Taking A Good, Hard Look at this All Whites Squad for the OFC Nations Cup
The New Zealand national football team, the All Whites as we affectionately call them, have not played a match since beating Oman 1-0 on 12 November 2015. That was their first victory in 12 games and over two years. In January manager Anthony Hudson went on a media tirade against his employers and their lack of professionalism and the generally disastrous record they’d had of late. You know, like costing the country a spot at the Olympics because they don’t know how to read a rulebook. Or who too stupid to try.
Unfortunately despite Hudson demanding more games, international windows have come and passed and the All Whites haven’t been involved in any of them. Such is life for a small footy nation, arranging games can be bloody difficult. Even when top European nations straight up ask to play you, sometimes it still doesn’t happen. But luckily there are some games that even NZ Football can’t manage to screw up. Games like those at the Oceania Nations Cup, in which the All Whites compete beginning on 28 May with the winner advancing to both the 2017 Confederations Cup and also the third round of World Cup qualifying. In this case, that means finishing in the top six of this tourney (there are eight teams) so that we can compete again next year for the chance to advance from Oceania and get royally pasted by the fifth place South American team. As it stands, that would be Colombia… although with Brazil sitting sixth after a third of those fixtures there's no happy outcome.
So in preparation for the Nations Cup, the All Whites have been having a wider squad training camp in Auckland with the final squad travelling to Brisbane for another camp and three training games against local opposition before heading to Papua New Guinea. If Hudson’s come up short on most of his demands, he’s at least finally going to get some extended time with his players.
Speaking of the squad, here they are:
Stefan Marinovic (SpVgg Unterhaching, GER)
The probable started in goal, given he played there in three of their last four games. Played 31 times in the German fourth tier this season.
Max Crocombe (Oxford Utd, ENG)
Earned plenty of raps on loan in the Conference with Southport this season. Has been in and around the squad before.
Tamati Williams (RKC Waalwijk, NED)
Long-time Auckland City keeper and part-time model. Played 10 times for Waalwijk in the Dutch second division after signing in February.
Luke Adams (South Melbourne FC, AUS)
One of four potential debutants (along with Colvey, Crocombe and Patterson). Played three times for the Phoenix a few seasons back and has been selected in the past. Currently doing good things for Sth Melly.
Michael Boxall (SuperSport Utd, SAF)
A regular with his buddy Jeremy Brockie in South Africa for SSU. With 14 caps, he is far and away the most experienced defender.
Sam Brotherton (Wisconsin University, USA)
Stand out at the U20 World Cup, could even start at CB. Hopefully the next kiwi to crack the MLS draft given his strong play and leadership for Wisconsin Uni so far.
Kip Colvey (San Jose Earthquakes FC, USA)
Drafted into the MLS this season and has done well there as a rookie. Naturally a right back, can play left as well. Huge potential here.
Thomas Doyle (Welly Nix, NZ/AUS)
Break out season for the Nix and the only naturally left-sided defender selected. He’ll be well within his depth in PNG and will likely be a dependable regular.
Louis Fenton (Welly Nix, NZ/AUS)
Definitely a backup fullback but he can do a job against the Oceanian teams. Would struggle for selection if Reid and Wynne were available. Brings some versatility too.
Themi Tzimopoulos (PAS Giannina FC, GRE)
Has been a powerful defensive presence at centre back since being brought into the team, may have a role to play in midfield at the Nations Cup. The Athenian Warhammer is a familiar face for his Greek Super League side (who finished sixth this season).
Te Atawhai Wihongi (Onehunga Sports FC, NZ)
The midfield is almost as criminally inexperienced as the defence and this lad is one to benefit from that. One of a trio of promising ASB Premiership mids.
Moses Dyer (Onehunga Sports FC, NZ)
Another of the trio, all of whom played at the U20 World Cup as well.
Clayton Lewis (Onehunga Sports FC, NZ)
The third of the trio. Probably the most likely to play. Can offer something as a deeper midfielder or an attacking one and has really impressed for ACFC recently.
Michael McGlinchey (Welly Nix, NZ/AUS)
Wee Mac is back. The Phoenix regular is also an All Whites regular, admittedly in a deeper role. 33 caps makes him far and away the most capped mid – next up is Billy T’s 9.
Matt Ridenton (Welly Nix, NZ/AUS)
Did some good things for the Phoenix and can play a few different roles across the midfield.
Bill Tuiloma (OM Marseille, FRA)
Hudson’s questioned his fitness before and a disappointing loan spell in France didn’t help that. But his presence in the training camps will. At full readiness, he’s a guaranteed starter at DM.
Kosta Barbarouses (Melbourne Victory, AUS)
On his way back to the Phoenix next season, having been NZ’s most successful A-League player probably ever with Brisbane and the Victory. Will bring some real class to the wide positions.
Monty Patterson (Ipswich Town FC, ENG)
The Python! Fun to see a player with a bit of skill and pace get a run, he does well for the Ipswich youngsters though missed most of this campaign with a serious leg injury.
Rory Fallon (Bristol Rovers, ENG)
The man who scored ‘that goal’ against Bahrain finds his way back into the team. A bit of leadership, a bit of experience, a bit of commitment. None of which should go astray.
Logan Rogerson (Welly Nix, NZ/AUS)
Something of a surprise in some ways but Rogerson is a sharp youngster who gives something different to the other forwards.
Marco Rojas (FC Thun, SWI)
Coming off the first sustained season in Europe where he’s been able to stay fit and around a first team, this should be the best Rojas we’ve had since his A-League days. The creative fulcrum of the attack, interesting to see if he’s played wide or through the middle.
Shane Smeltz (Sydney FC, AUS)
All class.
Chris Wood (Leeds Utd, ENG)
The captain and possibly the first name on the team sheet. Just scored 13 goals in a mixed Championship season for Leeds, injuries and form weren’t always kind, but finished very strong and was never short on effort.
Notably absent are a few sure-thing starters. Winston Reid isn’t there, fresh from his Upton Park heroics he still has another game to play this season and you can guess that West Ham probably had a few reservations about letting him play.
“Winston has had an injury-interrupted season with West Ham and I have decided it is in his and the team’s best interests to get him right for the rest of the year. Winston is 100 percent committed to our team.”
Officially the word is that he was available but there isn’t any desperate need for him nor is it all that fair to deprive him of a bit of rest. Especially when he’s off to see a specialist about his many niggling injuries and as well as that West Ham have only released him for the international window which for some reason doesn’t include the semis and final of the Nations Cup. No problems there, if a centre back is the difference between winning and losing this tournament then there are bigger problems elsewhere.
However Tommy Smith, it sounds like his international career is over as long as Hudson is in charge. That… that is a complicated issue and you can guarantee that we don’t know the whole story. This is what Hudson had to say when Smith was picked for the games against China and Thailand last October:
"Talking to Tommy it was obvious he had a great desire to be part of the All Whites squad and his vision for the team matches our own heading towards Russia."
Aaaand now here’s Hudson speaking today:
“Tommy has not been able to commit to us again, and as a result I will not be selecting him for the All Whites going forward. It is too disruptive to our preparation.”
Yeah, wow. A coach has got to lay down the law now and then to keep a strong team culture going but this seems a little disruptive in itself. If Smith is not available, no problems, pick somebody else. That’s the whole reason Hudson’s been trying to expand the playing group. If he is, then he should be picked as he is better than every other defender we have except for Winston.
The problem is that Smithy has been “picking and choosing” when he’s available, to use Hudson’s words. That’s fully understandable from a coach's perspective, though it’s worth remembering that Smith plays more in the Championship than Winston does in the Premier League, plus he’s rarely injured. He deserves a break at some point. To say that he isn’t committed enough to the All Whites is probably fair but, you know, pretty sure he does what’s asked of him during the 90 minutes. If it means not selecting him through the qualifying campaign and for friendlies then that might be the best compromise but shutting the door completely seems unnecessary. At least until we have someone else of his standard (fingers crossed for Sam Brotherton…). In the meantime we won’t miss him, so spare the impassioned attacks against his character. He has a right to earn a living too.
Because here is the thing… this is the Oceania Nations Cup. These are our fixtures:
- New Zealand vs Fiji, 28 May
- New Zealand vs Vanuatu, 31 May
- New Zealand vs Solomon Islands, 4 June
Plus, presumably, a semi and a final. Those are hardly world beating teams and as much as we’ve learned in the past not to take them for granted we also need to accept that this is not the World Cup, just the first path on the road there. Our best players should not be expected to play here. Is that controversial to say? Maybe, but come on. You don’t go from playing at Old Trafford (as both Smith and Reid did this season) to Port Moresby – where, by the way, every single one of the tournament’s 15 games will be played over the course of 16 days. Remember how bad North Harbour got during the OFC Champions League? Yup.
Anyway, point being that any top level players that do play should be a bonus. Chris Wood loves it and he’s back to captain the team. Marco Rojas and Bill Tuiloma are always keen on regular game time. On the other hand Ryan Thomas was not considered after only this week returning from a four month injury layoff (and he only last 38 minutes). Storm Roux had that horrible injury for the Central Coast Mariners during the season and Glen Moss wasn’t considered with an eye injury too. Henry Cameron hurt himself in the last All Whites match and still isn’t back. Deklan Wynne (now eligible) and Alex Rufer were also officially out with injuries. As for Andrew Durante, despite looking like he’d walk into this starting XI, his international retirement goes un-reversed. Maybe Tommy Smith can be the Ivan Vicelich of our next major tournament appearance?
Moss has been a frustrating omission more than a few times for the Hudson All Whites but usually only through injury. Yet maybe the most promising on-field thing of the last few years has been seeing how well the likes of Stefan Marinovic and Jake Gleeson have covered for him. Gleeson was not selected here, which is a shame given how talented he is but also fair enough, since he’s currently holding down the first sustained run of MLS games in his career. That’s an opportunity rarer (and way more lucrative) than a few games in Papua New Guinea. Fair enough. NZ’s other Major League Soccer exponent, Kip Colvey, is in for his first taste of full international footy.
No Jeremy Brockie is a shame but not a surprise. He’s never had much of a run under Hudson, even as he’s scored goals for fun in South Africa. Kinda difficult to fit him into an XI, to be fair. Also with the South African season still with a couple weeks to run and SuperSport United playing in a Cup semi-final in a few days, he also may not have been released in time. His teammate Mike Boxall is there but then he’s a more necessary inclusion.
Same deal goes for Hamish Watson who after getting a run of starts for the Phoenix seemed to have a great chance of getting in there for this one but Hudson and his team have gone with Logan Rogerson and Rory Fallon ahead of him. Fallon brings the same aerial ability but with more smarts around it and Rogerson some more pace for a different option. With all those games on the same pitch – and it is a quality pitch there in Port Moresby, that should be said. Home of the PNG Hunters in the Queensland Cup in rugby league – there is a chance it doesn’t hold up too well. If the pitch isn’t reliable under foot then a high-possession passing game is going to be difficult. Plan B may not be a pretty one, but in Wood and Fallon the option is there.
A few names like Chris James, Dan Keat or Steven Old might have been cool to see, especially Keat who hasn’t ever gotten his chance at international level. Problem is those three and Craig Henderson too all play in Scandinavia where the leagues run through the European summer thanks to the weather. Same scenario as Gleeson in some ways, though these guys probably weren’t in full consideration. The other one is Tyler Boyd who continues to plug away for the reserves as Portuguese top division side Vitoria SC, even showing up for the first team for a cameo. He’d add some real width to this side and it’s a shame he doesn’t seem to be anywhere near the thinking. Gotta imagine it’s a footballing thing.
Some will look at the cap numbers and moan at the inexperience but in these full squad tournament settings, this is when you blood those kids. The fact is that this is a squad that should be able to comfortably win this thing and get New Zealand back to the Confederations Cup. The heat, the conditions, all those things can be overcome and most of these players will have experienced it before, either with the All Whites or with youth grade teams. No excuses, really. The trial games against Aussie clubs sound average but they aren’t meant to be full internationals. Those things are best left undercover so that the team can experiment with things.
Most importantly this is when the Hudson Era finally begins for real. All that stuff about picking dudes we’d never heard of is over. All that stuff about finally getting a damn win on the board is over. All that stuff about eligibility and lack of fixtures… is not quite over but it’s manageable now, at least. The ideas are implanted, the strategies in place. Now we finally get to see what we’re working towards here.