Hudson said as much, and was reported on Stuff on Tuesday: http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/803...
Given Sydney are now off for 3 months makes perfect sense for them re timing. I know from basketball Plantar Fasciitis can be played through and that rest is the treatment.
So what's the full list of players who have already played for the AWs that are either injured, not picked, recently retired/fudgeed off, or ineligible?
Glen Moss
Jake Gleeson (playing club, and rightfully so)
-------------
Storm Roux
Deklan Wynne
Tommy Smith
Winston Reid
Michael Fitzgerald (arguable, as to do with Ricki)
Andrew Durante
Ben Sigmund
James Musa
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Chris James
Dan Keat
Craig Henderson (arguable)
Benjamin van den Broek
Clayton Lewis
Jason Hicks (arguable)
Aaron Clapham (arguable)
Ryan Thomas
Henry Cameron
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Shane Smeltz
Tyler Boyd
Hamish Watson
Ryan de Vries
Even with Hduson giving caps away to all and sundry, there are still 5 debutants in the squad plus 5 others who have only played once and another 5 with 3 or less caps....I really hope we still win, and you cant blame Anfony for the injuries, but there's still that nagging feeling that the squad has been picked for some tournament in the future rather than in a weeks time.
Call-ups under Hudson (v Thailand/China 2014, v South Korea/Myanmar/Oman 2015)
GK: Tsanev, Sail, Gleeson
DF: Reid, Roux, Wynne, Mitchell, Edge, Higgins, Raniga
MF: Lewis, Thomas, Cameron, Rufer, Burfoot, Payne, Keat, Howieson, van den Broek
FW: Smeltz, Boyd, Vincent, Stevens
Banished: Smith
Ineligible?: Musa, de Vries
Played v Uzbekistan, not called up while Hudson's been selecting: James, Moss, Durante, Sigmund,
Played w/ Hudson for U23s: Solomons, Blake
On the other hand, in the six games under Hudson, 11 players have started 3 or more games, clearly presenting a first XI, so his reputation as a tinkerer giving away caps is a bit BS for mine. The only real change made for footballing reasons (apart from cutting Moss/James/Boyd/Durante when he picked his first squad, for his second game) was when Tuiloma didn't get called up for Oman. Rest are injuries or from letting our busiest pros rest (the merits of which are another debate).
Marinovic; Roux, Tzimi, Boxall, Wynne; Tuiloma, McGlinchey; Barbarouses, Rojas, Thomas; Wood
Played v Uzbekistan, not called up while Hudson's been selecting: James, Moss, Durante, Sigmund,
Is that the most revealing line?
In what sense? If you mean re: James, then yeah. Siggy retired soon after, while Durante and Moss were both part of the 'oldies' group waiting in the wings while he looked at fresh blood. Durante obviously retired rather than return, but every suggestion has been that Moss wants to return and is wanted.
Just trying to differentiate that game (where Hudson coached, but hadn't selected the squad) from the 5 that have followed (where he did both).
In the sense that Anfony said that he felt some players (I think they were senior pros?) didn't have a great attitude in that first match. Looking from the outside, I wouldn't have picked those 4.........but maybe that's who Anfony was alluding too. (yes, good for the Nix but maybe he wanted more from his supposed senior core?)
Sigmund and Dura really only retired as they weren't getting picked? and Moss hasn't been picked at all, regardless of injury
Sort of re, Sigmund and Durante. And while it's true that Moss hasn't been picked (hence why he's in that part of the breakdown), I think it's clear that Hudson wanted to v Oman and for ONC - if Moss' AWs career was over, it'd be over, there wouldn't be this facade.
Edit: Sigmund in his book says he talked to Hudson and to Ernie and then decided that was that. Durante, probably more so re: not getting picked, but was same deal for a couple of others (oldies) that have since returned (Smeltz)
The thing I don't get about Prelevic is, is that he was cut from the U20s WC squad last year.....presumably he was deemed not good enough. So from that point 12 months-ish ago to being tapped for the national team ahead of any number of midfielders who could have been selected seems a bit odd.
So
a) has he improved dramatically in 12 months? (doesn't seem like it as he is still kicking about in the VPL)
b) does he have enormous potential? (possible, but then why isn't an A-League side scooping him up?)
c) are there no other options? (I think we've disproven that)
d) is he filling a role no one else in NZ football can do? (possible but unlikely)
e) is NZF giving experience to guys who wont peak until the qualifiers for the 2026 WC?
The thing I don't get about Prelevic is, is that he was cut from the U20s WC squad last year.....presumably he was deemed not good enough. So from that point 12 months-ish ago to being tapped for the national team ahead of any number of midfielders who could have been selected seems a bit odd.
So
a) has he improved dramatically in 12 months? (doesn't seem like it as he is still kicking about in the VPL)
b) does he have enormous potential? (possible, but then why isn't an A-League side scooping him up?)
c) are there no other options? (I think we've disproven that)
d) is he filling a role no one else in NZ football can do? (possible but unlikely)
e) is NZF giving experience to guys who wont peak until the qualifiers for the 2026 WC?
Valid point! Never thought of that.....pretty shark reason to be included though eh
The thing I don't get about Prelevic is, is that he was cut from the U20s WC squad last year.....presumably he was deemed not good enough. So from that point 12 months-ish ago to being tapped for the national team ahead of any number of midfielders who could have been selected seems a bit odd.
So
a) has he improved dramatically in 12 months? (doesn't seem like it as he is still kicking about in the VPL)
b) does he have enormous potential? (possible, but then why isn't an A-League side scooping him up?)
c) are there no other options? (I think we've disproven that)
d) is he filling a role no one else in NZ football can do? (possible but unlikely)
e) is NZF giving experience to guys who wont peak until the qualifiers for the 2026 WC?
That he's in Aus and with the team would be the big reason, but just a month after the U20 WC he made our U23 team for the Olympic qualifiers (beats me as to why).
Prelevic had a good game for the Under 20 trial squad v Fiji under 20 at Bill Mcinley I recall. Put himself about and think he scored. He and Patterson were the standouts that night.
