Resilient Roux gets a reward
It is hard to imagine Storm Roux was contemplating it, lying in hospital in February last year with a broken leg and a dislocated shoulder.
In fact, the thought of potentially marking Cristiano Ronaldo at the Confederations Cup 16 months later was probably one of the last things on the All Whites defender’s mind.
But, as he departed Auckland bound for Belfast yesterday, going head-to-head with Real Madrid’s Portuguese superstar is a very real possibility.
Roux plays right-back, Ronaldo plays primarily on the left wing and the All Whites play the European champions in their final group game at the tournament in Russia.
If it does become a reality, it would continue what has been a period in the 24-year-old’s career he will not easily forget.
Roux’s horrific injury put him out of football for almost eight months. He eventually returned for the Central Coast Mariners in October, the offer of a spot for the All Whites two-match tour of the US coming shortly after.
Despite it being 18 months since the last of his seven matches for the national team, mostly down to him being caught up in the 2015 eligibility saga, the South African-born player opted to focus on his return at A-League level.
That decision played a part in Roux missing out on World Cup qualifying ties against New Caledonia in November and Fiji in March. But his consistently strong form for the Mariners proved too hard to ignore and Roux has finally earned a re-call.
‘‘When I first got here, [the All Whites] had problem with commitment, we could never get a consistent squad,’’ Hudson said on Friday, at the end of a five-day camp with mostly Australasian-based players.
‘‘Storm probably fell into a bit of a challenging place when he didn’t come in for the US tour. It probably cost him a bit of time with the national team. He knows that and he’s not the only one.
Hudson said it was too early to say exactly what role Roux would play in the three preConfederations Cup matches, starting with Northern Ireland in Belfast next Saturday and the tournament itself.
Roux is one of two specialist right backs in the squad, along with Brisbane Roar 17-yearold Dane Ingham, while there are a few others who could fill that position.
It seems likely, though, Roux is every chance to pin down a starting spot.
Not only does he have form and a considerable advantage in experience over Ingham in his favour, Hudson gave a glowing assessment of his efforts at the Auckland mini-camp.
‘‘Storm has come in and been the player I know him to be, with great character. He did himself the world of good this week.
‘‘I’ve never questioned his attitude. He’s a really good character. We talked about a few things with his game and I saw this week he had really switched on to [those].
‘‘I liked how he turned up, his physical condition and mentality, and I like having him in the group.’’
Hudson will put as close to his top XI, which he said he ‘‘more or less’’ knows, out against Northern Ireland.
Performances in that match and against Irish club team Cabinteely FC in Dublin on June 7 and Belarus in Minsk on June 13 will largely dictate who starts in the Confederations Cup opener against hosts Russia in St Petersburg on June 18.