Chris James (footballer)

Christopher "Chris" Paul James (born 4 July 1987) is a professional football player who currently plays for Klubi 04 in the Kakkonen third highest level of the Finnish football league. He is also the assistant coach of HJK Helsinki's U14 team.

Chris James
Chris James playing for All Whites vs Mexico
Personal information
Full name Christopher Paul James[1]
Date of birth (1987-07-04) 4 July 1987
Place of birth Wellington, New Zealand
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Klubi 04 (player)
HJK Helsinki (U14 assistant)
Number 43
Youth career
2000–2005 Fulham
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2007 Fulham 0 (0)
2008–2009 Tampere United 19 (4)
2008 → TPV (loan) 1 (0)
2009 → FC Ilves (loan) 1 (1)
2010 Barnet 2 (0)
2011–2012 APIA Leichhardt 18 (4)
2012–2013 KuPS 40 (4)
2014–2015 Sedan 6 (0)
2015 Ekenäs IF 10 (0)
2016 FC Haka 23 (4)
2017 Colorado Springs Switchbacks 4 (1)
2017–2018 Eastern Suburbs AFC 3 (0)
2018 KTP 12 (0)
2020– Klubi 04 1 (0)
National team
2004 England U17
2005–2006 England U19 9 (0)
2006–2009 New Zealand U20 8 (7)
2006–2014 New Zealand 22 (2)
Teams managed
2020– HJK Helsinki (U14 assistant)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15:27, 18 June 2020 (UTC)

James represented New Zealand at international level. James is predominantly a central midfielder or deep lying playmaker, but is also able to play very well in offensive roles.

Club career

James' first professional contract was with Premier League side Fulham.[2] Although he never made a senior first-team appearance, he made many appearances for the reserve side. James was offered a one-year contract extension by Fulham in 2007, however James declined the offer to pursue first team opportunities elsewhere.[3]

In February 2008, he signed a two-year contract with Tampere United. Even though the 2008 season wasn't a very successful one for his team, James debut season was impressive, in 17 league games he scored three goals and also provided eight assists in his breakthrough season. He represented Tampere United in their four Champions League Qualifiers scoring two goals.

James was signed by Football League Two side Barnet in March 2010 on a free transfer subject to international clearance.[4] James made his first team debut as a late substitute in a 3–1 home victory over Chesterfield on 5 April 2010. James was released at the end of the season due to change of management at Barnet.

After his departure from his third Finnish side FC Haka, James was signed by second-tier American club Colorado Springs Switchbacks F.C. on a free transfer on 12 January 2017.[5] He was officially released from the club after making only four appearances due to injuries on 27 July 2017[6]

On 19 November 2017, he returned to New Zealand and played for Eastern Suburbs AFC of ISPS Handa Premiership[7]

On 9 March 2018, he moved to Finland for KTP of Ykkönen.[8] After he arrived to the team, he played 90 mins and scored in the next day versus PEPO Lappeenranta in 2017–18 Finnish Cup[9]

Later career

In January 2019, James received his UEFA B Coaching Licence. As part of his personal development, James reached out to New Zealand national under-20 football team head coach Des Buckingham, to join the preparation camp in the lead up to the FIFA U-20 World Cup where he helped the coaching staff out.[10] Before that, he also picked up coaching experience at the academies of West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal.

In November 2019 it was confirmed, that James would play for Klubi 04, the reserve team of HJK Helsinki. Beside that, he would also function as an assistant coach to the club's U14 team.[11]

International career

James played for the England youth team representing them over 30 times at Under 16–18 levels[12] but has now chosen to play for the country of his birth, New Zealand.[13] Ricki Herbert included him in the All Whites squad just days after receiving international clearance to play for New Zealand for the friendly match against then-World Champions Brazil on 5 June 2006, which they lost 4–0.[14] He has made a number of appearances for his country since his debut,[15] playing the likes of Charlton Athletic and Sevilla in friendlies. He also scored a consolation goal against Sevilla which was calmly slotted away.

Impressive performances in these matches has won him the New Zealand Soccer International Young Men's Player of the Year award for 2006.[16][17] He was a member of the New Zealand under-20 team that qualified for the under-20 World Cup in Canada, scoring seven goals in six games including a hat-trick against Samoa. It was the first time New Zealand had a team qualify for the under-20 world cup.

James was named as part of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup New Zealand squad to travel to South Africa,[18] but was not named in New Zealand's 2010 FIFA World Cup squad.

James returned to the national side for the 2013 OSN Cup.

International goals
Scores and results list New Zealand's goal tally first.
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetitionReference
1.13 November 2013Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico Mexico1–51–52014 FIFA World Cup qualification play-offs[19]
2.20 November 2013Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand2–32–4[20]
gollark: Is "level four" a reference to something?
gollark: It's not like discussing stuff requires a channel.
gollark: You *can* just use <#424419879853096961>.
gollark: I read a bit of a blog from someone doing at-home silicon fabrication stuff, but it was still slow and expensive and they managed to make an IC with something like... four transistors on it.
gollark: It can't cost *that* many millions of dollars.

References
  1. "FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 – List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. p. 15. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  2. "Chris James turns pro". Fulham Official Website. 21 July 2005. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  3. "James Aim". Fulham Official Website. 6 June 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  4. "Bees land New Zealand ace". Sky Sports. 26 March 2010. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012.
  5. "Switchbacks Sign New Zealand National Team Member Chris James to 2017 Squad". USL. 12 January 2017. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017.
  6. SwitchbacksFC (27 July 2017). "OFFICIAL: Chris James has officially been released from the club.pic.twitter.com/5RJJDAThnE". @SwitchbacksFC. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  7. "Canterbury United 3 vs Eastern Suburbs AFC 2". mainlandanalyst.com. 20 November 2017.
  8. "Uusiseelantilainen keskikenttämies raitapaitaan". fcktp.fi. 9 March 2018.
  9. "Finnish Cup 10 March: FC KTP vs PEPO". football-finland.com. 10 March 2018. Archived from the original on 11 March 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  10. All White takes part in U-20 camp, voxy.co.nz, 16 March 2019
  11. Mestarivalmentaja HJK Klubi 04:n vetäjänä, hjk.fi, 5 December 2019
  12. "James called up". Fulham Official Website. 23 June 2003. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  13. "James faces Brazil". Fulham Official Website. 26 May 2006. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  14. Brazil 4–0 New Zealand
  15. "A-International Appearances – Overall". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Archived from the original on 15 June 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2008.
  16. Brazil 4, New Zealand far from Zero Archived 6 July 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  17. "James scoops award". Fulham Official Website. 6 December 2006. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  18. "2009 Confederations Cup – New Zealand squad". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 13 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  19. "El Tri take big step towards finals". ESPN. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  20. "Mexico clinch World Cup spot". ESPN. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
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