Soccer: Four-match ban baffles All Whites goalkeeper

All Whites goalkeeper Glen Moss is confused.

He can't understand why he copped a four-match ban for "dropping the f word" in an Oceania game in Fiji and French superstar Zinadine Zidane got just three for a vicious head butt on Italian defender Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup final in Paris.

"I don't think I did anything different than what happens every week in the A-League," said Moss of his "spur of the moment" outburst aimed at Vanuatu referee Lencie Fred during the February 2008 dead rubber against Fiji in Lautoka.

Fifa saw it differently and whacked a four-match ban on Moss, effectively ruling him out of New Zealand's two matches in the Asia/Oceania play-offs in October/November this year and the first two matches at next year's World Cup should they win through.

If the All Whites do not claim a spot in South Africa, he will have to miss the first two matches in the 2014 qualifying campaign.

With Moss sidelined , Mark Paston, his understudy at the Confederations Cup in South Africa, could get to play in at least one of the cup matches as coach Ricki Herbert gives him much-needed international game time.

Moss sees that differently, saying he feels that if he is regarded by Herbert as his first choice, he should play the three cup games at this tournament.

Moss is odds-on to claim the No 1 goalkeeping spot with top Australian club Melbourne Victory.

Signed to a two-year deal as back-up to well-performed Michal Theoklitos by Victory coach Ernie Merrick, Moss was prepared to take his chance alongside the former Football Kings custodian.

Now, with Theoklitos off to Europe, Moss has stepped up and will be back in New Zealand in a couple of weeks with his new club to play his old club when they meet the Wellington Phoenix in Queenstown in an A-League pre-season clash.

Asked whether leaving the Phoenix - and the apparent security of week-in, week-out top soccer - to return to Australia was the toughest call of his career, Moss said he felt it was not as big a call as his decision to play in Romania.

"It was the unknown factor. It was tough to settle into the lifestyle there and I came back after a year," said Moss, who grew up on Australia's Gold Coast and later had five seasons at Sydney Olympic.

After his outstanding display in New Zealand's nail-biting 4-3 loss to world champions Italy a couple of days ago, Moss again has the world at his feet/hands."This tournament is the one I targeted," he said. "I saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a Kiwi footballer. It is not every day you get to play in a tournament alongside the World and European champions.

"I will never forget going in at halftime and looking up and seeing the scoreboard which read New Zealand 2 Italy 1. That's what playing football is all about.

"Playing on the world stage gives you the opportunity to be considered for a contract [in Europe], so why wouldn't you make the most of it?"

At 26 years, he admits he could have 10, maybe more, years left in him to do the thing he most enjoys.