Hooper nets for reserves as comeback continues
Gary Hooper has scored in the English Premier League, Championship, League One, League Two, FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League, Europa League and the Scottish Premiership — and now in the ISPS Handa Premiership as well.
The Wellington Phoenix’s star offseason signing is working his way back to full fitness after a groin strain and asked to have a run for the reserves in the national league yesterday, as he targets a return to a starting role in the A-League on January 4.
He played 45 minutes in the Phoenix reserves’ 2-2 draw with Eastern Suburbs at Madills Farm – a suburban Auckland venue where the pitch intersects a cricket oval.
Hooper’s goal was a tap-in following a cross by fellow pro Ben Waine and came five minutes before halftime to give his side a 2-0 lead, but after the Englishman departed at the interval – having played his longest stretch of football since November 3 – Suburbs scored two of their own.
Hooper was not available to speak afterwards, but reserves coach Paul Temple said it had been good to have him involved.
‘‘He initiated it – he was keen to play a few more minutes – and he was great, he had a brilliant attitude, but all the pros have been like that, when they’ve dropped down – they’ve been fantastic. Gary’s not different – he’s not got to where he’s got to without that mentality and attitude.’’
Hooper made his debut off the bench against Perth Glory at the end of October and started against Melbourne City on November 3, where he scored his first – and, so far, only – A-League goal for the club but was substituted at halftime, then missed their next two fixtures
with a groin strain, before returning off the bench against Adelaide United on December 1.
That 24-minute cameo was followed by a sixminute run in the Phoenix’s 2-1 win over Western Sydney Wanderers, a 21-minute stint in last week’s draw with Melbourne Victory, and 10 minutes in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Sydney FC.
Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay has said Hooper is targeting the January 4 fixture at home against Central Coast Mariners for Hooper’s first start.