Ben Waine #18

Profile

Waine has tasted both sides of life as a footballer – scoring on debut for the Under-20s and senior All Whites but also being frustrated by non-selection at club level and a goal drought. He has tapped into the expertise of a Kiwi sports psychologist to help him “dig in”. "I'm big on the mental side of the game and I do a lot of work on that,” he told the BBC. Having the tools to cope with the hard times has been “a massive help”, he says. During his time at Plymouth Argyle, Waine briefly played under the orders of England and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney. Waine has a Geordie mother so he is a supporter of Newcastle United and enjoys golf and going to the beach. Hit the headlines in England in March when his goal eliminated Sunderland – of all clubs – in the FA Cup fifth round.

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