KEY POINTS:
Danny Hay is hellbent on pulling on his boots for what could be his last game when Waitakere United run out to play Adelaide United in the first game at Fifa's World Club Cup in Tokyo next Thursday.
Hay has been nursing his body since surgery on his
injured ankle left him playing catch-up after the last New Zealand Football Championship season. He has hardly kicked a ball in anger since, but is doing everything to give himself a chance of playing once more in the big time. He would, his ravaged body permitting, like to play the rest of the NZFC season.
Like many, he was bitterly disappointed with the effort his teammates turned in last Saturday in playing out a lacklustre 1-1 draw with bottom-placed Canterbury United.
But he, like those critics who panned that performance, took some heart from their midweek win over the Oceania All Stars preparing for tomorrow's game against David Beckham's LA Galaxy at Mt Smart Stadium.
Asked whether the 2008-09 NZFC is a season too far, Hay replied "possibly".
"But I will play [against Adelaide] hook or by crook. We let ourselves down when we played in Japan last time."
In that game against Iranian champions Sepahan, Waitakere were 0-2 down inside five minutes and went on to lose 1-3.
"The game was over after five minutes," said Hay. "The guys, despite their best intentions, showed you can't suffer from stage fright and still play football. We were like rabbits caught in the headlights. You can't do that against professionals.
"Adelaide will want to do the same. But we have to show we are not there just to make up the numbers. Maybe we were guilty of that last time. Now, we are lucky to have been given the chance to right the wrongs.
"We know just how great the pressure is. I have no doubts a similar performance will be jumped on by Fifa who will look to get rid of Oceania teams from the World Club Cup," said Hay. "There is a lot, lot more than just playing a game of soccer riding on this."
Hay has been there, done that, in playing club football at the highest level, having turned out for Leeds United against Barcelona in a Champions League game at the ultra-impressive Nou Camp stadium.
"It was only a small taste in a game we got bumped," said Hay.
"But we came back to win through from the group phase and knock out Barcelona and Real Madrid before losing to Valencia in the semifinals.
"It was a real eye-opener, flying to great places in a private jet and being whisked straight out without having to go through Customs and then staying in the very best hotels.
"In some ways it was a similar experience for the Waitakere lads last year. You know, with two wins in Japan, we would be playing Manchester United," said Hay.
"I did that once - at Old Trafford. We were doing okay until Roy Keane went off injured and David Beckham came on. He destroyed us. That was in late 2000 when he was at his very best."
Of what his teammates can expect in Japan, Hay said: "You can only tell them so much. I watched Adelaide play on Saturday night. They are a good, slick professional side. It won't be easy. But, win, lose or draw, if we can say we did the best we could and come out with credibility, that's all I can ask.
"Look what the Kiwis did," Hay said. "They showed us what can be done."
