A consistent defender who normally plays on the left side of the defensive line, Lochhead is yet another graduate from the New Zealand team which appeared at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Cup on home turf.
Lochhead debuted for the All Whites in the white-hot atmosphere of the Azadi Stadium in Tehran in 2003 and immediately stamped his place in the starting line-up, and for a couple of years he started every match that he had been available to play, including the ill-fated 2006 FIFA World Cup™ campaign which ended in 2004. The same year Lochhead again tasted anguish at international level with the New Zealanders narrowly failing to overcome Australia in their quest to qualify for the Athens Olympics.
Like a number of national team colleagues, Lochhead has spent a considerable amount of time playing college football in USA. He started out with UC Santa Barbara, and also had a stint with Orange County Blue Star, before two seasons with New England Revolution in the MLS.
Known for his strength, pace and passing game, Lochhead has excelled since returning home to join Wellington Phoenix in 2007. The move helped Lochhead return to the international stage where he featured in five of New Zealand's six Oceania FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers.
Lochhead featured in both legs of the historic play-off victory over Bahrain, starting in a slightly more advanced wingback role in the first leg in Manama. Despite a solid showing across both matches, it could have ended very differently with Lochhead giving away a second-half penalty in Wellington only for goalkeeper Mark Paston to save his team-mate with a now-famous stop that ultimately proved the difference between the two teams. The 28-year-old has again enjoyed impressive form with the Wellington Phoenix but like all his A-League colleagues, he has been hampered by a lack of regular game time leading up to South Africa 2010.
