LEAD STORY - SENIOR SOCCER: Ex-stars' beautiful senior moment

ANENDRA SINGH
Anyone who has played the beautiful game well into their prime yearns for one thing in the twilight years.
That is, footing it with fellow intelligent and skilful people for the remaining years of one's playing lives.
You can lace up the boots comfortable in the knowledge that you will be interacting for up to 80 minutes on a park devoid of ``meatheads' hell-bent on rearranging your face.
So one can only imagine how blissful it must be if you are fortunate enough to be in the company of former internationals.
Five Hawke's Bay players - ex-All Whites Paul Halford and Perry Cotton, and Dave Hughes, Kerry Bartlett and Bruce Macdonald - have moved past that imagining phase.
It's not that the icons are sporting a stiff upper lip about their prowess but they simply consider themselves privileged to be part of a 16-member New Zealand team jetting off to Thailand on Friday for the fourth Seniors World Cup being played between May 25-30.
Player/coach Bartlett, 52, tells SportToday it's definitely the next step in the seniors' arena.
``It'll be great because I can still get in and there'll be rolling subs only for those 50 years old and over.'
On the field at all times in Udanthi, three players must be in the 38-44 age group, four of them in the 45-49 category and three over 50. The goalkeeper must be over 38 years old and once the non-50+ players have substituted they cannot get back on the paddock. If the five 50-plus players are unavailable to play due to injury or illness then they will have no choice but to field fewer than 11 players.
Bartlett says it'll be a challenge for the New Zealand team on their first outing in the cup.
``Where do you hide three 50-plus players on the field?' he asks, explaining it will be a mental test even from the sideline as they play three games on the trot against the United States, England and defending champions Thailand before the semifinals.
He has been emailing the Iran skipper in the other group, Francis Ghiassi, a former 1991-92 Mt Wellington player, to work on strategies.
Thailand have won two titles and Germany the inaugural one.
Chef de mission/player Macdonald, 64, said ex-Socceroo Robbie Dunn approached them last year during the Australian Masters about establishing a team to boost the Thai World Cup team numbers from six to eight.
The Kiwis and the United Arab Emirates are the two new entries this year.
``Our biggest challenge was to get New Zealand Football to sanction us as a national team to this tour,' he says of the Kiwis, who have former All Whites John Hidges, of Epsom, England, and Alan Reis and Simon Mugford, both of Canberra, in their ranks.
``All the players had to be registered with the clubs in the country.'
It was a painstaking exercise sounding out 60 players, trimming them down to 25 before settling for 18. Among those keen to play but unavailable due to other commitments or injuries were ex-All Whites Wynton Rufer and 1982 World Cup player Bobby Almond.
Bartlett says: ``It's important to know we targeted proper footballers who can travel well because we'll be together for almost 10 days.'
He and Macdonald are hoping the ex-All Whites among them will spread the gospel on the cup tourney and the dearth of 50-plus players will not be such an issue in the future. John Hodges, Dave Hughes and Simon Mugford are the other 50-plus players.
With passes and passports needed each game day to verify players' identities and authenticity to fit the age criteria, the pair believe the cool evening matches on the foothills of the Laos border mountains will help beat the humidity.
``Robbie Dunn doesn't play in the Masters any more. Our goal is to make the semifinals,' Bartlett says.
The social aspect is equally vital with bone carvings made in Flaxmere, named Manaia (translated in Maori to ``Battle with Strength'), to be gifted to opposition teams.
``The person who made the carvings and wants to remain anonymous, told us to wear it before gifting them to others.'
The Thai organisers have deemed Thursday, May 28, an ``international kids day' when players will in return hold clinics to help children sharpen skills.
The Kiwi team will have a Bay flavour, with United Travel planning their travel arrangements and Embroider Brands preparing their playing strips.
``We'll be approaching the tourism people here to take little gifts to promote Hawke's Bay while we're there,' says Bartlett, who also visited Napier siege gunshot victim and Napier Old Boys' Marist footballer Bruce Miller in hospital yesterday.
The Kiwis will dedicate their games to the police officer.
The Thai government will cover accommodation, food and travel expenses, while players will meet $2000 in travel costs and fees.