Soccer: Clapham one of NZ sport's great selection bolters

Aaron Clapham tells his parents he is going to South Africa. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The drum beats were out for Aaron Clapham leading up to the announcement of the All Whites World Cup squad.

Yet, considering where he has come from to win a place among the 23 for South Africa, the Cantabrian is one of New Zealand sport's great selection bolters.

The red-headed Canterbury United midfielder had been at a mate's house, with a group of friends, to watch the All Whites qualify for the finals in November's victory over Bahrain in Wellington.

The 23-year-old could never have imagined he would be on the plane with those All Whites to South Africa.

An outstanding season in the NZFC, a training stint with the Phoenix, and the backing of his coach Keith Braithwaite helped change all that.

Early this year, Clapham weighed up returning to Victorian league side Dandenong, before wise counsel kept him in the NZFC. Inclusion in the national training camp, which concluded with Sunday's game between New Zealand A and the NZFC All Stars, indicated he was somewhere in the frame.

Yesterday morning, he got the amazing news.

After media and television cameras massed towards him at the squad announcement at the Sky Tower in Auckland, he reckoned, "It's a fairytale.

"No one will be going there to make up the numbers - I'll work hard and I give myself a good chance [of playing]."

Clapham is from soccer stock. His father Ray and mother Angie both coach, and 25-year-old sister Sara was a brief New Zealand representative and plays in Perth.

Clapham is not outlandishly creative but plays a clever percentage game.

His sure and composed touch in the penalty box set up New Zealand A's second goal at North Harbour Stadium on Sunday.

All Stars coach Neil Emblen singled out the Canterbury man, who looked best after moving to the right midfield role where Herbert sees his international future.

Emblen, coach of champions Waitakere, said: "Clapham was outstanding. I've seen a lot of him in the NZFC and I'm glad he is getting international notice. He's so reliable on the ball."

Clapham's first task is getting game time to impress the coaches. Midfield is a problem for the All Whites.

Herbert believes this New Zealand side may have the best-ever defenders and strikers, but no one would yet dare claim such for the midfield.

Herbert will put out his top side against Australia in Melbourne on May 24, and there will be limited opportunity for tinkering against Serbia, Slovenia and Chile before their World Cup begins against Slovakia in mid-June.

Clapham won't count himself out and sport is littered with the surprise packets who became the main deal.