Wanderers wing back James Barclay (left) believes a good defender stays calm under pressure but having some speed with height and strength helps keep strikers in check. Photo/file
Wanderers wing back James Barclay (left) believes a good defender stays calm under pressure but having some speed with height and strength helps keep strikers in check. Photo/file
Underdogs? Without doubt.
Defender James Barclay will be the first one to acknowledge the Building King Havelock North Wanderers are up against it when they kick off in the Hawke's Bay derby of the Ultra Football Central League in Napier from 2pm tomorrow.
But that doesn't mean Barclay and his teammates don't dream of the unthinkable against table-topping Thirsty Whale Napier City Rovers.
"I think it's a great opportunity, firstly for me as a young football player to come up against Napier City Rovers who are a well-drilled team," says the 17-year-old, who is pursuing a one-year automotive course at the Eastern Institute of Technology.
Barclay echoes the sentiments of his Chris Greatholder-coached team when he says it's a great venue at Bluewater Stadium in Park Island, where an expectant crowd creates an electric atmosphere.
The last-placed Wanderers are trying to stave off relegation from the premier winter league after their debut season when they answered an SOS to enter in the 11th hour when Team Taranaki withdrew from the campaign due to player paucity in their province.
"Football's a funny game and it could go either way," he says. "I think the [Fifa] World Cup is a great example of that."
The former St John's College pupil points out few fans would have picked Croatia to make the final against champions France in Russia this month.
"We see it as a motivation for all the hard work we've been doing throughout the season so, hopefully, we'll come out with a good result at the weekend."
The villagers succumbed 6-1 to the Blues in round seven of the league at Guthrie Park on May 6.
With the Blues rampant at the coal face with the likes of Canadian imports Wesley Cain and Patryk Misik, golden-boot contender Martin Bueno, of Uruguay, as well as vice-captain Josh Stevenson, who brings a solid presence that demands urgency from opposition defenders.
Wanderers defender James Barclay (right) thwarts a freekick with his head as Guy Reeves (left), Kenny Willox, Ralph Jackson, Liam Shackleton and captain Ethan Dent form a wall. Photo/file
Barclay says the youthful Havelock North back line will have to toil to the final whistle and find some cohesiveness to contain waves of attack.
The right back, who isn't shy to grow wings when the counterattack switch is flicked on, believes, incrementally, the defence has grown with experience this season. His development stands to reason.
"I knew it was going to be tough but it's a great opportunity to prove people wrong; that a teen could potentially be a right back at a higher level.
"I wanted to show my peers and other players that I'm capable of filling this position at a younger age and I knew it was going to take a lot of hard work so I've been training to prove myself."
The former Hastings Intermediate and Parkvale School pupil is the son of club president and team co-assistant coach Bruce Barclay a former Wanderers striker who moved to defence as he got older.
The junior Barclay salutes co-assistant coach Dion Adams for moulding him into a defender.
