What do we want to see from a couple more All Whites games? That’s not an easy question to answer without making big picture generalisations about how it’s important to keep playing regular fixtures, especially against higher-ranked opponents. The lads are up against Greece and the Republic of Ireland in the November window. Both teams are ranked in the 50s by FIFA while the more reliable ELO rankings have Greece at 48 and Ireland at 60 (NZ is 108 according to FIFA and 72 according to ELO). These are not games they can expect to turn up and win. They’ll need a bit of luck to go their way for that to happen. But they’re also not games which should be seen as automatic defeats either.

At some stage the All Whites will start getting regular results against these types of teams – nations which are renowned and competitive but don’t necessarily qualify for every major tournament... in other words the highest floor of the global football skyscraper that New Zealand can realistically hope to reach. Obviously they’re not there yet but things have definitely progressed over the last couple of years. Under Darren Bazeley this team has beaten China as well as getting draws against China and Congo. They were on course to beat Qatar as well (pity there’s no Duckworth-Lewis-Stern for football games abandoned due to racism). They’ve also been thrashed 4-1 by Sweden and comfortably beaten 2-0 by Australia. Greece and Ireland are somewhere in between those tiers.

A major difference between this window and last window is that these two games are not going to be held at neutral venues. The All Whites will be stepping into enemy territory – although it appears that the match against will be held behind closed doors. Funnily enough, the first game of Danny Hay’s tenure was also in Dublin against Ireland. Callum McCowatt scored to put NZ into a first half lead before things went awry and Ireland won it 3-1. In many ways that game was the start of a new era for the men’s national team... although that new era then had some stalling issues because after playing Lithuania a few days later it would be more than two years before they got another fixture thanks to pesky pandemic happenings.

That Irish game saw the debuts of Joe Bell, Callum McCowatt, Elijah Just, and Elliot Collier. The Lithuania one would introduce James McGarry, Nando Pijnaker, and Max Mata to international football. Not sure there’s much more of a comparison to be made between that Irish game and this Irish game other than the obvious ‘did we do better on the scoreboard?’ idea but it does offer a cyclical moment for the men’s national team.

A busier international schedule these days is allowed guys gather up useful experience however we’re still in a place where squads remain very light on caps. This particular squad only contains 4/23 players with more than 30 caps and only 2/23 with more than 50. Eight have fewer than ten... although that’s a lot better than it was against Costa Rica, for example, when the combined cap tallies of the two teams read 714 for Costa Rica versus 212 for New Zealand. Even with the retirement of Winston Reid, that tally rose to 270 for the most recent match against the Socceroos. Slowly but surely these guys are growing into this element. They’re also progressing quickly at club level in between these tours. It’s all positive stuff... it just takes time for that to get to the place where regular results can be expected. Nonetheless, it would be nice to see a few goals fly in with hopefully at least one game where they avoid defeat.

Whether they can do that or not depends largely on the fitness of Chris Wood and Sarpreet Singh. Because guess what? Both are current injured. And guess what? The All Whites have picked them anyway. It simply would not be a New Zealand Football senior international squad without at least a few injured players straining things. No doubt they’ll wait until the last possible moment before ruling them out and then it’ll be too late to replace them in the group and all they’ve done is weaken themselves. That’s usually how this goes for both the All Whites and the Football Ferns. Often with another couple of other players ‘not risked’ with ‘minor’ injuries on the day of each game.

There is a chance though. Wood picked up a hamstring injury in training for Nottingham Forest after his two-goal effort against Luton Town recently. Sarpreet Singh has not played since the calf strain that he suffered in the previous international window. But Darren Bazeley reckons both are close enough to a return that they’re worthy of taking the risk for and, to be honest, if you’re going to do that for any two players then it’s these two players. The two most important creative forces in a side that struggles for goals. Not sure about Singh but Wood’s club manager has already said that he expects him back after the international break so a recovery in time to at least play some part of these matches is certainly not beyond the realms of feasibility.

There is also another, newer trend that’s emerged into focus with this particular squad naming. This particular trend is a far more exciting one. In fact it’s a necessary one and it’s beautiful to see that Darren Bazeley now feels that his wider group is strong enough to embrace it. Because in the past there have only ever been a limited number of professional players available and that means that the same core guys are always going to be picked regardless. The Football Ferns have had it even worse, as it’s only in the last couple of years that they’ve finally had more pros than can fit into a national team squad. That’s how it had to be in those days. Even if someone was struggling for game-time with their club they were still going to be the best option so they still had to be selected. Yet we now live in an age of abundance which is only becoming more expansive... and the wonderful consequence is this: Players can now be dropped for form.

Where is Bill Tuiloma? Billy T isn’t injured, he even started the last All Whites game. But he fell out of favour at his club side in America while he was nursing a knock midseason and only ever served unused substitute duty after he returned. Last window didn’t feature any A-League players plus Tyler Bindon was on his first tour. With a greater idea of what Bindon offers plus the return of Tim Payne (who suddenly in amazing form for the Welly Nix)... not only has Baze left Tuiloma out but he’s also dropped another right back in Niko Kirwan – who has also been sitting on the bench a lot for his club team lately, despite now being the vice captain at Padova (he did score a goal off the bench recently so maybe that’ll change his fortunes).

It goes beyond that. Nik Tzanev hasn’t been picked because he’s no longer the number one at AFC Wimbledon whereas Alex Paulsen has been bossing it for the Phoenix. Oli Sail hasn’t been recalled because he’s had a tough time at Perth Glory, making a howler mistake against the Nix and then getting dropped for week three. Kosta Barbarouses isn’t able to face his ancestral homeland because other forwards have commanded their spots ahead of him. Finn Surman has been called up – he and Paulsen are the two uncapped options here. He’s been just as outstanding as Paulsen has for the Nix so here is his reward. This is what we want. Competition for places to keep even the everybody on their toes.

GOALKEEPERS

Max Crocombe – Burton Albion, ENG (2 caps/0 goals)

Alex Paulsen – Wellington Phoenix, NZ/AUS (0/0)

Michael Woud – Ventforet Kofu, JAP (5/0)

The last four AWs games have seen four different starting keepers (okay, three and a half games since we’re including Qatar). That could become five if Paulsen gets a go but more likely we see Max Crocombe given a chance to lock down the starting gig for the present moment. He seemed to already be on the verge of doing that until that farcical situation last tour where his club had games during the window so they held him back and he only joined the squad for the second game then didn’t even play. Burton Albion don’t have a game this time so that’s a relief.

Crocombe has been fantastic at club level for almost two full years and has the strongest claim to the number one status now that Oli Sail’s been well and truly dragged back into the pack. We’ve got some golden reserves though. Michael Woud had a solid game against Aussie and is finally getting the occasional club game again in Japan. He’s an Asian Champions League specialist at the moment. Alex Paulsen is now fulfilling some of that elite potential he showed as a Phoenix junior and it’s been spectacular to see. He’s not as good as Crocombe right now but at this rate he’ll go soaring past him in a few years.

Beyond them there are more young lads like Jamie Searle, Zac Jones, Henry Gray, and Kees Sims. The National League is stacked with goalies under the age of 23 getting opportunities. Not to mention Oli Sail and Stefan Marinovic (if Big Stef gets back on the horse, that is). It’s a complicated, convoluted competition right now... but that’s where that whole competition for places idea comes in handy. Baze has picked the three guys who are currently doing the best stuff at their clubs. It doesn’t have to be difficult.

DEFENDERS

Tyler Bindon – Reading, ENG (2/0)

Michael Boxall – Minnesota United, USA (45/0)

Liberato Cacace – Empoli (17/1)

Tim Payne – Wellington Phoenix, NZ/AUS (33/2)

Nando Pijnaker – Sligo Rovers, IRE (16/0)

Tommy Smith – MK Dons, ENG (50/2)

Finn Surman – Wellington Phoenix, NZ/AUS (0/0)

Dalton Wilkins – Kolding IF, DEN (2/0)

It’s cool that Baze doesn’t seem to want to overload squads with central defenders. Chalk that up as another relic of a bygone NZ Football era. What he does seem to prefer is having that left-footed/right-footed combination at CB which is not always an easy thing to procure. Lefty central defenders are rare at the best of times so when you’re picking from a limited talent pool, as Aotearoa always will be, that doesn’t leave many options. But Nando Pijnaker has established himself nicely within that profile. Always been pretty solid for the AWs... and even though his club form was up and down this season for Sligo Rovers, that was more down to the team being rubbish (they finished one spot above the relegation playoff after having been in the European places in multiple recent years).

Nando’s now off contract, although wasn’t listed as one of the end of season departures by the club so we’ll see what the future has in store. It’d probably be a good time for another step up in his career but then you do have to be careful about the grass not being greener at other football clubs. For example: Max Mata’s making a slow adjustment at Shrewsbury Town after leaving Ireland. Turns out the Shrews aren’t very good so while it can be said that Mata has yet to score a goal in 537 League One minutes... he does play for the second lowest scoring team in the division. Only thing more disturbing about Shrewsbury scoring just 7 times in 16 games is that there’s somehow a team even worse than them (Cheltenham Town with 6 in 15).

Tommy Smith will be the backup LCB. He’s in squads as much for his leadership as his performance these days but that’s fine – this team needs those leaders in the dressing room. With 50 caps to his name, he and Chris Wood are the last remaining figures from the 2010 World Cup. Michael Boxall should be a starter at RCB coming off what was personally another strong MLS season with Minnesota United even if the overall team struggled for goals and missed the playoffs. They’ve moved on from their long-term coach and Boxall is at the end of his contract so curious what happens there. He’ll be able to get another MLS gig if he needs/wants to though.

Already mentioned that there’s no Tuiloma or Kirwan so Tim Payne has really come surging back into contention with only Tyler Bindon offering realistic right back cover beyond him. No dramas there... not if you’ve seen how well T.Payne has been going for the Welly Nix.

There are only four A-League players who’ve made the cut and those are the four best performing kiwis. That’s what it’s going to take to get selected for these squads from the ALM moving forward. There’s always going to be a place for those dudes but you can no longer coast your way into the national team squad on A-League form. There are guys at a higher level doing the same thing. Payne is here because he’s had a brilliant start with the Nix. The same thing applies to Finn Surman who, along with Tyler Bindon, is very much looking like a guy with all the tools to do what Boxall and Smith have done before him as All Whites CBs. Surman is great in the air and in the challenge. His passing is coming along nicely. He’s tall and sturdy. Composed. Bazeley had him as captain of the U20 World Cup squad so the leadership credentials are there too. In fact Surman and Bindon are likely to see a whole lot more of Bazeley in the coming months because they’re sitters for the Olympic squad next year should all things go to plan.

Bindon has played more CB than RB for Reading but right back is more where the opportunities are for the national team. Expect to see him get some minutes there across these two games. Then on the left it’s Dalton Wilkins again backing up for Libby Cacace. James McGarry is still weeks away from a return from his hamstring issue while Francis De Vries is playing National League so he’s not really in the picture. Lukas Kelly-Heald will be one to watch down the line - not only as a left back but also potentially as that left-footed central defender (granted, for now he profiles more as a fullback). Weird how we’ve got bulks of left back depth behind Cacace who is a no-doubter starting XI guy yet the right back spot has been up for grabs for about at least a decade. Honestly, these are all the fellas who have started an All Whites international fixture at right back since Anthony Hudson’s tenure began...

Storm Roux, Kosta Barbarouses (wing-back but still), Louis Fenton, Michael Boxall, Liam Graham, Kip Colvey, Dane Ingham, Adam Mitchell, Justin Gulley, Tim Payne, Kelvin Kalua, Niko Kirwan, Bill Tuiloma & Callan Elliot

MIDFIELDERS

Joe Bell – Viking FK, NOR (15/1)

Matthew Garbett – NAC Breda, NED (17/2)

Clayton Lewis – Macarthur FC, AUS (24/1)

Callum McCowatt – Silkeborg IF, DEN (14/2)

Sarpreet Singh – Hansa Rostock, GER (10/1)

Marko Stamenic – Crvena zvezda, SER (16/0)

Since the team returned after the pandemic, the All Whites have only scored more than once against a non-Oceania opponent on three occasions (from 14 attempts). Two of those were the only two games in which the Bell/Stamenic/Singh triumvirate all started. It’s nice that we have both Bell and Stamenic so that, like last tour, if one is missing there’s still the other. But what we really want is those two lining up together where they can really thrive.

Both have had some minor club stumbles lately. Bell’s not quite asserted himself again at Viking amidst their title challenge going down in flames (they’ve taken one point from the last five games), while Red Star Belgrade’s issues with making themselves work way harder for results than they should be has led to many tinkerings and the latest has seen Stamenic on the bench for the past two fixtures. But the class is undeniable from each and the level that they play at puts any slight stumbles into context. Same deal with Libby Cacace as he struggles to lock down a regular Serie A starting spot... it’s Serie A, mate. There are only a couple of domestic leagues on the planet which are more difficult to establish yourself in.

Sceptical as to whether Singh will be fit enough to partake. He was hardly getting a look in for his club team prior to this injury so it’s a tricky time for him. If it’s decided that he won’t rush back then that does significantly dampen the AW’s attack, can’t lie about it, but Callum McCowatt did just score another couple goals for Silkeborg while Elijah Just has been in great touch for AC Horsens as well. Less so Matt Garbett who hasn’t played heaps for NAC Breda due to injury and that team’s inconsistencies aren’t helping his cause (though he did score a banger of a goal a couple weeks ago and is still a regular starter there).

But that’s where Clayton Lewis comes in handy. He’s started every game for Macarthur since signing and even set up a goal on his club ALM debut. Also got himself a comfortable hour in their 5-0 AFC Cup win over Phnom Penh Crown this week. The All Whites were caught short for midfielders last squad after Matt Dibley-Dias got ruled out so Lewis has effectively been added as an extra. Bell takes MDD’s spot, Lewis is a bonus midfielder to address the imbalance. Makes sense.

As for Ryan Thomas... it’s too soon. He’s only just made his first start of the season after another injury absence stemming from preseason (not a serious one this time, thankfully – in fact reports were that he suffered an illness which delayed his return so otherwise he’d have been back much sooner). He’s building up his match fitness again. Cramming in a couple of extra games for the national team, with travel included, is going to make that task harder not better. The timing isn’t right. That’s all.

FORWARDS

Joe Champness – Adanaspor, TUR (8/0)

Alex Greive – St Mirren, SCO (11/2)

Elijah Just – AC Horsens, DEN (18/1)

Max Mata – Shrewsbury Town, ENG (6/0)

Ben Waine – Plymouth Argyle, ENG (10/1)

Chris Wood – Nottingham Forest, ENG (72/34)

As always, a lot depends on whether Chris Wood is fit enough to start. Based on the info available it does sound like Wood’s a better bet to play some part than Singh is so we’ll keep those fingers and toes crossed. He did scored a double in his most recent Premier League appearance so The Woodsman will be ready to rock as long as the hamstring holds up.

Beyond him, Alex Greive remains a regular bench option for St Mirren. Usually gets 20-odd minutes at the end to offer his energy and workrate. He’s scored a few this season but chances are limited in that role. Already mentioned Max Mata’s lack of goals for Shrewsbury Town though remember he was in a golden boot race before he left Sligo Rovers. And while Ben Waine has mostly been chipping away with short substitute appearances, the two strikers ahead of him at Plymouth Argyle are currently injured so he did make his third ever league start a week ago... and will hopefully get another this upcoming weekend.

Joe Champness hasn’t done heaps for his second division Turkish team lately hence his inclusion is one of the few that falls low on the Level of Competition x Club Form graph. But there’s a reason he’s here: JOWIC is the current belt holder for the stepover title within the All Whites. He’s been picked for variety since he’s probably the only hombre in this entire group that you’d back to burn past a defender in a 1v1 situation.

Plus he’s the only pure winger in the group. There are strikers who can play wide (Waine, Greive), there are attacking midfielders who can play wide (Singh, Just, McCowatt, even Garbett). None of them are at their best in those spots though. Elijah Just is closest and has been doing a bit of right wing duty for Horsens so he’ll be one of the starters. Curious to see on what side he plays. Curious also to see who gets the nod on the other side... though we can’t really speculate until we know if Wood and Singh will be available.

Are there other pure wingers in contention from outside this squad? Ah... not really. Logan Rogerson has been around squads in recent years but 2023 was a down year for him, unable to match his production from previous years as FC Haka were pretty awful for a large chunk of the term. He and Ollie Whyte both appear to be coming off contract with the club, though neither were listed as “definite” departures when FCH took care of that particular housekeeping task this week... another one to keep an eye upon.

It’s a blessed thing that kiwi football has begun to develop technical midfielders to go with our target men strikers and aerially dominant centre-backs but speedy skilful wingers aren’t yet emerging at the same rate. The Phoenix have a few prospects (check out Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues at the U17 World Cup) and there are some at National League level. That’s all a long way from the All Whites picture though. Annoyingly, two guys who’d have really helped this situation are Keegan Jelacic and Tyler Boyd except they chose different international paths. James McGarry might forecast as a half-decent left wing option when he’s back. So yeah let’s be thankful for Champness in the meantime.

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