Soccer: A bit of a whirl for rookie All White

By TERRY MADDAFORD

What started as a chance to train with the All Whites has become a dream come true for 18-year-old David Rayner.

Rayner, now on the books of English Premier League club Newcastle United, last night flew out from Auckland as New Zealand's latest All White, bound for the Oceania Nations Cup soccer tournament in Tahiti as a replacement for injured skipper Chris Zoricich.

"It has been a bit of a whirl," Rayner said before joining coach Ken Dugdale and 17 of his team-mates at Auckland Airport.

"I was very happy just to come to Auckland and have the chance of some pre-season training with the All Whites. Now it has got even better."

Rayner and his 1999 under-17 New Zealand team-mates David Mulligan and Allan Pearce, back home from English first division club Barnsley, were called in by Dugdale to boost numbers at training and to experience the atmosphere at this higher level.

At the time, Dugdale made it clear he would not baulk at using one of the youngsters as a replacement should the need arise.

"It's funny how things work out," Dugdale said after he told Rayner of his late call-up. "It made sense to use players like these guys. Any one of them could do the job, but we looked at Rayner as he will give us some defensive cover."

Rayner's progress might not end there.

"Nobody is going to Tahiti just to soak up the atmosphere," said Dugdale.

"If he gets his chance to play we expect him to do okay.

"We [Dugdale and assistant coach Mick Waitt] have been impressed by his composure. He is very calm, has good technique and is not in awe of anyone. He is tenacious and pretty competitive."

Dugdale had a hand in getting Rayner away to England and eventually Newcastle.

"I recommended him to Newcastle's Alan Irvine as a player worth looking at when he was out here to watch the under-17 world championships. The ball is now in David's court."

The Nations Cup, which has the incentive of a trip to the next Confederations Cup for the winner, will give Rayner the chance to renew his footballing ties with Kris Bouckenooghe.

"We played in the same team for a year at Tauranga Boys' High," said Rayner.

"He was a few years ahead of me but we played in the first XI together. I've also played in the same team as fellow All Whites Jason Batty and Harry Ngata when I turned out for North Shore in the summer league a couple of years ago.

Rayner had a rushed trip back to Tauranga yesterday to collect his passport and the rest of his football kit, but made it back to the airport with time to spare before the flight to Papeete.

The All Whites play their first game on Tuesday afternoon.