefully, that stepping stone to much more."
He has UK experience with Oxford United, Leicester City (who are now in the English Premier League), Carlisle FC and Hartlepool. He has the opportunity to return to Oxford United but representing his country prevailed.
"I'm still in contact with Oxford and would love another opportunity to go back but my main goal is to get into the World Cup squad for next June so it was a really important decision coming down to Hawke's Bay United and so far it's great.
"All the coaching staff and players are pushing me in the right direction to help me achieve my goal of playing in next year's World Cup."
