Two footballers with Southern links have been picked in New Zealand's under-17 team for the upcoming Fifa Under-17 World Cup in Chile.
Forward James McGarry (17) and defender Oliver Ceci (17) have been named in the 21-man squad for the tournament, which kicks off next weekend.
McGarry, who signed a three-year deal with the Wellington Phoenix last month, is the son of former All White Mike McGarry, a schoolteacher at Otago Boys' High School.
Ceci is from Queenstown but moved to Auckland in February to play for the North Shore premier team and study veterinary nursing.
Both helped New Zealand win the Oceania Cup in American Samoa in January, when the side needed penalties to edge Tahiti 5-4 and book its ticket to football-mad Chile.
McGarry left Dunedin about three and a-half years ago to attend the Asia Pacific Football Academy in Christchurch.
However, the academy changed names and moved to Wellington last year, so McGarry followed suit and now attends St Patrick's College in the capital.
He was about to board the plane to Chile when the Otago Daily Times contacted him yesterday and could not comment, but his father said he was ''buzzing'' to be included in the squad.
''He's been on the go since the qualifying in Samoa earlier in the year,'' he said.
''He's had a lot of camps and a lot of waiting for things to happen, and now it is.
''It's been a great year for him. He's been to Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, Sydney and Fiji with the Phoenix.
''He's been trying to do his schoolwork, as well. But he hung in there.''
James netted three goals for New Zealand at the Oceania Cup and is a good chance to start up front for the Kiwis when their campaign gets under way.
''I'm sure he is hoping to start,'' McGarry said.
''But that will depend on how the warm-up games go and how his form is.
''But I'm sure he will be planning on starting.
''But coaches being coaches, you never quite know.''
McGarry and wife Robyn will be in Chile from October 16-31, where they will watch the team's three group matches and, if it qualifies for the next round, the round-of-16 clash.
With France - the top European qualifier - Paraguay and Syria also in group F, the Kiwis face a tall order to progress to the next round.
France beat Germany 4-1 in the final of the European qualifying tournament and is one of the pre-tournament favourites.
The top two teams from each group, and the four best third-placed teams, will qualify for the next round.
McGarry said all three of New Zealand's group matches would be ''tough'', but he thinks they have a legitimate chance of progressing.
Ceci, who scored one of New Zealand's penalties in the Oceania Cup final against Tahiti, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
All but two of coach Danny Hay's squad are based in New Zealand.
Only goalkeeper Michael Woud (England) and defender Hunter Ashworth (United States) play their football elsewhere.
Hay, who played 31 matches for the All Whites, is excited by the blend of players in his squad.
''First and foremost, we've based a lot of our mix of squad on character,'' Hay said.
''I think we've put together a pretty talented young squad and I think it's got the potential of doing some good stuff and exciting the fans back here.''
New Zealand will play warm-up matches against Mexico and South Africa before its opener against France on October 20.
The tournament runs from October 17 to November 8. All New Zealand's matches will be televised live on Sky Sport.
NZ squad
for Fifa Under-17 World Cup
Goalkeepers: Reuben Clark, Christian Woodbridge, Michael Woud.
Defenders: Hunter Ashworth, Luke Johnson, Liam Jones, Ben Mata, Jack-Henry Sinclair, Liam Williams.
Midfielders: Joe Bell, Oliver Ceci, Callum McCowatt, Owen Parker-Price, Dane Schnell, Sarpreet Singh.
Forwards: Lucas Imrie, James McGarry, Ahmad Mohammadi, Connor Probert, Logan Rogerson, Sean Skeens.
NZ schedule
v France, October 20, 9am.
v Syria, October 23, 9am
v Paraguay, October 26, 8am.
