Wanganui deputy mayor Hamish McDouall wasn't much of a footballer ... but when it comes to knowledge of the game, he's Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo rolled into one.
And that expertise, particularly the history of soccer in New Zealand, is being called on to boost the young All Whites team who face South Africa at Mt Smart stadium tomorrow evening.
This morning, McDouall will give a motivational talk to the New Zealand football team at their Auckland headquarters, focusing on the history and tradition of the game.
His presentation will begin with a slideshow, the first slide being the Wanganui Marist team that competed in the 2013 Masters Games. They didn't score a goal all tournament ... but things will get better from there.
His aim is to give the youthful All Whites squad - which includes Wanganui-born defender James Musa - a sense of their "whakapapa".