2014 Friendly Discussion - China & Thailand in Nov

I can confirm that Janelle is over 16 years of age.

Has Sonny Shaw updated his web page?

The key is the Aspire Academy in Qatar where they will be training - the world's most expensive football academy with some of the best facilities.

http://backpagefootball.com/aspire-academy-qatars-...

It opened in 2004 as part of Qatar's push to host the World Cup - 500,000 13 - 15 year-olds are trialed internationally every year with the best earning places. They have satellite academies around the world in Africa, South America etc.

The All Whites will probably be training there for free.

Qatar will have their own motives  - such as buttering-up NZ, the major player in Oceania, to support them now their World Cup hosting in 2022 is threatened by bribery allegations.

However Qatar's motives are by no means all bad - football is part of the ruling family's push to popularize their more progressive form of Islam with increased political, human and women's rights. The Al-Jazeera TV network is the most visible form of this (interestingly, NZ journalists largely run the international news department). The Qatari regime are often openly critical of repressive governments in Muslim countries and have openly financed rebel groups in the Arab Spring.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/qatar-won-...

Plus, the timing is good before the A-League starts, in an official FIFA window (1-9 September) so clubs are obliged to release players:

http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/calendar/events.html

Plus, important to get the new All Whites manager in working with the players , having a chance to try out players and form opinions on them for future selections leading towards the important OFC Nations Cup / World Cup qualifiers starting October next year:

 http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/News/ViewArticl...

And Uzbekistan at 59 in the world are the fourth highest ranked side in Asia, ahead of Australia (June FIFA rankings - AFC rankings):

1. Iran 2. Japan  3. Korean Republic  4. Uzbekistan  5. Australia

Uzbekistan are ranked higher than South Africa (65), Poland (69) or the Republic of Ireland (70)

Aspire Academy, Qatar (indoor, outdoor pitches; 5400 seat indoor stadium)

nice academy

Petone Rec could've looked like this!

Do you think after the Uzbekistan match their will be asian teams playing in New Zealand before the Asian Cup or will AFC teams want to play New Zealand?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11305404

3 matches in three months, plus a training camp before the Uzbekistan match, and a run-around with the fringe/NZ players in Taupo. Pretty pleased with that to be honest.

China ok but malaysia jesus. Players wanted quality opposition.

Only 50 rankings below us. lol

Might work well for us though; get a good relationship going and the likes of Malaysia would be good opposition for our A Team or local based players in future.

China seems to be a reliable gig. Malaysia - meh. Would've been good to get a game against a team like South Korea, but looks like they've filled out their schedule up to the Asian Cup. 

FIFA window passes without the All Whites playing - complaints.

All Whites organise a game - still complaints.

I'm a bit surprised at the angst, the All Whites aren't exactly a top team who can demand an appearance against top opposition. New coach needs to get to know the players as much as possible and it'll be the third match in three months. Any game is a good game at this point as far as I'm concerned.

Oh yeah fitzy cos u never complain

Malaysia are shit - we cando better

I'm fine with Malaysia, its an early game in Hudson's reign and will let him work on combinations against a side that we hopefully can dominate  inthe midfield. We could face Germany and get smashed but that won't tell Hudson anything about our strengths and weaknesses. We gotta build up to being able to face better teams and Malaysia is a stepping stone to that.

We should bring Rory back for the Malaysia game - I hear that they are not very good in the air.

LOL...we are are small country with a shit FIFA ranking and people complain that we are going to play other small countries like Malaysia.....

No problems with China or Malaysia. It will be hot and humid in Malaysia...good chance for the team to get a work out in similar conditions to the Pacific islands. Also as some else pointed out it does not hurt playing a team that we have a chance to dominate.....we are often under the pump in internationals so if we get  a chance to attack more then thats fine as well.

As an AW supporter these extra internationals are great......as a Nix supporter this will put a strain on Ernies squad for sure.

Hope part of the deal does  not include return flights with Malaysia Airlines!!!!!!!!!

I'm happy we've got these games.  Just a pity we are playing China again, we've played them a lot recently in China, would be great if it was in NZ instead.

I would not be the least bit surprised if these games only had Australasian AWs.

FIFA windows? Done in the Middle East to reduce travel time from Europe?

Agree RR but malaysia are too far down that list.

If they're in FIFA windows I'd hope we'd get a full strength/near full strength team for both of these matches. I'd be pretty disappointed with anything less.

Would also think that players like Smith, Reid, Wood, Rojas, Thomas etc would like to see what the new gaffer is about. 

Its funny how a year ago, we couldn't get a US club side to play us in a lead up to a WC qualifier and now we have 5 games.

If anything, this place was a right bitch fest in regards to our preparation leading into the Mexico game. Granted we have nothing to lead into that is 'significant' but I for one am stoked that the team is playing. I don't care where or who, but they are playing. NZF will need to be wary of the mix of games so that costs are balanced out but if they can get some games in Europe which removes the travel impediment for those with their head in their ass, after you have 15-20 games together, you have some structure, culture and a chance to qualify.

Not bad to end the year!

Malaysia are no heavy weights but I think it will be anything but a walkover if we play them there.

Malaysia (ranked 151) lost 4-1 in a friendly yesterday away to the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan (ranked 124 in the world). Tajikistan were beaten by Japan 8-0 and 4-0 in the Third Round  group stage of qualifiers for the last World Cup (got to this stage only after their Second Round opponents Syria were disqualified), finishing bottom of their group with a minus 17 goal difference and no wins.

Malaysia are in the bottom 25 % of Asian teams.

Malaysia failed to make the group stage of AFC qualifying for the last World Cup after they were knocked out 6-4 on aggregate over two legs by Singapore in the second round of qualifying.

Interesting fact: Malaysia had the player with possibly the most appearances for any country (not all A-internationals): Soh Chin Aun 1968 - 1988 either 252 or 324 according to different sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soh_Chin_Aun

As well as the player with the most goals for any country in history (not all a-internationals):

Mokhtar Dahari - 125 goals in 137 appearances 1972 - 1985: a cult figure in Malaysia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mokhtar_Dahari

Cool English language doco on National Geographic Channel about "Super Mokh":

So i was saying...

will be good for brockie to finally get on the score sheet for the AW'S

Your go to gif nufc

China will be interesting - new experienced French manager (ex Marseilles, Lyon, Portsmouth) Alain Perrin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alain_Perrin

China sacked high-profile ex Spain, Real Madrid and Benfica coach Jose Antonio Camacho in June last year after a humiliating 5-1 home loss to Thailand.

Appointed Perrin 28/2/14

Had already qualified for the Asian Cup in Oz next year as the best third-placed side.

Under a caretaker coach, finished runner-up at the July 2013 East Asia Cup behind Japan but ahead of South Korea and Australia - and were undefeated (played as one group with no final and the four sides playing eachother once). Beat Australia 4-3

This year they've beaten and drawn with Macedonia in two home friendlies, lost 3-1 at home to Mali in June.

They play Kuwait, Jordan and Thailand in friendlies in coming months before taking on NZ.

China are managing to get more young players into European clubs - of their current u-23's, five play in Portugal, one at Club Brugge, one at Atletico Madrid. 

China's record against NZ in all internationals:

 China vs.               First played    P   W  D  L   F     A   GD

New Zealand

1975

13

3

4

6

12

14

-2

The East Asia Cup was a bit misleading, but still a useful step for China post-Camacho.  I think the jury is still out on Reggie Perrin, but to his credit he looks like he is blooding younger players much like the Gao Hongbo did before the CFA brain farted and brought on the dinosaur Camacho .  

Perrin has named Guangzhou Hengda CB Zhang Linpeng as the captain - a good move and at 25 is arguably the best and most experienced domestic based player in the squad.

I think this will be a good test for NZ but the AWs should get a result.  China are still rebuilding from Camacho who I think set back the national team by 2-4 years.  They only just qualified for the Asian Cup and were inept in their last qualifying game against Iraq.

He's failed to score against football's heavy weights such as Tahiti, Solomon Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, so I don't see much change in the upcoming three games.  

I recon the odds on him scoring in these games would be sky high at the TAB.

That's assuming Hudson still wants Brockie. Why would he, going on Brockie's international career to date?

Got a future at RB?

Tamati Williams - ACFC/All White international pin-up boy!

see latest on www.aucklandcityfc.com

I can recall Ricki playing Brockie at RB in the Mexico game and the commentator raving how good he was there. Mind you the commentator was Harry Ngata, so that's not saying much!

Brockie for DM, we're always talking about how he "gets into good positions".