‘The Closer’ for Auckland FC, a ‘cultural architect’ for the All Whites: Tommy Smith in the twilight of his career

Saturday, 21 December 2024

The All Blacks legend tells Paddy why he thinks the sport could be bigger than rugby in Auckland.

On August 9 this year, Tommy Smith entered his 17th year as a professional footballer, marking the anniversary of his debut for Ipswich Town in the English Championship as an 18-year-old, where he played 90 minutes in a 2-1 defeat to Preston North End.

He won't argue with you if you suggest he's in the twilight of his career, as a 34-year-old, turning 35 in March, and now more than two seasons removed from the last one where he was a week-in, week-out starter across a full campaign, for Colchester United in English League Two.

But he believes he still has something to offer both Auckland FC, the brand-new A-League Men club he is a vice-captain for, and the All Whites, the national team he first played for in 2010, the last year New Zealand qualified for the FIFA World Cup.

And his coaches at those two clubs – Steve Corica and Darren Bazeley, who were team-mates at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Walsall in England many moons ago, when Smith was still a boy – believe he has something to offer them, even if its only in small doses, or away from the pitch itself.

‘The Closer’ is the nickname that has been bestowed upon Smith at Auckland, the eighth stop in a career that has taken him from the North Shore, where he grew up, to England, the United States, back to England, Australia, and now back home again.

Tommy Smith celebrates with Auckland FC captain Hiroki Sakai after their win over Brisbane Roar in their A-League Men debut.

He has played in all seven of his new club's matches off the bench for a total of 50 official minutes, plus roughly 50 more of stoppage time, shoring up their defence as a third centre back the six times they've been ahead, then coming on up front as they chased – and eventually scored – an equaliser away to Melbourne City last Sunday, staying unbeaten heading into Saturday’s visit to Go Media Stadium by Western United.

“I'd love to be starting,” Smith says when asked about the nickname. “I think any player wants to play regularly and from the start. But if it's a role that I can offer to the team, I can do that. If it is to be that way, then so be it. It's just great to be a part of things with the way the club's going at the moment.”

An opportunity has potentially arisen, with first-choice centre back Dan Hall being ruled out for up to three months after breaking his ankle in training last week, creating a hole to be filled alongside All White Nando Pijnaker, who like Smith, is a left-footer.

Japanese right back Hiroki Sakai started there in last Sunday's 2-2 draw way to City, but his impact up-and-down the flank was missed, which might force a rethink ahead of Auckland’s last match before Christmas.

Corica acknowledged this week that Smith was 'a good option,' but the sight of him being outpaced by the Wellington Phoenix's 34-year-old All White Kosta Barbarouses as Auckland conceded their first-ever goal – after more than 500 minutes – a fortnight ago will be fresh in his mind.

“I'm ready whenever to be called upon,” says Smith. “I'll be ready to take that opportunity if and when it does arise.”

Auckland FC are the eighth club Tommy Smith has played for during a professional football career that began in 2008.

Smith's last start at any level of football came for the All Whites against Mexico in Los Angeles at the start of September – a match they lost 3-0 but could have lost by more, where they barely fired a shot as they turned in their worst performance under Bazeley while struggling to cope with intense heat.

While he was selected for the October and November international windows, where the All Whites moved within two wins of a return to the World Cup, he was the only outfield player not to take the field across 360 minutes of action, with Tyler Bindon, Pijnaker, Finn Surman and Michael Boxall all used ahead of him at the back.

But while Smith is at best the country's fifth-choice centre back, he is still likely to be included in the All Whites' squad for their World Cup qualifying semifinal and final in March, even if he doesn't become a starter for Auckland over the next three months.

“He's a good player that could play and could be an option for us,” Bazeley says. 'But what he brings on top of that is he's a cultural architect. He's a connector. He's so good with the younger players.

“He's been helping Nando for the last three or four years to almost take his position. We've got Tyler, Finn and Nando, so having having Tommy – and Boxy – that are at the other end of the spectrum, age-wise, being such good people, good Kiwis, that really want to help, really does help us.”

Smith has earned 56 caps for the All Whites over the past 14 years, but only seven of the 20 since the end of 2017 have come as a starter and given the depth in his position, it's becoming harder and harder to see that number growing.

Tommy Smith didn’t play a single minute for the All Whites in the October and November international windows.

Under previous coach Danny Hay – now Corica's assistant – he was effectively 'The Closer' in white instead of blue and black, but the All Whites haven't been ahead late in a tight contest under Bazeley, so that role hasn't been there to be played.

“I think it wouldn't be until you took him out of the environment that you feel that something's maybe missing,' Bazeley says.

“When players come into camp, it's can you affect these performances? And if you can't affect your own performance, can you help affect other people's performance?

“I think he has quite a big impact on some players' performance and he definitely impacts the environment.

“I know he wants to play and ultimately we pick a team that can play, but I think we've got a lot of players that bring a lot of other things to the environment as well.

Anna Mowbray gives a tour of Auckland Football Club training facilities, and shares why she helped set up Auckland FC.

“We put so much emphasis on culture and getting our environment right, because we don't train that often, so we're not making them technically better, we're not making them fitter. It's mostly around getting the group together, creating the environment, having this culture, connecting them to back to New Zealand and he's really good in that environment.

“I think he has a big impact on some of the younger players, but ultimately he's on my case because he wants to play.'

While Smith says he has been “knocking on the door, asking for minutes” from Bazeley, he also knows 19-year-old Bindon and 21-year-old Surman have 'immense talent' and high ceilings, which he would love to see them reach.

'If I can help them improve in any way, it's really satisfying to be able to do that. I've done it with Nando (aged 25) over the years as well.

“You just sort of lend your experience in certain situations that might arise in games. We've got a really good coaching staff at the All Whites, but none of them have been centre backs, and if I can lend that experience of playing in that position and it helps them to improve, then that's great.

“At the same time, obviously, I'm competing for a place with them, so it's a bit of a strange situation, but, I'll always try and be that guy that tries to help get more out of them.”

Being selected for a second World Cup in 2026 remains Smith's goal, but with that tournament still 18 months away, he's mostly relishing the fact that he's still going, having spent almost half his life as a professional footballer.

“I just try to enjoy every moment I can. I'd love to be playing more minutes, but at the same time, I am appreciative of the position I'm in.

“So many would give up so much to be in my position, so I'm just trying to enjoy it for for as long I can.”