Kiwi Players Elsewhere

Ben Waine (Port Vale | England)

1125 replies · 207,051 views
30 Nov 20:11
wilbaker
martinb
Feel like Waine might be in trouble tbh. The highlights show him running around dutifully and no one passing him the ball.
 It is a shame that Plymouth got promoted as Waine probably needed a full season in League One to get used to English Football and Championship is probably too big of a jump in intensity for him.

I'm much more positive than that. Ben Waine is still a young guy (22). He's getting good minutes in the Championship (a top 10 league in the world). After this season if he went off for a season in League one and then back to the Championship at 24, I think that he'd have a very successful career. His peak ages are probably going to be 27-31.
Consider that they say, the average age of debut in serie A is 26.

There are superstars that play in these leagues regularly at a young age, but it's not the norm.

I have not actually watched his matches, I'm just looking at the minutes played. 
30 Nov 21:23
coochiee
Showtime Nixie
Back to the A-League soon.

Put a date on soon.

think he may get loaned out in next window to a lower league side. I'm predicted hes back in a-league when uk summer window opens.
02 Dec 13:00 · edited 02 Dec 14:22 · History
Showtime Nixie
coochiee
Showtime Nixie
Back to the A-League soon.

Put a date on soon.

think he may get loaned out in next window to a lower league side. I'm predicted hes back in a-league when uk summer window opens.

Poppycock. $100 says that doesn't happen. Loser pays to a charity of the winner's choice.

Waine ain't leaving the UK for years. He'll keep plugging away, on loan deals or whatever he needs to do. British born it had been his dream for years to get a pro contract over there. His mentor Wood will tell & encourage him to perserve.

Plymouth (20th) host Stoke City (17th). Waine on the pine.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/12/02/england/championship/plymouth-argyle-fc/stoke-city-fc/4088332/
02 Dec 22:21
No you're right though, Waine should chuck in his tilt at making it in England.  After all, if we look at other Kiwi examples who had long and decent careers in the UK in the last couple of decades, like Rory Fallon, Chris Killen, David Mulligan, Winston Reid, Chris Wood, they were all excellent from day one and were first team mainstays from the get go - oh hang on...

Ryan Nelsen was an outlier - an almost finished article, in his mid 20s, who was captain within months.  Every other Kiwi who has had any kind of career in England has had to grind and scrap - and benefit from a stroke of luck here and there.

You don't have to like Waine as a player, or think he's good enough, your call.  But writing him off at 22 is probably not what Plymouth management had in mind when they signed him.  If I'm wrong, so be it - but I look at the early struggles of those other guys, and what each of them had achieved in football by age 30, and feel there might be a few more things to come in Waine's career.
02 Dec 23:02 · edited 02 Dec 23:03 · History
If Chris Greenacre can have a 10 year career in the UK playing 373 games in the lower leagues, so can Ben Waine. But he's only 22 for god's sake still learning the game overe there. He may not crack it in the Championship, it's way too early to say. But you can see him lasting in L1 as a minimum. 

Unused sub overnight as Plymouth beat Stoke, 2-1. 97th min winner. Invaluable win for the Pilgrims to take them 16th, in a season where they will be fighting to avoid the drop.

09 Dec 23:53
Unused sub as Leicester win easily 4-0. 

Bundu (started) & Hardie (was a sub) are now both back from injury, so Waine maybe just watching on for awhile.
13 Dec 23:53
Unused sub in a 0-0 draw. Plymouth down to 10 men early at 25 mins, so did well to get a point. Hardie started & replaced by Bundu late in the 2nd half.

14 Dec 02:57
coochiee
Unused sub in a 0-0 draw. Plymouth down to 10 men early at 25 mins, so did well to get a point. Hardie started & replaced by Bundu late in the 2nd half.


QPR unbeaten in their last 5 and catching up to the rest of the teams. Ainsworth an his drab football has been replaced and the players have responded. QPR just need to sign a regular scoring Striker or Ben Waine!
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

15 Dec 17:38

Was at the game. We were all over QPR. Had we not got that early, deserved red, I think we would have hammered them. Going down to 10 so early on killed any chances for Ben.

I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he’s loaned out in January. Good for all parties I think.  He needs a run of games, Argyle need him experienced and match fit. Our aim is to not get relegated so this is likely to harm his chances this season. 

Send Ben to Exeter or similar for 6 months then judge him.
Supporter world's best and worst football teams: Waikato/WaiBop, Kingz, Knights, Phoenix, The Argyle, The Whites & the All Whites

16 Dec 22:35
As soon as we start talking about Waine going out on loan he gets an opportunity at Plymouth. First Hardie goes off at 36 mins, then his replacement Bundu is off 7 mins later. So Waineo is on before HT with Pilgrims 0-1 down

They turn it around in the 2nd half to win 3-2. 
19 Dec 03:50 · edited 19 Dec 03:52 · History
was some shocking refereeing and thuggery from Rotherham in that game. Two tackles that should have been straight reds within 10 minutes. Don't think I've ever seen a sub replace a sub in the first half of a game before.

Ben had a shot cleared off the line.
Supporter world's best and worst football teams: Waikato/WaiBop, Kingz, Knights, Phoenix, The Argyle, The Whites & the All Whites

19 Dec 05:31
Marto
was some shocking refereeing and thuggery from Rotherham in that game. Two tackles that should have been straight reds within 10 minutes. Don't think I've ever seen a sub replace a sub in the first half of a game before.

Ben had a shot cleared off the line.

He got a lot of game time- how was his overall performance and what kind of role did he play? 


20 Dec 09:36
Two Kiwi strikers in England. Two managers dismissed. Hmmm 

Oi Oi Edgecumbe... lets have a clean sheet

20 Dec 10:26
Oi Oi Edgecumbe
Two Kiwi strikers in England. Two managers dismissed. Hmmm 


No. Cooper at Forest was sacked. The Plymouth (16th in The Championship) manager has jumped ship to Stoke (19th).
From Flying Kiwis.

The third thing is that manager Steven Schumacher has left. The manager who signed Waine and has continued to give him regular opportunities has been poached away by Stoke City, the pests. What’s more is that Schuey has taken his assistant, first team coach, and goalkeeping coach along with him. Schumacher was excellent in leading Argyle to promotion last season and at 39 years old you can imagine the buzz that leads to. 

But it does put Waine in a potentially sketchy position, as is always the case when a new manager comes to town. PAFC’s director of football (Neil Dewsnip) and first-team coach (Kevin Nancekivell) are sharing the caretaker duties for now.
23 Dec 18:10
Our boy nets a goal which kicks off Plymouth come back to grab a point after being 3-1 down.

Stoked for the lad and will hopefully help settle some nerves around "am I good enough for this league?"
23 Dec 23:40 · edited 24 Dec 00:23 · History
Plymouth assisted in their comeback by Birmingham going down to 10 men at 48 mins (Pilgrims down 1-2). Waine off at 86 mins (3-3)

24 Dec 00:30
Not convinced Waine got a touch but still happy for the man.
You cant just pick and choose which laws to follow. Sure Id like to tape a baseball game without the express written consent of major league baseball, but thats just not the way it works.-Hank Hill
24 Dec 00:55
There was a comment on the Plymouth Argyle Fan Forum about Waine being loaned to Northampton Town who are mid table in league 1. Not sure if there was anything to the rumour or if it was more hopeful, but I’m happy to spread their unsubstantiated comments.

As an aside, the Plymouth forum is the least user friendly website I’ve used.
You cant just pick and choose which laws to follow. Sure Id like to tape a baseball game without the express written consent of major league baseball, but thats just not the way it works.-Hank Hill
24 Dec 00:58
loyalgunner
Not convinced Waine got a touch but still happy for the man.

Very muted celebration.
25 Dec 19:16



This one puts him in for what must be an unlikely move to Japan...

Wouldn't think it was too likely of a move, but Japan are doing some excellent things football-wise at the minute, and that extends down to club level as well. 

Let's just say it would be an interesting move if it does occur.
25 Dec 20:12 · edited 25 Dec 20:18 · History
That's about as random a transfer rumour as they come. I doubt he ever would have crossed paths with Michael Fitzgerald brfore so hard to see where this connection came about from.

Might work our if it was a loan offer but if not would it be hard for him to make it back across to the UK again down the line if he did take up the offer? As I imagine it would be a season or two away from European scouts eyes. 
25 Dec 23:44
Ideally he wants a League 1 loan spell surely? 


25 Dec 23:49
My initial thoughts were also that a loan spell would be the best option but to be fair, if it was permanent and he established himself in the J-League that would be awesome for him and bode well for the All Whites.

Certainly not in the Stamenic-to-Belgrade level of risky moves.
You cant just pick and choose which laws to follow. Sure Id like to tape a baseball game without the express written consent of major league baseball, but thats just not the way it works.-Hank Hill
26 Dec 00:25 · edited 26 Dec 12:42 · History
Rock Hopper
That's about as random a transfer rumour as they come. I doubt he ever would have crossed paths with Michael Fitzgerald brfore so hard to see where this connection came about from.

Might work our if it was a loan offer but if not would it be hard for him to make it back across to the UK again down the line if he did take up the offer? As I imagine it would be a season or two away from European scouts eyes. 

The only link between Waine & Japan I can think of is the Toyko  Olympics. It's apparently how Michael Woud's move to Kyoto Sanga from the Netherlands came to pass. But August 2021 is a while ago now. Still yes a loan move to L1 makes more sense. Waine has a UK passport, so why not stay there. Also both Hardie & Bundu have been injured at least twice this season, so Waineo could easily be getting more game time in The Championship.

Plymouth (17th) with a trip to Cardiff City (10th).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/12/26/england/championship/cardiff-city-fc/plymouth-argyle-fc/4088497/
26 Dec 14:34
Waine starting too.


26 Dec 15:26
Waine 🚂 with an early assist too!
26 Dec 23:27
Finished 2-2. Handy point for the away team. In a good sign Waine got 81 mins (2-2), though with Hardie & Bundu both injured Plymouth do have limited striker options.

Pilgrims with apparently one of the smaller budgets in The Championship, so at 16th in the table they are doing okay at the half way point. 8 pts above the drop zone & 8 pts below playoff spots.

26 Dec 23:56
Goal last week, assist this week. Good signs from him and hopefully enough to ensure he still gets minutes when the other strikers return to health.
27 Dec 01:55
Thought the other day was a confirmed OG?


27 Dec 13:31
Really nice cross for the assist here: 


27 Dec 19:24 · edited 27 Dec 19:24 · History
Effing hell, what a first goal for Argyle to concede. 
28 Dec 02:36 · edited 28 Dec 02:53 · History
Was a nice assist off the left foot by Waineo. Alot more emotion for this assist away at Cardiff, than his goal in the prior game at home against Birmingham City. As someone else said lets all hope, it gives him some belief he belongs at this level.

So suggested formation for Bazeley next time the AWs suit up. Front 3 of Wood, Waine & McCowatt. Singh in the ten role, with Stamenic & either Garbett or Bell in behind.

Basically close to a mirror of how Forest setup on the weekend with Elanga & Hudson-Odoi  either side of Wood & Gibbs-White in the ten role. Both their six & eight came off together at the 70 minute mark, for fresh legs.

Nothing to lose, and AWs have got to find a way of using their main man Wood as best as possible and getting him some decent service. A fit Ryan Thomas (can dream) could suit that midfield setup even more alongside Stamenic. Anyway it's going to be very interesting how the Woodsman goes the 2nd half of this EPL season, if NES continues to setup Forest like he did on the weekend. They did have some luck at St James Park, which they won't get every weekend.

28 Dec 05:45
coochiee
Was a nice assist off the left foot by Waineo. Alot more emotion for this assist away at Cardiff, than his goal in the prior game at home against Birmingham City. As someone else said lets all hope, it gives him some belief he belongs at this level.

So suggested formation for Bazeley next time the AWs suit up. Front 3 of Wood, Waine & McCowatt. Singh in the ten role, with Stamenic & either Garbett or Bell in behind.

Basically close to a mirror of how Forest setup on the weekend with Elanga & Hudson-Odoi  either side of Wood & Gibbs-White in the ten role. Both their six & eight came off together at the 70 minute mark, for fresh legs.

Nothing to lose, and AWs have got to find a way of using their main man Wood as best as possible and getting him some decent service. A fit Ryan Thomas (can dream) could suit that midfield setup even more alongside Stamenic. Anyway it's going to be very interesting how the Woodsman goes the 2nd half of this EPL season, if NES continues to setup Forest like he did on the weekend. They did have some luck at St James Park, which they won't get every weekend.


Yeh the aftermath of that Birmingham goal was weird. It has been credited to Waine on the EFL website, but not in the match report on Argyle’s own website. 


28 Dec 20:11
Plymouth play at Southampton tomorrow. Derby game and should be on Bein Sports.
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!