Football: 'Crazy' rise for young All Whites footy star

Moses Dyer in action during the Under 20 World Cup match at North Harbour Stadium yesterday.

This time last year a 'big match' for Moses Dyer might take place at Sacred Heart College. Or Mount Albert Grammar School. Or St Kentigerns College.

Up until September 2014, the highest level he had played as a teenager was secondary schools football, turning out for Westlake Boys every Saturday.

But his world has changed - massively - in the space of barely 10 months.

He's become a regular in the ASB Premiership with Wanderers FC, received an All Whites cap and yesterday played in front of a capacity crowd at North Harbour Stadium in the opening game of the Under-20 World Cup.

"It has all happened pretty fast," said Dyer. "When I think about it, it is actually quite crazy. But I try not to think about it, to be honest. I was playing school football last year and then I got into the Wanderers - somehow. I did well in the Wanderers, somehow got into the All Whites and now I'm here ... crazy."

Dyer represents Anthony Hudson's brave, new world. He was picked for the senior national side (as a replacement for Ryan Thomas) directly from the Wanderers, as Hudson took his youth policy to extreme levels for April's match against Korea.

Dyer was the youngest of a raw group, having celebrated his 18th birthday two days before the team flew out. It meant everything was a bit overwhelming and he was also deigned to perform certain tasks, like giving the squad a speech over the bus microphone about Seoul's World Cup stadium. But he coped, and came on as a substitute in the 79th minute.

"That 15 minutes was crazy," said Dyer. "From the Wanderers, it was the All Whites - my first New Zealand experience [at any level]. That's why when I came on I was just running around like a headless chicken. But all those experiences are so valuable."

Dyer, usually used as an attacking midfielder, has a sharp turn of pace and is good with the ball at his feet. Although he missed the first part of last season with a knee injury, he was part of the Westlake first XI who finished runners-up to Sacred Heart in both the Auckland and national championships, an experience he describes as "a bit gutting". But it was also a fateful shop window for Dyer, and a road to a much bigger stage.

"[Junior All Whites coach] Darren Bazeley was watching us in a league game," said Dyer. "I did quite well, got two goals and he asked me to come and train with the Wanderers. I guess it started from there."

Dyer wasn't a complete unknown. He was sent to England last year as the New Zealand representative for the Nike Most Wanted trial but hadn't made much of a mark locally.

That could change over the next six days, with games against the United States (Tuesday) and Myanmar (Friday).

"This is huge for us," said Dyer. "'We are trying to stay relaxed but we know it means a lot to a lot of people.

"We know we can do well. There is a lot of confidence and belief in this team."