Cashmere Technical goalkeeper Matt Foord has signed to play Central League football with the Wellington Phoenix Reserves for the 2024 season.
Foord (17) represented New Zealand at U-17 level last year and was a regular choice between the posts for Cashmere Technical in the Southern League and Men’s National League.
He joined Tech in 2022 after playing his junior and early youth football for Christchurch United.
Main photo: Matt Foord … played at the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup in Indonesia in November.
Foord told the Otago Daily Times he was first offered the chance to join the Phoenix two years ago but turned it down.
“I made the decision to stay at Cash Tech and finish my year 13 of school,” he said.
“And then obviously just left it one year, and then sorted out just after the U-17 World Cup to come up here this year.”
Foord praised the supportive environment at Cashmere Technical, thanks goalkeeper coach Danny Knight and first team coach Dan Schwartz.
“I think a few times throughout the year we forget how young I was and there was a lot of pressure on me in certain moments, so just taking a step back and resetting with the group around you is very helpful,” he told the ODT.