Phoenix striker set for debut

GOOD SHAPE: Hamish Watson had to lose 10kg to join the Wellington Phoenix.PHOTO/FILE

Wellington Phoenix squad member Hamish Watson will make his debut for Wairarapa United in their Central League football match with Western Suburbs in Wellington on Saturday.

The 20-year-old Watson watched the action from the bench when Wairarapa conceded a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Petone on the artificial surface at Maidstone Park, Upper Hutt, on Easter Friday. He was unable to play because of the 30-day transfer rules which now no longer apply in his case.

Watson has an impressive footballing CV. Joining the Lower Hutt City club as a 4-year-old, he made his way through the normal age group channels into their Central League side where he was a something goal-scoring machine in the role of striker, twice edging out Wairarapa United's own Seule Soromon for the Golden Boot (most goals) award.

A member of the Junior All Whites World Cup line-up last year, Watson showed he was professional material with a series of excellent performances for Team Wellington in the national summer league and, after joining the Phoenix's School of Excellence, he was drafted into their A-League squad by coach Ernie Merrick, on the proviso that he had to lose 10kg.

A strength and conditioning coach was allocated to help the cause and, in just two months, Watson achieved his objective. Merrick was true to his word and appearances against Melbourne Heart and Newcastle Jets followed.

Watson was signed by the Phoenix as a striker and was quoted as saying he had played in that position as long as he could remember.

"When I was younger, I scored a lot of goals so that became my position. My dad was a striker. I probably wanted to be like him."

Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley is confident Watson will be a valuable acquisition for his side and makes no secret of the fact he will be part of the starting line-up against Wests, and at striker. The chances are he will be partnered up front by Soromon who has now completed a two-week suspension.

If that happens Keinzley will be left with a selection quandary as it would mean that two of his other three "imports", Columbian Omar Guardiola, Chilean Max Lopex and Fijian Apisai Smith, would very probably find themselves on the bench. They have all had their moments as spearheads of the attack but have struggled to score and pairing Watson and Soromon together should produce a significant improvement in the goal-scoring department.

The introduction of Watson is not the only big news coming out of the Wairarapa United camp either. Also joining them at a date still to be confirmed will be Solomon Island international Nelson Sale Kilifa, a central defender who is currently captaining Fijian club Amicale in the Oceania club championships. They lead their qualifying group with perhaps their most notable success coming a few days back when they beat Auckland City 1-0. A newspaper report said Sale (as he is known) had led Amicale "very nobly" on that occasion.

Making Sale's arrival important for Wairarapa United is that their skipper, Adam Cowan, who has been playing in defence, will be taking a four-week break after the Western Suburbs fixture and that they have the services of the very much in-form midfielder Nick Roydhouse for just two more games before he heads back to the United States.