Soccer: Golden chance for one Aaron

Aaron Clapham wants to stay in Ricki Herbert's sights. Photo / Doug Sherring

This is a story of two Aarons. For one, Aaron Clapham, he is in something of a dreamland; suddenly in contention for a World Cup spot that looked out of the question as recently as three weeks ago.

For the other, Aaron Scott, his World Cup dreams could be fading. Scott was one of 18 players virtually guaranteed a place in South Africa after the All Whites beat Bahrain in Wellington last November but his place is seriously under threat because he can't even grab a regular starting spot for his club side, Waitakere United.

Either, neither or both could travel to South Africa and that is the uncertainty surrounding the players battling for the "four or five" spots coach Ricki Herbert says are up for grabs in his 23-man World Cup squad.

Clapham was the bolter in the 15-man camp for Australasian-based players, which started in Auckland on Wednesday. The 23-year-old midfielder had never been involved in an All Whites set-up and there was little sign he was on the radar until his selection.

His form with Canterbury United, though, couldn't be ignored, especially as he was the architect of their remarkable journey to the NZFC final.

Clapham stands out, and it's not just his flame hair and golden boots (which he got to match the hair).

This country rarely produces players who can make the ball dance as he does. In fact, it's often discouraged by coaches who want hard-working, gritty central midfielders who can impose themselves on games.

Clapham is still raw and hasn't been tested at a higher level but he has the potential to influence games and is worth investing in.

"He's good, he's exciting," Herbert says of Clapham. "For too long, we have probably gone down another route and produced stereotyped players. Aaron's not like that. We have to encourage that and, hopefully, we can get even more from him at a higher level.

"He plays at a tempo, pace and technical ability above most players in the NZFC. And he's young. He covers everything we are looking for.

"If Aaron comes into the squad, it would be at the back end but he would also be someone we would strongly be investing in for the next World Cup [campaign]."

Herbert has said he wants to take at least one player to South Africa to gain experience for the 2014 World Cup.

Craig Henderson, who plays professionally in Sweden, was originally that player but a long-term knee injury scuppered his chances.

Chad Coombes and Jason Hayne were options, and were taken to Los Angeles to face Mexico, but they seem to have dropped out of contention.

Clapham knows he has a golden chance to grab what would be a golden ticket. He almost gave up on that opportunity this year when he was due to return to Melbourne to play in the Victorian state league but decided to stay with Canterbury to remain in Herbert's sights.

"It was a massive call to put them off," Clapham says, "but I'm glad I decided to stay. If I went, I probably wouldn't be here. Once you're out of sight, you're out of mind.

"It's definitely been a crazy few months. I think I have a decent chance. Ricki wouldn't have called me up if he didn't think I had a chance to get there."

It means, though, Clapham is on trial while in camp and he admits there's a danger of trying too hard to impress.

But he doesn't look out of place alongside seasoned internationals like Shane Smeltz, Leo Bertos and Tim Brown, and looked comfortable and confident in the All Whites' 5-1 win over Auckland City yesterday.

Scott is struggling with confidence. It hasn't helped that the 23-year-old has spent most of the last few weeks on the bench for Waitakere United, having been usurped by young defender Tim Myers.

Each time he watches Myers take the field instead of him, he sees his chances of going to South Africa diminish.

"The reason why he hasn't been playing lately is because Tim Myers has been doing a fantastic job for us and he's a potential All White," Waitakere coach Neil Emblen says. "I know Aaron is in the frame for the World Cup but I have to do what is right for Waitakere. There's not much between them but Tim is just doing it for me at the moment."

It has not just been Myers' form, though, which has affected Scott's chances. Both Tommy Smith and Winston Reid have committed to New Zealand since qualification and are certainties for the World Cup.

Smith, a former England youth international, plays for Ipswich in England's Championship, while Reid, who played for Denmark's youth sides, is a regular for FC Midtjylland in the Danish Superliga and has been linked to a host of Italian Serie A clubs.

Scott could well be battling it out with David Mulligan, who is in the training squad, for the final defenders' spot. Mulligan hasn't played a competitive club game since August 2008 and was cut by the Wellington Phoenix but can also play in midfield, where he had a full game yesterday.

"In Aaron Clapham, we have someone who really has nothing to lose and is upbeat," Herbert says. "With Aaron Scott, he seems down on confidence.

"Aaron was someone we really believed in. He went through the [2008] Olympic campaign and was excellent in the Confederations Cup against Iraq. I came away from that tournament thinking we had solved the long-term right-back position, and I think a lot of other people did as well. But he's in a difficult space at the moment. It's that confidence factor.

"He's not going to become a bad player overnight. Our scenario is really easy with him - we either pick him because we know what he can do or leave him out because he's just not performing and that's the 50-50 gamble."

Scott is training with the All Whites. He isn't staying with them but, with Auckland right-back James Pritchett and goalkeeper Jacob Spoonley, is being given every opportunity to impress. He played half a game as a left-sided defender in a back three against Auckland City yesterday.

Scott is philosophical, especially as he never thought he was guaranteed a place, despite Herbert's assurances after the Bahrain game.

"I always thought, 'do the best you can, regardless of who else is out there'," Scott says. "If I'm good enough, I'm good enough. If I'm not, I'm not. But I wanted to make sure I did everything I could to make it.

"This camp is a big chance for me. Being included, you're obviously still somewhere in the back of Ricki's mind. When he's watching you every day, he's seeing the real you.

"It's still in my hands, really. It's up to me to grab or let go. I'm not necessarily in the 23. I might not even be in the [wider squad of] 28. It's up to me. If I want to be there, I have to prove I deserve to be there. I feel I'm doing all right."

Only Ricki Herbert knows whether that's good enough.

Aaron Clapham
* Age: 23. Position: Centre midfield.
* Club: Canterbury United.
* Caps: 0.
* Clapham played at the 2007 Under-20 World Cup in Canada but has missed out on selection for other New Zealand sides. He previously went to college in the US on a football scholarship.

Aaron Scott
* Age: 23.
* Position: Right back.
* Club: Waitakere United.
* Caps: 5.
* Made his international debut against Thailand in 2009 but best remembered for helping the All Whites to their first point at a Fifa world tournament with the 0-0 draw with Iraq at last year's Confederations Cup.