Soccer: Youth and experience central to cup hopes

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Miro Major was just three years old and living in the Yugoslav city of Zagreb when Fred de Jong won his only Chatham Cup winner's medal.

Tomorrow, 17 years on and a world away from his homeland, Major (pronounced may-your) will team with de Jong as Central United tackle cup-holders Dunedin Technical for a place in next month's Bluebird Chatham Cup final.

Following one season with Ellerslie after arriving with his parents from Croatia in 1994, it was inevitable that Major would drift across town to Central, the Croatian-backed club which enjoys perhaps the best ethnic support in New Zealand.

Central, cup-winners in 1997 and 1998, have found form at the right time, with de Jong's return and Major's emergence key factors in their late rally.

It is very much the case of the old and the new at Central these days.

De Jong, at 36, is the oldest. Major, 20 this week, is almost the youngest.

In between is a wealth of experience, including captain Michael Ridenton, Mark Elrick and Jason New, like de Jong, all former internationals, and other promising players like 19-year-old Andy Levick, Mathew Urlovic and Mathew Vuksic.

Even without Ross Nicholson, Gareth Rowe, Noah Hickey and Brad Scott on All Whites duty in Malaysia, Central will be no pushover for a Dunedin side who boast 5-1 and 1-0 club championship victories in matches between the two sides this season.

"We know if we get to the final we could have a couple of selection worries," said Ricki Herbert, who co-coaches Central with Paul Posa. "But we will worry about that when the time comes."

Of Major's recent efforts, Herbert said: "He has done well. I doubt whether there are many better dead-ball players in the country.

"If he had been playing overseas when he scored from that freekick against Waitakere last Sunday, people would have been raving about it.

"He has a good attitude and when he got his chance, he took it."

Confidence is not lacking in Major's approach to the sport he first played as a six-year-old and which took him to famed Croatian club Dynamo Zagreb before he was much older.

"Freekicks and penalties don't worry me," said Major. "I have always taken penalties and I've only missed one in my whole life - for Central's first-division team this year."

Major, who is studying computer science at Auckland University, is looking forward to the day when he will join his family in becoming "Kiwis."

While still eligible to play for Croatia, he knows his chances of playing at international level are much higher with New Zealand.

He is also realistic enough to know that the opportunity could still be some time coming.

"Playing for New Zealand could be long way off. Training just twice a week as I do now is not enough. I would have to do a lot more than that."

While such ambitions remain in the "want-to-do" basket, Major has his sights set on the more immediate task of winning tomorrow's semifinal and going on to the final.

"I know what the Chatham Cup means in New Zealand soccer. I would love to play a final and win."

He also relishes the chance to play alongside de Jong, a player he describes as "awesome" and "one of the best."

"I prefer my attacking midfield role and the chance to link with Fred," said Major. "I feel I have been playing well and Fred has been a big part of that."

De Jong still vividly remembers his one cup triumph, as an 18-year-old.

"It was against Gisborne City. We drew the first game and beat them in the replay. Kevin Fallon marked me and kicked me all over the park.

"But I had the last laugh when he dropped me in the penalty area and we scored. I remember he said to me when we came back after halftime 'You won't walk off the park, sonny.' But I did, and we won."

Dunedin Technical come north without Blair Scoullar, who is also in Malaysia and have Aucklander Jonathan Smith in doubt following wisdom tooth extraction.

In the other semifinal, Napier City Rovers, playing at home, will start as warm favourites to beat Miramar Rangers.