2014 Friendly Discussion - China & Thailand in Nov

Home or Away fixtures - it doesn't matter. 

NZF need to try create momentum from the game vs Japan....soft start ...better finish...and now no officially confirmed matches for what 6 months??? or more.

32 countries going to Brazil for June leaves about 100 plus who aren't Surely we can find someone meaningful to play with out of 100 plus. Andy?

Make our own World Cup? Best of the rest??

Not a terrible idea, the best of the rest.

There are probably a few biggish nations who would love to get some games in.

We could go over to the UK and play Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Nth Ireland. All of them are home bound. Close proximity, decent nz pop there with good tv coverage it could work.

Nice tie-in with the Commonwealth Games. Get onto it Andy old son!

That really is a good idea, someone send it to NZF.

I dont have a fax machine anymore

Anyone got their pager numbers? 

Ive got a cup and some string somewhere...

If the NZFC fax machine hasn't had the paper replenished, you could always try a telegram

We'd best hire a high performance fax operator ....

New CEO said NZF lost 1.2 million last year. Unless some other team pick up the tab we are not going to be playing anyone soon. Don't think we will be seeing the AW's doing much for quite a while.....especially at home.

If Andy's got the cojones he should try and tempt our neighbours into a post-World Cup match soon as they're eliminated. And I reckon Sth Africa would be a drawcard worth trying.

Gotta spend money to make money and all that. Pretty hard to generate sponsorship revenue etc if the team isn't playing. I think a game against South Africa would be a brilliant idea - with all the Saffers living here and the historical rugby rivalry between us you would expect a good crowd. Plus it's a team that we could possibly beat if we were on form.

Bafana Bafana play Australia on Monday 26 May in Sydney - as Socceroos' last match on Aussie soil before Brazil.

Asia cup is outside FIFA windows

So there is no reason for club to release players. And the ASBP runs over that time too.

Next All Whites friendly in June according to comments by Tommy Smith (he won't be making himself available).

Anyone with any idea who or where it might be?

http://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/ipswich-town/ipswich_town_defender_tommy_smith_remains_coy_over_new_zealand_quit_threat_reports_1_3447961

“There’s another friendly in June, but I don’t think I’ll attend that one either. I need a nice long summer break, hopefully with promotion under our belts if all goes well. It hasn’t crossed my mind yet to fully knock it on the head, no.”

Andy Martin said nothing has been confirmed yet.

... apart from Tommy Smith's apparent non-involvement.

The Septmber, October and November windows the All Whites could play AFC teams before the 2015 Asian Cup.

Looks like we can rule out ever playing any friendlies against European sides in the future (not that we played many) except if they are looking for friendlies immediately before a World Cup. New "European Nations League" on the horizon - likely to be approved next month at the UEFA congress. Replacing friendlies, European countries will play in leagues every year (three/ four divisions) from 2018:

 http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/9872463/UEFA-to-back-Nations-League-fixing-sanctions

Although the exact details have yet to be revealed, the Nations League competition will largely replace friendly games and become, in effect, the third major international competition for European teams after the World Cup and European Championship.

The plan would involve teams playing in three or four divisions, with promotion and relegation between them.

The competition would culminate in a "final four" tournament with two semi-finals and a final taking place at a neutral venue in the summer of odd-numbered years.

Infantino said the details would be announced at Congress.

"What has triggered this whole discussion is that we have been working to establish a new international calendar," he said.

"We also wanted to bring more structure to the dates when there are friendly matches.

"There are some countries everyone wants to play against and other teams who struggle to find opponents, so we looked for something new and have come up with the Nations League, which will be presented to Congress on Thursday."

Latest cover photo for the All Whites' Facebook - from the Japan game - looking to the future - all three barely out of school but in first team squads at pro clubs (Tuiloma has been on the bench for Marseilles' first team recently): 

https://www.facebook.com/AllWhites

All Whites

254,697 likes · 1,826 talking about this

Nice gesture from the Japan FA who have donated  $57,000  to football's earthquake recovery in Christchurch:

http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/index.php?id=11&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=2853&tx_ttnews[backPid]=10&cHash=4e04a1993d

RECOVERY EFFORT BOOSTED BY JAPAN DONATION

The All Whites trip to Japan earlier this month will have a direct benefit for football in Christchurch after the Japan FA donated a portion of the gate takings from the March 5 match to the region’s earthquake recovery effort.

Japan and New Zealand players together prior to kickoff of the international match in Tokyo played on March 5. Photo by Photosport.

The Japan FA has donated $57,000 from the proceeds of the All Whites v Japan clash at the National Olympic Stadium in Tokyo directly to the Christchurch Earthquake football recovery fund. 

The match was rescheduled from 2011 after Japan was hit by an earthquake in March of that year while Christchurch was struck a month before. 

New Zealand Football CEO Andy Martin says the wonderful donation from the Japan FA, which will be invested and administered by the New Zealand Football Foundation, signifies a close alignment of the two football nations. 

“We’re overwhelmed by the gesture from the Japan FA and it demonstrates how close our two organisations are after both nations were struck by similar tragedies in 2011,” Martin said. 

Mainland Football CEO Mike Coggan says the money will go to continuing the redevelopment of the facilities required to deliver the game at grassroots level. 

“The funds will be invested into the football infrastructure of the city to help boost our effort to provide our thousands of players, coaches and referees the best on-pitch experience we can.” 

http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/9897989/All-Whites-push-for-match-with-South-Africa

March 09.

Costa Rica and Chile? What did I miss?

previous rumours.

Oh right, no new info then? I don't think I'd heard the Chile rumour.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11224598

You have received a This for your most helpful efforts sir.