Soccer: Lochhead's quiet revolution

Tony Lochhead has a foot in the door as he looks to take his football career to the next level but accepts he probably still has some way to go before following Ryan Nelsen and Simon Elliott in moving from the Major League Soccer championship in the United States to the English Premier League.

Lochhead's ace is in having the same agent who secured transatlantic deals for his All Whites teammates. "He is keeping an eye open for me but nothing has come up yet," said Lochhead from the All Whites' camp ahead of the clash with Nelsen's Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Sunday morning.

He is aware that a solid effort against Blackburn, like the one he turned in against Charlton Athletic last weekend, could further enhance his chances of taking the next step.

A degree in business economics from University of California Santa Barbara completed, Lochhead these days is making his way, tentatively, in the wider world. Drafted by the MLS last year, the 24-year-old switched coasts to join Boston-based New England Revolution, where he has had about 10 starts and another 14 games off the bench.

"It [MLS] is not the best paying unless you are a really big name," said Lochhead, who earns a yearly salary and bonuses. "I'm employed by the league, rather than the club, on a four-year contract."

Lochhead's path has closely followed the route taken by Nelsen and Elliott. Like them, he played age group football internationally before taking up a US scholarship. He then followed them into the MLS. All that remains is the next big step.

While living in Boston is far different from sunny California, he is enjoying the change and the chance to further his playing career. "I had to find my own accommodation in Boston - which isn't cheap. I could have gone to Kansas and lived cheaper but there's not much to do there.

"I'm in a good city and a good team. We are second in our [Eastern] conference."

The MLS season is at about the halfway stage (of a 32-game roster), with Lochhead and his teammates training most days and often playing two games a week.

"Even before I went to the States, my dream was to play in Europe," said Lochhead, who played under Kevin Fallon in the 1999 under-17 world championships here and later under All Whites coaches Ricki Herbert and Brian Turner in the 2004 Olympic campaign.

He made his full international debut in Iran in the Asia/Oceania challenge in 2003. In June 2004 he played under Mick Waitt and Herbert in the Oceania Nations' Cup in Adelaide.

As New Zealand crashed out of Confererations Cup and World Cup contention, Lochhead was a rare shining light, playing every minute of the All Whites' campaign, showing out as a left back of some class.

Injuries and a bout of glandular fever have curtailed his opportunities since but he did play both matches in Chile this year.

Tauranga-born Lochhead learned his football in Auckland while a member of Fallon's Mt Albert Grammar soccer academy and Herbert has no doubt he has the attributes to shine at the highest level.

"He is a natural left-sided player and a very good athlete," said Herbert. "Now we have young Chris James as another player comfortable on the left we are well served.

"That coupled with Leo Bertos, who too plays there, gives us real strength."

Like many, Herbert is puzzled as to why Lochhead was not called in by the New Zealand Knights. "He is an exciting player and one who is very much in our thinking for the World Cup squad early next year."

Tony Lochhead

Born: January 12, 1982, Tauranga.
Height: 1.83m
Weight: 75kg
Schools: Tauranga BC, Westlake BHS, Mt Albert GS, Otumoetai College.
University: University of California, Santa Barbara.
International: NZ under-17, under-23, All Whites.
All Whites debut: v Iran 2003 (Asia/Oceania Challenge).
Caps: 9.
All Whites in 2006
v Malaysia 1-0, 2-1
v Chile 1-4, 0-1
v Hungary 0-2
v Georgia 3-1
v Estonia 1-1
v Brazil 0-4
v Charlton Athletic 1-1