KEY POINTS:
Picture this. A sixty-something skinny Scot charging down a road in Bahrain, golf clubs swinging from his shoulder, locals sent flying and an All Whites coach left to pick up the pieces _ and make the apologies.
Charlie Dempsey and John Adshead no less.
Dempsey's mission _ get
to the airport, catch a flight to Riyadh and then on to Jakarta for a meeting which would, in the end, lead to New Zealand soccer's greatest triumph.
With Charlie Dempsey's sudden passing this week, Adshead took time to reflect.
"That, in so many ways, summed up Charlie. His single-minded determination was his way of getting things done," said Adshead. "On this occasion we had been to China, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia but when it came to the last leg we were told there was no flight and would have to wait a day. Charlie wasn't happy.
"We checked into a hotel, I went to my room, stretched out, ordered room service and settled back. Next thing, Charlie's knocking on the door and saying `follow me'. We were off.
"We hopped on a bus headed for the airport. We'd only gone 600m when we stalled in a traffic jam. Out he hopped, me in tow, golf clubs flying. It was like Moses, the sea of people parted and we made it to the flight _ just _ and then sat for 90 minutes on the runway because it was too hot to take off."
Eventually the odd couple made it to Jakarta and won the right to contest the second phase of the 1982 World Cup qualifiers home and away rather than playing a tournament in Saudi Arabia as the Saudis so desperately wanted.
This was Dempsey's way. His single-minded determination won plenty of battles upsetting many, but with few ever questioning his motives. From the time Dempsey, his beloved wife Annie and young daughters Alice and Josephine arrived in New Zealand after a frustrating seven and a half week voyage aboard the converted steamer Captain Hobson, it was inevitable the Scot, who had once fancied a tilt at the pro game in Glasgow, would become involved in football here.
He linked with the Eastern Suburbs club, played a bit, did some coaching but soon realised he had more to offer off the field than on it.
His rise through the ranks was meteoric. From chairman at Suburbs the administrative world opened up.
He quickly rose through the ranks at club, local association, the national body and eventually on to the international stage as president, from June 1982, of the fledgling Oceania Confederation and eventually Fifa, being accorded life membership status at a variety of clubs along the way.
Dempsey left an inedible mark at the Auckland Football Association and later its parent, the New Zealand Football Association _ including the highly-successful joint tours arrangement between the two bodies which brought big-name teams here and eventually provided the financial base for the 1982 World Cup campaign.
But it was his untiring work for the Oceania Football Confederation which remains his greatest legacy.
Dempsey met Australian Jim Byutti in 1964 to promote his idea of boosting the sport in the wider Oceania region. Progress was slow and stumbled badly in 1972 when Australia pulled out, leaving the future of the confederation in serious doubt.
The wily Scotsman, as the elected secretary, refused to give in and boxed on, led the move to bring Australia back into the fold and eventually, after much hard work, saw the OFC prosper until in 1996 they gained full confederation status with Fifa and direct entry to most of their tournaments.
Dempsey had long been on the Fifa circuit, jetting around the world not only as Oceania president and a co-opted Fifa member but as a match commissioner and in other key roles.
Dempsey once admitted he had clocked up so many air points he could send his wife around the world three times _ first class.
Oceania become a key part of Fifa, with their collective 11 votes worth more than the 10 the Conmebol (South American) confederation could offer.
Dempsey's famed abstention in the final vote for the 2006 World Cup caused a storm of protest. He is still vilified by many in South Africa but others feel he did them a favour in giving them more time to prepare fully for the 2010 World Cup.
Football at that level is as political as in any major sport, perhaps more so _ but Dempsey was as canny as any and worked the vote accordingly.
Determined Oceania's island nations be given their chance, he ensured their delegates were given their say and official roles.
Determined to get Fifa support for the OFC headquarters in Auckland, Dempsey proposed the building be named in honour of then Fifa president Joao Havelange. The Oceania membership would have none of that, insisting the building be renamed the Charles J Dempsey Football Academy.
In many ways it symbolises the very roots and foundation Charles John Dempsey brought to a sport which for half a century seriously challenged rugby union as the sport of choice in this part of the world.
Charlie Dempsey, long-time member of the Auckland and Remuera golf clubs, the Glendowie Bowling Club, various service and other clubs, will be farewelled on Wednesday. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. On the ball _ D9
