Football: The return of Jeremy Brockie, New Zealand's intrepid adventurer is back

All Whites striker Jeremy Brockie. Photo / Mark Mitchell.

Jeremy Brockie is New Zealand Football's intrepid adventurer, and after hearing his stories, it's perhaps no surprise he is back in the All Whites.

After the first leg against Peru in Wellington this Saturday, the All Whites are set to face a hostile reception in Lima, with the city of 8 million people desperate for Peru to achieve a long awaited qualification for the World Cup.

It will be a huge test, both and off the field, but Brockie gives the impression he won't be fazed by much.

That's part of the reason he has been recalled by coach Anthony Hudson, to provide a clear head when there is chaos and uncertainty all around him.

Brockie has taken the road less travelled with his football career, having already played at five A League clubs and Toronto FC in the MLS.

But he has been based at SuperSport United in South Africa since January 2015, and is having the time of his life. Apart from scoring a ton of goals - 41 in 96 games - Brockie is also seeing places that few do. Already this season he has played in Congo, Guinea, Gabon, Tunisia and Zambia, with gamut of experiences far removed from anything that might be encountered in Australasia.

"Over the last six or seven months I've been to some pretty rough places, in front of massive crowds," said Brockie. "But to be playing all over Africa has really opened up my eyes."

Take his recent trip to Tunisia, for the second leg of the semi final of the CAF Confederation Cup against Club Africain. The stadium was locked and deserted when his team arrived for their captain's run the night before, so they had to make do with a session in a waterlogged paddock nearby.

"The next day we turn up at the game and go on the pitch an hour and a half before," said Brockie. "The 50,000-60000 fans [are already] there and they are shining lasers in your eyes and putting big banners up reading about the devil and things like that."

Brockie scored in a 3-1 win, and had full water bottles hurled at him as he celebrated the goal.

"As bad as it sounds, it is actually enjoyable," said Brockie. " It's much better playing in front of something like that instead of a couple of people from down the road. [And] it's grown me as a player and I have more stories to share when I finish playing."

Brockie's form has been noticed, the first non-African player to be nominated for the African player of the year award. His profilic goal scoring also piqued Hudson's attention, to earn his unlikely recall.

The 30-year-old last played for the All Whites in the 2016 Nations Cup, and while he never lost hope, he admits it was fading fast.

"As the camps came and passed, my hope started to deteriorate pretty quickly," said Brockie. "But I have always kept an eye on what the boys have been doing the last couple of windows and when I got the email and the call it was like being called up for the first time again I guess. It's another dream come true to be so close to World Cup qualification."