Injured All White Tim Brown rates himself a 50-50 chance of making the soccer World Cup.

While the New Zealand squad headed to Europe for two further friendlies, their vice-captain returned to Auckland after suffering a fractured shoulder in the 2-1 defeat to Australia on Monday night.

The injury occurred during a first-half tangle with Socceroos' hardman Vince Grella during which Brown fell awkwardly.

The midfielder played on, but didn't come back after interval and was taken to hospital for scans.

Brown said he was due to see a specialist in Auckland on Wednesday and would have a better idea of his prospects of going to the World Cup, which begins in South Africa on June 12.

"From all accounts it's probably 50-50, but I'll know more tomorrow," he said.

"I think a big chunk of bone has been ripped off."

Brown said there was a possibility that he could have screws inserted in the shoulder and, if all went well, he would be able to rejoin his team-mates in South Africa.

"I'm trying to be real positive about that at the moment," he said.

"But there's also the chance I won't be able to go. If that's the case, I'll put my hand up straight away and someone else can take my place. I'm not going to muck anyone around."

While Grella was slammed by his own coach, Pim Verbeek, for a two-footed lunge that felled Leo Bertos earlier in the match, Brown said his mishap was the result of an accident.

"It was just unfortunate and terribly unlucky," he said.

He even admitted that there might have been an element of revenge on his mind when he and Grella chased a ball.

"I was maybe trying to get him back a little bit for booting Leo and I just came off at a funny angle," he said.

"I put my hand down to support myself his weight fell on me and it put my shoulder out."

The 29-year-old Brown, who has been capped 25 times, said he was taken aback by the "amazing" support he had received from his team-mates, with plenty of texts and other messages constantly arriving.

If the news is bad on Wednesday, he will be a significant loss for coach Ricki Herbert as the All Whites prepare for their World Cup opener against Slovakia on June 15.

Herbert said Brown would be given every opportunity to rejoin the squad, but the time needed for rehabilitation could rule that out.

Wellington midfielder Cole Peverley, one of seven players on stand-by to cover injuries to the 23-man squad, is the likely replacement should Brown be ruled out.

Meanwhile, Bertos has been cleared to travel to Europe after concerns eased over his right leg, which was crunched not only by Grella, but in another crude challenge by Tim Cahill.

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