Francis De Vries, Cameron Howieson, Jesse Randall and Michael Woud are Auckland FC's first signings. Photo / NZ Herald
Francis De Vries, Cameron Howieson, Jesse Randall and Michael Woud are Auckland FC's first signings. Photo / NZ Herald
For the first chapter, the initial signings unveiled by Auckland FC on Thursday were a decent step forward.
There will be bigger names to come – especially with the marquee recruits and visa players – but the club needs to be built on a local foundation. Fans can relate best to home grown players and that was the message on Thursday, with Cam Howieson, Francis De Vries, Michael Woud and Jesse Randall presented as the first players to wear the blue and black strip.
Three of the quartet have already played for the All Whites, while the Herald understands Wellington-born winger Jesse Randall is a strong contender to be called up by national coach Darren Bazeley for the OFC Nations Cup in Vanuatu next month.
Two more players will be announced next week – also local products – which is part of a deliberate strategy.
Cameron Howieson has signed for Auckland FC. Photo / NZ Herald
“It’s really important for us, to have a Kiwi backbone,” said chief executive Nick Becker. “Both for the fans and the club but also for when we start bringing in some of the foreign players, whether they are Australian or visa players, for them to come and see a team that is linked to the city and the country.”
But the opportunity can’t be underestimated, epitomised by Howieson’s journey. He was a breakout star, signing to Burnley FC as a teenager before time with St Mirren in Scotland. But he returned home in 2016 and has been waiting for another chance since, while establishing himself as a dominant figure on the local scene, winning a ton of national and regional trophies with Auckland City FC.
“I’ve over the moon,” said Howieson. “It’s means a lot, I’ve been patient and I’m very grateful that this has come along. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”
The 29-year-old has had overseas opportunities but has chosen to stay at home, to be close to his family. It’s been hard at times – given his obvious ability to play at a higher level but now the time has come. Howieson has also had to juggle work and coaching with evening training.
“I’m looking forward to being back training in the mornings and having some structure to that,” said Howieson.
Auckland FC signings Francis De Vries (from left), Michael Woud, head coach Steve Corica, Cameron Howieson and Jesse Randall. Photo / NZ Herald
Woud has been away for the best part of nine years – chasing his dream in England, Holland and Japan – but it was a simple decision to come back.
“I want to get my career back to a place where I am playing every week and being at home, with family and friends,” said Woud. “It’s a fresh start for me, in an environment I feel comfortable in.”
Woud (25) moved to J1 League outfit Kyoto Sanga in January 2022 but struggled for game time. Across two years he only made 13 appearances – including a loan stint in the J2 League. He enjoyed the life there but it wasn’t easy or straightforward.
“None of Japanese players spoke English, none of the coaches, we had two Brazilians who didn’t either,” said Woud. “So there was a translator at every training.”
Randall is the young gun but he has already taken a long road. The 21-year-old had trials as a teenager at Barnsley, Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke and Dundalk (Ireland).
“You are trying to prove yourself every day, have to be your best,” said Randall.
He also spent a season with Charleston Battery in the second tier of US football
“To sign a professional contract on home soil means a lot,” said Randall. “I’ve had a few challenges overseas but that has made me the person that I am.”
De Vries is another redemption story. The 29-year-old made the All Whites in November 2021 after a long rise through the ranks and was part of the squad for the World Cup intercontinental playoff against Costa Rica in Qatar in June 2022.
But he suffered an ACL rupture the following month which ended his immediate prospects in Europe, after being based in Sweden since 2018.
“I had six months on my contract and a nine-month injury,” said De Vries. “So the maths wasn’t good. It was pretty gutting because that was where we hit the point where things had started to accelerate upwards. But my partner and I always wanted to come back [here] and this is the perfect opportunity.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. A football aficionado, Burgess will never forget the noise that greeted Rory Fallon’s goal against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.
