Yeah NZF fudgeed up.
But lets not forget last year was a return from the international wilderness for Payne. He probably made sure ES released him. Also De Jong had gone to the NSW NPL by then, and ES would have always been considered a long shot to make the Handy Prem final, finishing regular season a bit back in 4th.
Then Dyer got red carded in the last regular season game, so missed the semi as well, as ACFC pumped them 4-0.
This season ES have been more impressive, have a better team with all the Western Suburbs kids, and have retained De Jong until the end of their campaign. They are a real chance of winning their semi no matter who they play, so far less likely to release players for the AWs, with a dates clash. This season you feel is their big chance to grab an OFC Champions League spot, esp if the likes of Just, McCowatt, De Jong move on to Europe at season end. They may have a weaker side in Handy Prem 2019/20.
Lastly you also have Declan involved with ES this season. As shown with Western Suburbs stance when U17s(?) tourney clashed with the Chatham Cup, he will choose club/player development, over country.
But again NZF had plenty of time to know this, and sort out alternative dates etc.
Would love to see you lay out some 'alternative dates'. As much as the OFC Champions League group stages and the last few rounds of the national league are bit of a nothing-burger, you can't just skip them or move games featuring players who have day jobs to midweek.
You also seem to have missed that, per the NZF CEO and All Whites coach, the timing of the fixtures was the issue more so than missing any national league players - I'd wager a few would have gone and skipped the semis anyway, tbh, and they'd have still been able to get a squad, even with MLS starting, from what I've been told. It's fair to say some of the national league players were key men last year so their absence would dampen the coach's enthusiasm.
The invitation from Malaysia supposedly came in mid-January, by the way. That does make me wonder why NZ Football were talking up a game in December - but in December Malaysia was talking up a tournament with four teams and the All Whites were nowhere to be seen in local reports.
NZ Football would have been wise to just say 'nothing in March' from way out, but then they'd still be getting stick in some quarters.
That said, this does appear to be a bit of a to-ing and fro-ing shambles up at HQ, so we'll see what comes next.