Soccer: Brockie on brink after fightback from break

Jeremy Brockie, playing against Iraq in Johannesburg last year. Photo / Getty Images

Searching for the comeback story of the All Whites' World Cup build-up is an easy task.

If Jeremy Brockie is named on Monday in the squad of 23 for South Africa, and indications are that he will be, then the 22-year-old will be the fairytale of the moment.

The attacking midfielder, of Nelson origins, who has just signed for the Newcastle Jets, his fourth A-league club, looked out for the count in late January after breaking his right leg playing for North Queensland Fury.

Brockie, with 15 senior international appearances since 2006, may have remained confident of his World Cup chance. Others rolled their eyes, though.

Brockie had already missed the Bahrain qualifiers through injury. Without those notches on his belt, he would have to fight his way back minus any more A-league action.

An operation, rehabilitation and - hopefully - time in this month's national camp constituted his particular World Cup path of hope.

"When I first broke the leg, I thought there goes my World Cup," he said after training at North Harbour Stadium, in preparation for tomorrow's final trial match against the NZFC All Stars.

"It's easy when you get an injury like that for the head to go down, but I knew I had to stay in shape, keep an eye on my weight, and that sort of stuff.

"I've picked up the sharpness pretty quickly and you are not going to hold back for a once in a lifetime opportunity like this. The leg has been fine and the body is holding up.

"It has been a really quick recovery considering I only broke it three or so months ago.

"As the weeks went by it got to the point I could get off the crutches, slowly walking, then the limp went from the walk and I could get on the tread mill, run for five minutes, then 10 and slowly build up. But I was only able to do contact training a week before this camp."

Brockie had high praise for the surgeon who inserted a plate and six screws into his right leg at a private hospital in north Queensland, and the Fury's physiotherapist and fitness trainer.

Financial problems at the Fury had already encouraged him to sign for the Jets, yet despite this the two Fury employees worked diligently on his recovery programme.

"I asked them if they were happy to carry on and they wanted me to be available for this camp as much as I did," said Brockie, who played just 14 matches at the Fury.

"Thanks to those two and the work I've done it has all paid off.

"If I am named in the World Cup squad they will get a good buzz - I'm so grateful to them. If I get to South Africa, an All Whites shirt will be going their way. "

Some of the best news for Brockie came in the national squad's match against Auckland City at Kiwitea St last Saturday, when he survived a smack on the right leg.

"I didn't really know how it would be and it was good for my mind to get a knock like that," he said.

Brockie, scorer of the All Whites' goal against China in the 2008 Olympics, has played up front and in a supporting role for the strikers but is now primarily a wide midfielder, his favoured spot.

Coach Ricki Herbert said: "I am surprised at how quickly he has come back and I must pay credit to all the medical people both here and at the Fury. He has been able to do everything in the camp.

"A psychological barrier to get through is the one which makes you wonder if you can go into a tackle after an injury like that, but he did that on the weekend.

"He has a long term future which is very important in our considerations. He can play in the starting 11, and had a number of games in the Confederatons Cup.

"He's also a confident young boy. Everything is looking quite rosy for him."

JEREMY BROCKIE

Age: 22

Born: Nelson

Position: Attacking midfielder

International debut: 2006

New Zealand caps: 15 (0 goals)