Football: 18 year-old Lewis makes steep rise into All Whites

Clayton Lewis (L) has made a quick and steep rise into the All Whites squad. Photo / Glenn Taylor.

Less than a year ago Clayton Lewis was playing club football in Wellington, on the same team as his father.

Tomorrow night the 18-year-old could get some game time for the All Whites against Korea Republic, in front of more than 45,000 people.

It's been a steep, scarcely believable rise for the talented teenager but it is also symptomatic of the opportunities currently available under the Anthony Hudson regime.

The All Whites coach has been clear in his desire to create the deepest possible pool of talent, and prospects like Lewis have been given a chance to impress.

"It's crazy how I got here," said Lewis. "Not so long ago I was hoping to maybe be in the running for the [New Zealand] Under-20s...and then I have made this team. I never thought it would happen so early. It's quite hard to explain - I don't even know myself but it has all come together quite well."

Lewis was your typical football mad youngster, though he also played a lot of basketball.

At the age of 13 he decided to devote himself solely to the 11 a side code and 18 months later he had made his first team debut for Wellington Olympic AFC. Soon afterwards he was a regular in the Olympic midfield, playing alongside his father Barry.

"It was good but it was quite hard as well, you don't really know what to call him," said Lewis. "I've never really called him 'Barry' before and in the first game I actually called him 'Dad'. All the boys were on my case for days."

Lewis came to prominence in the 2013 winter season, a key member of the Olympic team that reached the semi finals of the Chatham Cup (losing to eventual winners Caversham) and finished second in the Central league. That exposure led to him being drafted into the Wellington Phoenix Academy and subsequent time with Team Wellington. Positive reports from there convinced New Zealand Under-20 coach Darren Bazeley that Lewis should be part of his set up.

After a phone call from Bazeley at the end of last year, Lewis made the difficult decision to cut ties with the Phoenix and move north to play for the Wanderers in the ASB Premiership. He has thrived in the Queen City and impressed Hudson enough to be given a chance on the current tour.

"I love this environment", said Lewis. "I'm 18 now and playing with some of the best players in New Zealand. I never would have thought that was possible as a little kid."

Lewis also recently went Norwich for a brief trial, after earlier visits to Millwall and Crystal Palace. It all points to a youngster on the rise, and tomorrow he could become one of the youngest All Whites since Chris Wood was capped as a 17-year-old against Tanzania in 2009.

"If I get on the field emotions will be going all over the place," said Lewis. "It would just be amazing and I reckon we can win. We have such a good team and everyone is adapting to the style of play...if we can get our pressing game right, we can do well."

Lewis has impressed in training over the past week in Seoul and is a genuine contender for game time in tomorrow's match. With the withdrawal of Ryan Thomas, Lewis could be used in the vacant left sided midfield position, though Tyler Boyd and Ryan De Vries also look to be possibilities for that role.

*Michael Burgess travelled to Seoul with the support of ASB, the principal partner of New Zealand Football.