KEY POINTS:
Chris Milicich is fully aware of the enormity of the task facing him and his Waitakere United team when they run out on to Tokyo's National Stadium on Friday night to play top Iranian side Sepahan.
But don't dare suggest their business class excursion to Japan is a
trip of a lifetime.
"The players have been given that message loud and clear," said Milicich. "I've told them, 'If you think this a trip, you won't be going'. We are going there to get a result."
Milicich must get his team through today's game with YoungHeart Manawatu before contemplating the FIFA Club World Cup sojourn.
"It is important for Oceania and the New Zealand Football Championship the team does well," said Milicich. "But it's not going to be easy."
He knows that better than anyone having watched Sepahan lose the Asian club final to Japan's Urawa Reds.
"These are two very, very good teams. The Reds beat Sydney FC home and away," said Milicich. "We are playing one of the two best teams in Asia who have been match-hardened in getting through. There are four or five full internationals in the Sepahan team. It is a huge step us for us."
Just as it was a year ago when Auckland City made the same journey and came away with commendable results - a 2-0 loss to Egyptian club Ahly Sporting Club (who went on to beat Mexican club Club America for bronze) and a 3-0 loss to Korean club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the play-off for fifth.
Under a new format, Waitakere United will play Sepahan first-up with the winner playing Urawa Reds in the quarter-finals and the loser going home. The winner of that quarter-final will play AC Milan in the semis.
"Not only is it important for us as a club to do well," said Milicich, "it is a huge opportunity for our players to play in front of the scouts who will be there. There are always clubs in the J League [Japan] and the K League [Korea] who are on the lookout for players. For guys like Allan Pearce and Benjamin Totori and other young players this is their chance to go head-to-head with full-time professionals."
Milicich, who has returned to coach the team he had in the first NZFC season, has a wealth of experience to call on as he accepts the biggest challenge of his career.
He points to players like captain Danny Hay, Jonathan Perry (who Milicich suggests is still good enough to play internationally), Darren Bazeley and Neil Emblen and the players who were in the City side a year ago, Perry, Neil Sykes, Jason Hayne, Richard Gillespie and Paul Seaman as providing much-needed experience.
But even that is not enough to guarantee selection for Friday night's game.
"I have been pretty consistent in my selections," said Milicich. "But that does not mean anyone can count on hearing his name read out up there."
Today's game is seen by Milicich as the opportunity for players to cement their places - or play their way off the big stage.
"The players are fully aware of the code, on and off the field, we play by," said Milicich. "They know egos must be left at the [dressing room] door. We have a fighting mentality to play as a team."
They will need to.
FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP
Tokyo/Yokohama, Japan:
* Opening match, Waitakere United (NZ) v Sepahan (Iran)
* National Stadium, Tokyo, 11.30pm Friday (live SS1)
