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Outside, sitting on the deck at home one morning, Ivan Vicelich's mobile phone rang. Little did he know as he answered it that the call was about to change his life, and ultimately fulfill every soccer player's dream.
On the other end was All Whites coach Ricki Herbert. His plea was simple, "Ivan, can you help us out", or words to that effect.
Herbert was in a quandary. A few days out from embarking on the mid-year trip to Africa and the Confederations Cup in South Africa, Herbert had been robbed of his captain and key defender when Ryan Nelsen succumbed to injury.
Desperate, Herbert considered his options.
They were few. Initially, little thought was given to Vicelich. After all, he had announced his retirement from international soccer and confined his playing to Auckland City and then Central United.
"Ricki's call came out of the blue," said Vicelich.
"I didn't even know Ryan was injured. I had retired from international football and hadn't even thought about the Confederations Cup. Not long after I got back from Holland I had decided to retire. I felt it was the right time to hand the reins on.
"Ricki's call got me thinking. It had only been 10 days since my last game, and my fitness was still good. He said he wanted me to come back, and I said okay on the basis of taking it one game at a time."
Within days, Vicelich jetted off with the All Whites for warm-up games in Africa before playing in his third Confederations Cup, after earlier playing the same tournament in Mexico and France.
His return to the international stage was a success.
"I was impressed with how we played in four out of the six games there," said Vicelich.
"I felt we did really well. It was great to play the world champions [Italy]. In the end I was disappointed we did not come away with something after leading three times in the game."
Herbert wasted little time in asking Vicelich to carry on to the end of the upcoming World Cup play-offs, "whenever it is".
Vicelich did not take long to agree.
"Before the away game in Bahrain I felt we could do quite well ... I knew it would be very difficult as they were ranked above us and had knocked out Saudi Arabia. It was difficult up there, but I felt the 0-0 draw we got was totally deserved."
Asked about Herbert's late call to change a long-established playing formation, Vicelich was unfazed.
"We had played that 3-4-3 formation at Central a few years ago, and I agreed we should play whatever Ricki felt was best for the players he had," said Vicelich. "We chatted about it and in the end everyone was comfortable."
The 1-0 win in the second leg, and with it qualification for the World Cup, capped a fairytale time for Vicelich.
"It was a total dream come true. Before the game [in Wellington] someone told me I would have the record for international caps by a New Zealander. It is every footballers dream to go to a World Cup. It is right up there with the best moments in my career.
"Ryan Nelsen is the best player I have played alongside. He is a seasoned professional. He is not going to dribble through five players, but he knows what he can do and goes about achieving that."
Of suggestions he had to end his time (from 2001 to 2008) in Holland, where he played for Roda and RKC Waalwijk to return to New Zealand to play for the Wellington Phoenix, Vicelich said he returned with "no club in mind", but after talking with both Herbert and Auckland City president Ivan Vuksich he opted for City.
"It has been a great move for me and my family," said Vicelich.
"It has been an honour for me to come back and play. Life has been good. I have got to play football everywhere and now I'm here to play in the Club World Cup. Like going to the World Cup, this is another great opportunity."
IVAN VICELICH
Born: Auckland, September 3, 1976
Clubs: Waitakere City 1993-95, Central United 1996-99/2009, Football Kingz 1999-2001, Roda 2001-06, RKC Waalwijk 2006-2008, Auckland City 2008-09 ...
International caps: 65 (NZ record), total NZ appearances 71.
Fifa Tournaments: Confederations Cup 1999, 2003, 2009
