2019 International Friendlies

Hay is coming in spouting on about 'pride'

The problem is, when you do this, you're implying that pride has been missing. But it hasn't. 

What was missing was a proper playing style, which is something that Fritz Schmit changed in his limited games and Des Buckingham took to another level with his age teams.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/116821274/danny-hay-wants-the-all-whites-to-be-brave-and-courageous-while-taking-on-the-world

"If I look back, Ricki Herbert (in 2005) was in a similar situation to where I find myself now. The All Whites had had a long period where they'd been inactive, and then he came in and put some pride back in the shirt.

"Having played himself he was hugely, hugely passionate about the team and I look at myself and I think I'm in a similar boat – it's something I care about deeply.

"That's something that resonates with me, the way Ricki got the team back together, got some pride back, built some real camaraderie, and also grew some belief in them that they could qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

"If you look at the journey he took the team on in that cycle, there are definitely things I can take from that."

Another word being rolled out is 'brave'

Brave could mean a number of things. I'm hoping it's not something stupid like playing strikers in midfield

I would describe Buckingham's teams as being thorough and well organised, with a lot of the subtle principles well deployed. And IMO it was great top see this from one of our national teams

I really hope my pessimism is unfounded

One good thing in this article, is that Hay refers to having a game(s) in March 2020 window. 

Not sure if that is meant as match time for AWs or U23s

likewise Jeremy brockie

Nah for now Brockie stays in the squad.

Need a back up to Wood, and Brockie is still it. Even just to sit on the bench in case of a Woodsman injury.

Like to see Collier get some minutes though.

Brockie is not good enough to be a back up to anyone at international level. He never has and never will be good enough. His international record indicates that. We have far more worthy players than Brockie as a back up to Woods, it never ceases to amaze me that people still include him, surely he has had 30 chances more than needed to prove he simply isnt good enough for the AW's. 

1 goal in 49 appearances, possibly one of the worst ratios in international football.

Who would be your backup striker to Wood?

If playing with one up front, as I presume AWs will do against a team as strong as Ireland.

Acknowledging that the gap between the Woodsman, and the rest is a trip to Mars and back.

I'd rather take Watto over Brockie, he's been scoring for fun over the year and offers a big target man frame similar to Wood

I would rather Mata or even Waine, lets get the youth in there doing it.

It's an interesting one. And yes likes of Waine and Mata are the future. Would make some sense to bring Mata into an AWs squad gathering in Europe. Estonia is pretty close to Lithuania after all. So some playing minutes in Vilnius not a bad idea for Max.

I was coming more from the angle of, if Wood was injured now (as he was against Peru), who would replace him up front, against a top side. Neither Mata or Waine are ready yet. They have shark load still to learn, and Waine in particular needs to develop physically. A side like Ireland will be fill of big bodied men from EPL/Championship/League One.

So now you could either slot in Barba up front (like Hudson tried against Peru), or Brockie. Yes the Nelsonian's record is bad but at the moment he is still the best like for like Wood replacement. 

However I guess in reality the AWs don't play any meaningful games against top teams until a 2021 Confeds Cup (if there is one), or the March 2022 inter confed qualifying games. Assuming AWs qualify out of OFC for both. 

So do you discard Brockie, and hope Mata/Waine/Collier develop enough over the next 2 years, to backup Wood in need? Or do you still keep Brockie in the picture? What if Wood is unavailable for any OFC Nations Cup in May-June next year (if there is one)?  For this Nov window is Waine just better to stay with the Nix, and continue to push for a starting spot - given A League will play through the window?

Also need to consider what future style are AWs going to play against top sides. Putting the coaching merits of Hudson/Hay/Buckingham aside, the AWs side come March 2022 is going to have a far stronger midfield than the Nov 2017version (Peru games). 

In 2017 you had Weemac (career in decline), and Lewis (Handy Prem footballer). Plus Rojas not doing much, and Tuiloma who at that stage was a bench player in the French 3rd tier (Strasbourg). A top form Thomas was the only shining light. 

Come early 2022, Thomas will hopefully be back to his best, Joe Bell will be a pro footballer, Lewis hopefully somewhere better than ACFC, Eli Just probably at a club higher than Danish 3rd tier, and future star Singh could be a regular at a mid table top flight Euro club (or better). Tuiloma a hard nosed DM (if not a CB), and Rojas still thereabouts. 

So the future mid field looks bright, with less reliance on hoofing forward to a target man like Wood to hold up play. So the need for a similar bigger body upfront, to substitute for the Woodsman should diminish.

PS. Remember now that Nix have the bye in November FIFA window, so Hay might as well pick anyone from Wellington that he thinks is worthy.

There is 100 per cent no Confederations Cup in 2021.

Thanks. Is there a 2020 OFC Nations Cup then?

Yes – or at least that is the plan.

Bit hard to be braver than Huddo rolling out Rojas and McGlinchey as a holding midfield tandem with a combined height of about 5 feet

Brave would have been rolling that Lewis, McGlinchey, Rojas trio out and asking them to play football. Getting the centre backs to kick it over them, not so much.

Provided there are no serious injuries between now and March 2022, Hay will have a far better set of midfield players to tinker with, than Hudson.

Hopefully he has that in his mind, as he starts on his 'journey'.

in a lower league - Watto has found his level ISPS \ NSL in Australia. He couldn't do it at the Phoenix, Brockie could, Brockie's issue was doing it at international level

honestly if Brockie and Watto are the answers what is the fcuking question we've been asking????????

"What experienced options are there to back up Chris Wood?"

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/116928115/all-whites-burning-questions-what-might-be-on-the-mind-of-new-coach-danny-hay

Sydney FC striker Kosta Barbarouses is set to reject a New Zealand call-up next week so he can play against his ex-club, Melbourne Victory. Barbarouses negotiated his withdrawal with coach Danny Hay, and won't travel to Europe for friendlies against Ireland and Lithuania.

[SMH]

— A-League Hub (@AleagueHub) November 2, 2019

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/sydney-fc-barbarouses-to-reject-new-zealand-call-up-to-play-big-blue-20191102-p536sc.html

In some good news, I see Wood is fit to play against Sheffield United tonight.

With Barba out, McCowatt and Collier must be certain picks. 2 also of Brockie, De Jong, Mata or Waine.

Barba likely out because he also has a 6 week old baby. Not completely unreasonable to skip a week away from a new born.

Experimentation at this stage of the World Cup cycle is a good thing. It's nearly 2.5 years away before the inter continental playoffs in March 2022. Why not try a few players against Lithuania esp.

That's provided AWs get there out of OFC, as they should.

If Barba's absence creates an opportunity for say Collier, and he dribbles his way past 3 Lithuanians, bangs in a screamer and gets picked up some League One side or something - all to the good. 

Irish squad named. Very strong. Hopefully they rest most of the normal starting eleven for AWs game, noting they have very important Euro qualifier against Denmark a few days later.

Who knows with Wood & Brockie missing games with injury this weekend, Barba unavailable we may have Max Mata or Waine starting upfront! Gulp. Never like it much when some overseas commentator sniggers with the AWs having a starter from the German 4th division, Estonia or wherever.

https://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/manning-earns-first-ireland-call-up-for-new-zealand-and-denmark-squads

Mick McCarthy

"“This is a huge month for us and these are two very different games,” said McCarthy who officially launched his squad at SSE Airtricity’s South Dublin headquarters on Tuesday afternoon.

“The New Zealand game is a chance to have a look at the players who are fighting to be in the team and some of the players fighting to be in the squad. We saw how beneficial it was to change things up for the recent Bulgaria friendly and we may well do that again against New Zealand.

“It could be the perfect opportunity to have a look at Troy Parrott for example and see how he makes the step-up to senior international football after impressing so many people at underage level with Ireland and Spurs.

“We know what we have to do against Denmark and we will look to the tried and the trusted to win that game but who knows what will happen against New Zealand. Maybe someone will take their chance in that match and give me something to think about.”

what are the chances of Ryan Thomas playing ?

High

Really? You'd think PSV would want to keep him close to support him as he gets match fit.

Given the minutes he's played so far - I'd be surprised if he could get more than 15 minutes per game for the AWs.

As a fan, I'd actually prefer he waited until he was back to full fitness. Don't want him to blow another knee or it will be pretty much over for him.

Since it's an international window, PSV would have to have a medical reason to not release him if called up. And given he's been playing for them, hard to see how they could come up with a convincing one.

If, however, Hay, Thomas, and PSV agreed that calling up Thomas at this time would not be ideal, then that's a different story.

Did I hear something that he is probably going to experiment in this window? Means he may not call in some big guns?

I don't know what he intends to do, but it's not often we get to play internationals in Europe, and it would seem pretty silly to me not to call up the best European-based players for these games. 

Thomas started his last game for PSV before being sent off at about 20 mins.

It was a huge game against 3rd placed Alkmaar. PSV coaches wouldn't have started Thomas in a tough Eredivisie game if he wasn't nearly back to full fitness.

I'm sure NZF and PSV will have a chat, but now that Thomas is suspended, I suspect what he actually needs is more playing time. In an international friendly you would hope there is less chance of say dangerous tackles flying in, than a normal Eredivisie game. Plus is a short flight from Holland to Ireland. So why wouldn't he be involved with AWs.

I imagine Hay will experiment against Lithuania a bit, but will want something close to a top side playing Ireland. Top side haven't played together for 2 years (Peru late 2017), and Eire are a good tough European team (even their 2nd string).

Put out a bunch of kids against them and it could be embarrassing.

Who is going to Ireland and or Lithuania games? Crew is building and be great to do it together. Fan friendly in Dublin is 3pm, pub after, then game.

When can we expect the squad announcement?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/117139099/chris-wood-likely-to-be-joined-by-new-faces-in-all-whites-forward-ranks-for-friendlies

Is it true that Kosta made himself unavailable because he wanted to play against Victory instead? If so, he should of played his last game for the AWs in my opinion.

He's also got a new born, first I think. which has been given as part of the reason he wants to stay in Sydney.

Goalkeepers

Stefan Marinovic (Wellington Phoenix, 24/0)
Michael Woud (Willem II, Netherlands, 1/0)

Defenders
Michael Boxall (Minnesota United, USA, 32/0)
Liberato Cacace (Wellington Phoenix, 2/0)
Louis Fenton (Wellington Phoenix, 7/0)
James McGarry (Willem II, Netherlands, 0/0)
Nando Pijnaker (Torslanda IK, Sweden, 0/0)
Winston Reid (West Ham United, England, 24/1)
Storm Roux (Melbourne Victory, Australia, 9/0)
Tommy Smith (Colorado Rapids, USA, 36/2)
Bill Tuiloma (Portland Timbers, USA, 24/0)

Midfielders
Joe Bell (University of Virginia, USA, 0/0)
Michael McGlinchey (Central Coast Mariners, Australia, 53/5)
Matt Ridenton (Newcastle Jets, Australia, 5/0)
Alex Rufer (Wellington Phoenix, 6/0)
Sarpreet Singh (Bayern Munich, Germany, 4/1)
Ryan Thomas (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands, 18/3)

Forwards
Elliot Collier (Chicago Fire (on loan to Memphis 901), 0/0)
Andre de Jong (Amazulu, South Africa, 2/1)
Elijah Just (Helsingör, Denmark, 0/0)
Max Mata (Grasshopper Club Zürich, Switzerland (on loan to Nõmme Kalju, Estonia), 0/0)
Callum McCowatt (Wellington Phoenix, 0/0)
Marco Rojas (SønderjyskE, Denmark, 41/5)
Chris Wood (Burnley, England, 56/24)

Good to see that the big three (Reid, Wood & Thomas) are all available and good to see a lot of the U20s rewarded with a callup to the full squad. 

Interesting that only 9 of the 24 have played more than ten matches for the all whites