Soccer: Amateur window of opportunity

In Auckland, James Pritchett dips the squeegee into the bucket and washes a window while he's suspended 50m above the ground. He then jumps in his Mini to go to training before heading back to his parent's house.

In Sydney, Dwight Yorke packs up his boots before driving his Porsche across town back to his million-dollar apartment.

The contrasts in lifestyles of the two footballers couldn't be more stark but it's a clear indication of the gulf between the two clubs when the amateurs of Auckland City take on the fulltime professionals of Sydney FC in the first game of the Oceania Club Championships in Tahiti at the end of this month.

Although Yorke will miss the tournament to find Oceania's qualifiers for the World Club Championships in Japan in December, the 33-year-old former Manchester United striker is Sydney's marquee signing for the revamped A-League and brings an element of bling to this year's competition.

It's a lifestyle Pritchett and his Auckland City team-mates can only dream of. The 22-year-old works as a window washer by day, before swapping his overalls for football boots to train by night.

"The lowest guys at Sydney will be on A$40,000 minimum and they're getting paid to do what they love," the former New Zealand under-17 and under-23 winger explained between washing windows. "Day in and day out they wake up and play football, whereas we wake up, go to work and play football afterwards."

Each player at Auckland City has picked up a personal sponsor to pay $500 of their expenses while the team is in Tahiti, with the likes of Waipu Cafe Deli, Gee Gees Bar & Brasserie and boys from the Block 5 putting their hands in their pocket. Compare that to Sydney, whose owners - among them Lantana actor Anthony LaPaglia - have already chipped in a cool $6 million for the season.

It's little wonder, then, that Sydney FC are hot favourites to win through to the world championships, although Auckland City and Makuru (Solomon Islands) and Tafea (Vanuatu) are expected to test them in Tahiti.

Pritchett is well aware of the enormity of the task for Auckland to win through to Japan, where they would meet the likes of either Liverpool or AC Milan, who battle out the European spot this week, and also guarantee themselves a minimum US$1 million ($1.4m) just for taking part.

"The good thing is we have Sydney first up and anything can happen in a one-off game if we put our minds to it," he said. "But some of the island teams are probably going to be just as hard, as they will mostly be their national teams."

Although it's somewhat frowned upon, clubs from the island nations have tended to turn up to the Oceania Club Championships having drafted in several internationals to boost their chances. The team-sheets for each side for Tahiti would suggest the trend hasn't changed.

Although Auckland signed up two players to add to their squad in goalkeeper Simon Eaddy and midfielder Chris McIvor, Sydney will actually be weakened. Along with Yorke, they will also be without a handful of players who will be on international duty with the Socceroos and various under-age sides.

But win, lose or draw, Pritchett knows that more than a spot in Japan is at stake. "There will be a few scouts around so there will be a lot to play for," the former Kingz, Aberdeen and Cambridge United professional said. "There are still a lot of opportunities for me to make it as a professional. If it's not in England, then it could be in Europe or Asia, although Australia could be the next step for me."

Of course, he can also add on his CV that he can wash the odd window or two.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY