Football: 'When Joe talks, players listen' - How young All Whites midfielder Joe Bell became a key leader in the squad

Joe Bell will make his fifth All Whites appearance on Wednesday but already seems like an elder statesman. Photo / Photosport

When midfielder Joe Bell arrives in All Whites camp, one of the first things he does is seek out the coaching staff and team analyst.

While others may be getting reacquainted with far-flung teammates – or settling into hotel accommodation – Bell goes into study mode.

The 22-year-old is a keen student of the game, and his learning goes far beyond the training pitch.

Professional sportspeople have different approaches to game analysis and development – and there is no one size fits all style – but Bell is at the latter end of the spectrum.

"He has got that internal drive," says All Whites coach Danny Hay. "Of all the players that we have in the squad, he is the first one that wants to sit down and go through a one-on-one review of every single one of his actions.

"That's unusual for a professional player to want to do that, every single opportunity off the back of a game."

For Bell, it's all geared towards continuous improvement and the approach is working.

He was impressive on All Whites debut against Ireland two years ago, then one of the standouts for the OlyWhites in Japan.

His club form in Norway caught the eye of English Championship team Barnsley, although the transfer ultimately fell through, and he was key to the recent New Zealand wins over Curaçao and Bahrain.

He'll make his fifth All Whites appearance against Gambia on Wednesday, but already seems like an elder statesman.

"I've made no secret, even though he is young, he's part of our leadership group," says Hay. "The way he carries himself, both on and off the pitch, the way he communicates as a leader. When Joe talks, the players listen."

Joe Bell runs with the ball during the All Whites' clash against Algeria. Photo / Photosport

Hay was reluctant to dole out excessive praise – "we need to keep him hungry" – but there is no doubt about Bell's standing within the current group.

It's not only down to his personality, but also his ability, in one of the most demanding positions in the sport. Bell is composed and confident on the ball and strong and effective out of possession.

"He has got a high level of mana and then he plays like that as well, which is the big thing for me," says Hay. "There's two types of people in the world, those that talk a big game and those that actually play. Joe follows up the words that he speaks with the actions as well."

Bell is thriving in a talented midfield group, with Marko Stamenic (19), Matthew Garbett (19) and Sarpreet Singh (22), with Ryan Thomas (26) still to come back into the picture.

"I was actually reflecting on it, the talent in midfield at the age that we have is so exciting," says Bell.

He had never played with Stamenic and Garbett before the Olympics, but combinations have quickly developed.

"They are two fantastic players and what they can do with the ball is incredible," says Bell.

"They are similar to Sarpreet and players I have played with in the past so building that connection comes quite naturally."

At club level, Bell has excelled in his second season with Viking Stavanger.

Only two players in the Eliteserien have managed more assists, and Viking are on course for European qualification, sitting third with four matches to play.

"It's gonna be a really tight end to the season," says Bell. "Four games left, but not four easy games."

Bell hasn't been home since January 2020 but won't get the chance to visit New Zealand anytime soon, with his club pre-season starting on January 17 and All Whites commitments later that month, though his parents may visit him in the northern hemisphere over the Christmas period.

"To be honest, the life of a professional footballer, you don't ever stop and I'll probably be wanting to get back into it anyway."