Word on the street is that this is the All Whites’ strongest possible squad here. At least that’s what the tweet said. Two games against Fiji later this month, one home and one away and victory in at least one of those should all but get them into the OFC qualifying final for the 2018 World Cup. Still gotta win that final and then go good in the playoff against some South American battlers but, you know, one step at a time here folks.

Strongest possible squad aye? You kinda hope they’d pick something close to that every time the All Whites are in action but of course we know that’s not always possible. Injuries, suspensions, ineligibility, etc. Even here we’ll probably have a dude or two pull out of this squad that’s been named soon.

There are some players missing that arguments can be made for. Where are Jake Gleeson or Jeremy Brockie or Kosta Barbarouses or a couple others? And is Moses Dyer really truly in our best 23 players? Also what’s with not only selecting one Ingham brother but both of them? Ah… lots to digest here amigos.

GOALKEEPERS

Stefan Marinovic (12 caps/0 goals)

Glen Moss (29/0)

Tamati Williams (1/0)

Big winner here is Glen Moss, whose superb form for the Phoenix gets him back in here in what’s probably our most hotly contested position. Only one keeper gets to play after all and Stefan Marinovic is that guy so Williams and Moss’ prize is some good company and a spot on the bench. Marinovic has started the last 12 games under Hudson and has been brilliant with his club team in Germany as well, not to mention he had a trial with Wolverhampton earlier in the year which may well mean a bit of transfer business later down the road. Set up by AW’s assistant coach Peter Taylor too.

As for Tamati Williams, he beats out Jake Gleeson whose MLS season has just started over again. Gleeson is probably the best pure shot stopper that NZ has to choose from but his place in this squad seems to be slipping away. He had a few legal dramas after a DUI following his Portland team’s post-season piss up late last year and has some commitments there in a local education programme (Gleeson now being a good role model and all) so perhaps that’s impinging on his availability. Either way, it seems best for both teams that he doesn’t come all the way back to Aotearoa to sit on the bench and risk his professional contract in the process. There’s no clarification on that, of course, but Marinovic is outstanding so the playing XI won’t suffer at all. Williams is decent, he spent many years with Auckland City and is a solid stopper over in Holland with Waalwijk. He’ll be the sexiest man in the team too which is bound to be good for morale.

DEFENDERS

Winston Reid (21/1)

Michael Boxall (20/0)

Sam Brotherton (7/0)

Kip Colvey (7/0)

Andrew Durante (13/0)

Tommy Doyle (3/0)

Dane Ingham (0/0)

Tommy Smith (29/2)

Themi Tzimopoulos (9/1)

Deklan Wynne (6/0)

Does that seem like a lot of defenders to you as well? Presumably then we’ll be seeing a whole lot of 5-3-2, which to be fair has worked a lot better since they first implemented it at the Nations Cup (although they went 4-4-2 last time they played, so watch this space). Plenty of wingbacks here who can do a trick as well, cool to see both Deklan Wynne and Kip Colvey included for example. Might be the two first choicers there although one wouldn’t wanna go predicting Hudson’s thoughts.

Tommy Doyle wins out ahead of Storm Roux - who is completely eligible by the way, just hasn’t been picked. Battle of the A-League fullbacks went against him. Doyle’s been pretty good since he got fit for the Nix so that’s alright there. Boxall might be looked at as a right back too, that’s where he plays most of his footy for SuperSport United so if he’s good to go on the flank then he should be first choice, actually. He’s definitely got the pace.

As for Dane Ingham, he’s a very interesting one. He and brother Jai are both based in the A-League, Jai is a really impressive young striker/winger who’s been forcing his way into more and more opportunities with the Melbourne Victory to where he’s pretty much a starter now while Dane, at 17 years old, made his debut for the Brisbane Roar this season too. Both are born in Aussie and are also eligible for Samoa but with a kiwi mother they’ve been able to declare for NZ. Been raps on these two for ages and NZ Football have done their homework here.

Dane by trade is a right back, though he’d always played further forward in his younger days (ha, younger days – he’s still only 17). Bit of a Louis Fenton case only with more pedigree (although Fenton’s middle names are Ferenc Puskas so maybe not). For a teenager with scant pro experience to be here is slightly odd but after waiting a while on these lads to open the door to the All Whites, they probably want them both signed and sealed as soon as possible. Expect a pair of late substitute appearances, get them having played in a competitive game so they can’t change their minds.

As for the centre backs… WINSTON!!! Yeah, he’s there although don’t be surprised if an injury costs him the trip. He literally limped off the last game he played for West Ham so you know how that usually goes. Tommy Smith is just back from injury himself and he’s also back from international exile. Made his apologies, declared his full commitment and here he is again. Good to see because he’s still our second best defender. He could use the game time as well having lost his starting spot at Ipswich while he was out.

Who’ll partner Reid and Smith at the back is a question. Durante offers experience and reliability, Brotherton brings some physicality and plenty of potential while Tzimopoulos… he offers… umm… ‘brute, unstoppable power’ would be the phrase. Mike Boxall can play in the middle too, as can Bill Tuiloma.

A few familiar faces missing. Luke Adams is out of things, as is Liam Graham who started the last three games under Hudson but is out for the rest of the season with torn knee ligaments. Storm Roux as already mentioned. Francis de Vries is out after getting drafted to Deklan Wynne’s Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS. He’s not really been on the radar yet so no shocker.

MIDFIELDERS

Moses Dyer (8/0)

Clayton Lewis (6/0)

Mike McGlinchey (40/4)

Ryan Thomas (7/0)

Bill Tuiloma (15/0)

Five fellas, gotta find two starting central midfielders out of them. This has been the biggest problem for this team for years now, ever since Ivan Vicelich and Simon Elliott retired pretty much. It’s a crucial position but it takes a genuinely all-rounded player and New Zealand doesn’t seem to produce too many of those. A few uncompromising defenders, the odd loose-limbed goalie, maybe even a target man striker or two but not a lot of midfielders.

Surely Tuiloma will play there. Surely. He’s the best of these blokes but Hudson seems to have had an up and down liking for him, based mostly on his fitness. If there’s a problem with Tui, that’s it too – the work-rate isn’t what it should be and he doesn’t often last 90 minutes. The lad is too good to sit on the bench for the national team though.

Usually Wee Mac McGlinchey goes with him and there’s nothing wrong with that. Weird how he never plays deeper for the Phoenix but almost always does for the All Whites. Very weird. Wee Mac’s a good passer and you’ll go a long way in the middle if you can spray the ball around. Speaking of the Nix, naturally they have a game scheduled in between these two and will lose damn near half their squad for it. Roy Krishna will be in the Fiji team too, don’t forget.

Ryan Thomas is usually more of an attacking player although he has the technique to play deeper and has done so for his club side in Holland more than a few times. For a slight fella, he’ll do his job defensively and of course he can pick a pass as well. Very fit as well, get him in there.

Clayton Lewis you’d assume is more likely to play further forward. The formation that they use has an attacking mid so that’s where Lewis fits in. Unlikely to be a starter but the form he’s been in for Auckland City makes his selection a no brainer, really. Clayton will play professionally somewhere, sooner rather than later. Moses Dyer, don’t really know about that. Hudson seems to love him and he’s a mainstay in these squads.

Which sucks for guys like Chris James and Matt Ridenton and a few others who don’t get a look in. Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi won’t be back to fitness for a while yet.

FORWARDS

Jai Ingham (0/0)

Monty Patterson (9/1)

Marco Rojas (30/4)

Shane Smeltz (51/24)

Chris Wood (46/18)

Jai Ingham, sweet as. But also that’s a talented quartet around him. Smeltzy is back! There was always a feeling that his return to Wellington would be a boost to his national team chances and true to that hunch he’s in there. Great to see. Smeltz is a reliable finisher and a guy who improves those around him. You can’t ask a lot more from a veteran forward. He might not be as beloved as Rory Fallon (who is?) but on the field he offers a whole lot more.

Marco Rojas has been brilliant since returning to Melbourne Victory and he’s a sure thing starter. The form he’s in he simply has to be – plus he’s scored a couple goals lately for the All Whites. The conundrum is where to play him. There are probably gonna be two striking positions, as has been the case in 9 of Hudson’s last 10 games in charge, and generally Hudson has gone with the Big Guy and the Runner combination. Chris Wood is the big guy. Against New Caledonia he was partnered first by Kosta Barbarouses and then by Monty Patterson, the runners.

Notably Kosta isn’t in this squad at all. He’s been crap for the Nix, even if recent signs are hinting at a slight resurgence, and can’t really argue with the omission. Jeremy Brockie probably can argue but Hudson clearly doesn’t rate him that high and that’s no new thing. He’s in the mix, he’s just not first choice. As for Tyler Boyd he must have either burned some bridges or changed his phone number without telling anyone. He’s not featured for aaaages and nobody hardly mentions him anymore. No Ryan de Vries, no Hamish Watson, no Henry Cameron… no Chris Killen, Ryan Nelsen or Raf de Gregorio either.

Monty Patterson is great and he’s a chance at that second striker spot. At a guess it’ll probably be Smeltz with Rojas in deeper but it could as easily be Rojas with Thomas as the CAM. Jai Ingham’s a good shot off the bench too. The one thing that’s certain is Chris Wood will be in the XI and looking to keep up that outstanding scoring form he’s been in this season for Leeds. It’s goals galore for the bugger but his All Whites record isn’t as flash as it could be. Wood will end his career as the AW’s record scorer, it’s only a matter of how much he beats the record by. A hat-trick or two in the next 12 months would help that games/goals ratio alright. The way he’s tracking it could happen too.