“I was training well but had really good players in my position,” Old said.
Then came the moment that changed everything, as Old was given a chance at left back for an away match in Dunkirk in early December. He did well – before a subsequent meeting with the club hierarchy.
“They had thought about it for a while,” Old said. “But they were worried about how I’d react to going from a winger to a left back because it might seem like a demotion. I had a strong game but they wanted to make sure I liked the position. I told them ‘I honestly don’t know, because I haven’t been playing for ages. So I don’t know if it’s just me playing or the position that I enjoyed’.”
But Old started the next match, then the one after that and began to thrive.
“I felt like I was bringing out more of my potential and my true style,” he said. “Being able to run and attack and control the whole channel was bringing out my best qualities.”
Old has moved between a traditional fullback role and a wingback position, bringing back memories of how he was employed by coach Giancarlo Italiano in his final season at the Wellington Phoenix.
“It’s very similar,” he said. “A bit more defensive but I’m still able to get forward and it takes a lot of running but that’s a big part of my game.”
Ben Old has enjoyed an impressive season at St Etienne in France. Photo / Photosport
A thoughtful type, Old admits he is still processing the turn of events.
“It’s incredible how it has worked out,” he said. “It’s just about surviving sometimes when you’re in Europe and so finding a way to be able to stay at the club was massive.”
It has also continued his rollercoaster time since he arrived at St Etienne in July 2024 after the big transfer from the Phoenix. He surprised pundits by breaking into the top team immediately, becoming the first Kiwi to start a Ligue 1 match, before suffering the worst injury of his career a few weeks later, tearing his medial collateral ligament and meniscus and enduring a brutal winter on the sidelines. He returned last March, with St Etienne relegated two months later. Now Old couldn’t be in a better place.
“I’ve moved apartments and my girlfriend’s living with me now,” he said. “I feel really settled. I’ve got a great relationship with the coach, with the players in the team and the fans.”
Old is desperate to help St Etienne return to Ligue 1, but the more immediate task is making the most of two All Whites matches in Auckland, with Finland on Friday (7pm) followed by Chile (Monday 7pm) as part of the Fifa Series. Old will be used further forward by the All Whites, with coach Darren Bazeley making his preference clear.
“I spoke to Baze a lot because I wondered how it would affect things, playing in a different position,” Old said. “He said ‘I still want you to play winger’ and I was like, ‘That’s my intention’.”
The wide attacking midfield spots are among the most contested in the team, with Elijah Just, Callum McCowatt, Jesse Randall, Matt Garbett and even Sarpreet Singh among the contenders in a potential World Cup XI.
“There’s competition in all spots, especially winger,” Old, who has won 20 caps since his 2022 international debut, said. “I enjoy it. It makes me come out and be an even better player. The next step for me is to really take on that ownership as a number one winger.”
2026 Fifa Series
Friday March 27 Chile v Cape Verde, Eden Park (4pm), All Whites v Finland, Eden Park (7pm).
Monday March 30 Finland v Cape Verde, Eden Park (4pm), All Whites v Chile, Eden Park (7pm)
Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.