Starting XI
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over 15 years
coochiee
Curaçao unlucky not to make final stage CONCACAF WC qualifying. Losing a 2 legged 2nd round tie 1-2 on aggregate to Panama, back in June. Not being able to score in the 2nd leg at home (0-0) proving costly.

Seems Roly missed those 2 games, and who knows with Covid travel restrictions,  Curaçao may have struggled to assemble their top side then.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2021/06/16/nc-america/wc-qualifying-concacaf/netherlands-antilles/panama/3490515/


Early stages of final stage CONCACAF qualifying (3 of 14 rounds played), but Panama currently occupy 4th spot - the Intercontinental Playoff slot.

So yeah Curaçao the perfect opponent to have in many ways. Especially if the AWs get lucky, and OFC draws a CONCACAF team (weakest looking Confederation on paper) for June next year. Hopefully they can assemble close to their top side in Bahrain.
 
Edit - as a side note my understanding is any black Dutch players will highly likely have heritage from either Suriname (where a brother lived for 3 years) or Curaçao. So no surprises maybe to now see Kluivert as the Curaçao gaffer. And why a country of only 150,000 people has a bigger player talent pool than you'd first think.

As a Kiwi with a Dutch father, for me playing Curucao is the next best thing to playing the Netherlands.

Current Curucao caretaker coach and Dutch national team legend Patrick Kluivert has a mother from Curucao (father from Suriname). His younger son Ruben has opted to play for Curucao (his older brother Justin of Roma has opted for Holland).

Tahith Chong of Manchester United (currently on loan at Birmingham City) was born in Curucao and has opted to play for them after not being called up by the Netherlands at senior level (has played for Holland at all youth levels). Chong was in the preliminary squad for the Gold Cup in June before Curucao pulled out. So he could make his Curucao debut against the All Whites!

Looking at that Curucao starting line-up for the play-off vs. Panama in June, all but two of them are Dutch-born and came up through the Dutch football system.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2021/06/16/nc-america/wc-qualifying-concacaf/netherlands-antilles/panama/3490515/
Ryan Thomas was a team mate of two of them: Goalie Eloy Room was reserve keeper at PSV when Ryan signed for them and Danny Lachman was a starting fullback at PEC Zwolle in Ryan's first season there.
Room won MLS with Colombus Crew last season and Lachman now plays for Perth Glory.
If Curucao field their top team and we don't get our best players, they could be considerably stronger than us.
They have some very capable players - captain Cuco Martina was with Everton and Southampton under Ronald Koeman.
Vurnon Anita played with Steven Taylor at Newcastle in the Premier League for five seasons and currently plays for RKC in the Eredivisie. He started against the Phoenix in that friendly in Wellington in 2014:
Newcastle: Elliot; Yanga-Mbiwa, S.Taylor, Coloccini (c), Haïdara; Anita, Colback, Abeid, Gouffran; de Jong; Rivière
Leandro Bacuna played five seasons for Aston Villa, mostly in the Premier League, currently with Cardiff City.
His brother Juninho Bacuna plays for Glasgow Rangers, previously with Huddersfield in the Premier League & Championship.
Michael Maria played for Adelaide in the A-League and is currently playing for NAC, one of the biggest clubs in the Dutch second tier.
Jurian Gaari plays for RKC in the Eredivisie.
Elson Hooi: Playing in Qatar after three seasons in the Eredivisie with Den Haag.
 Brandley Kuwas: Eredivisie striker at Heracles now in his third season in the Middle East (UAE and now Macaabi Tel Aviv).
Kenji Gorre: former Swansea City striker in the Premier League, now at Boavista in his fourth season in the Portuguese top flight.

Curucao have so many professional players to draw on.  Here is the squad selected for the Gold Cup in the USA earlier this year (before they pulled out due to Covid) with their clubs:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cura%C3%A7ao_national_football_team#Current_squad
And the wider players including Roly Bonevacia, they have drawn on in recent years:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cura%C3%A7ao_national_football_team#Recent_call-ups
and 2 others
Starting XI
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What’s with all the Curaçao chat, I can’t believe people aren’t more fizzed up about a repeat of the most historic match in a generation.
Starting XI
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over 9 years
Sounds promising about more fixtures in November that's for sure!

We seem to have gone from famine to feast. Which is a nice change. Will wait for further confirmation of fixtures before I get too far ahead of myself however.
Phoenix Academy
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about 9 years
Tbh, since the Danny Hay era started, I don't think we've had a 'famine of fixtures' on purpose. 

The first matches Danny featured in were Ireland & Lithuania in November 2019. 

We were set to play Oman and Bahrain in March 2020 (Cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic in the middle-east). 

I heard matches were confirmed for June and September, but they were never released, as well as England & USA (Belgium and Mexico too) for October and November all cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. 

While the rest of the world was ready to play fixtures in late 2020, we weren't due to the fact there was the two week isolation period in a number of countries, especially for a number of players leaving their respected clubs to take a 2 week isolation period before engaging in international matches and then going back to their clubs sit out another 2 weeks. It wasn't logistically possible for some of the All Whites. 

Which I think NZF did right to sit out until vaccines and other aspects were in place. 

It also grinds my gears to see comments on facebook, twitter and Instagram of people saying "Oh, we have a team? I Forgot that cause we never play".

We're in the middle of a worldwide pandemic - How are we suppose to play?

Anyway, after the Olympics (with NZF staff and players getting vaccinated) as well as other logistics clearing up for travel on sports teams, expect more matches being held and excitement for both the All Whites and the Ferns. 

But in my opinion only but from late 2019 onward, the lack of All Whites matches isn't NZF's fault at all. 
Starting XI
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over 9 years
Disappointing from Stensness to choose to represent Aussie, but that's what happens sometimes.

In more positive news, does anyone have any more info on where Kelvin Kalua is trialling? How good is the depth that we can pick an entirely Northern Hemisphere based squad too (Bar De Jong of course).
Trialist
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40
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about 4 years
Potentially what they might Line up with (Tzanev as the 3rd). Surprised they haven't taken George Stanger and Logan Rogerson to make a full 23 man squad, but for 2 games is understandable.
YoungHeart
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Phoenix Academy
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370
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about 9 years
Ahh I’m getting Tyler Boyd vibes again. 
WeeNix
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almost 9 years
Tzanev easily our number one GK for mine.

Good that de Jong can play in these matches, might be short of upfront options otherwise. 

Absolutely gutting about Stensness....looks like the rumour of him being upset with Hay was true. 

Prediction: M Boxall and Tuiloma to pull out, Stanger to come in. 
Starting XI
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almost 9 years
YoungHeart
Disappointing from Stensness to choose to represent Aussie, but that's what happens sometimes.

In more positive news, does anyone have any more info on where Kelvin Kalua is trialling? How good is the depth that we can pick an entirely Northern Hemisphere based squad too! 
He's at Torslanda with the other Ole boys
Marquee
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over 11 years
How do we know Stensness has opted for Aussie, maybe he's trying to settle in to his new country etc?
Legend
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MetalLegNZ
How do we know Stensness has opted for Aussie, maybe he's trying to settle in to his new country etc?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/126500202/new-zealand-olympian-gianni-stensness-opts-for-australia-as-all-whites-squad-named
"All Whites coach Danny Hay says Tokyo Olympian Gianni Stensness’ decision to pursue international football with Australia has come as a “kick in the guts”.

Stensness was born and raised across the Tasman but was eligible to play for New Zealand through his father. He played every minute as the OlyWhites under-24 team made it to the quarterfinals in Japan and was in line to earn his first senior cap before making this move.

Hay said Stensness had reached out after signing for Viking in Norway off the back of the Olympics and “signalled that he was looking at the possibility of switching allegiance to Australia – that they'd contacted him prior to even the Olympics and had been working on him ever since”.

“It's disappointing and a little bit of a kick in the guts given he was a prominent part of not just the Olympics, but the Under-20s, a couple of years earlier.

“I think the opportunities New Zealand Football provided him allowed them to get to the position he is now, playing professionally in Europe, and obviously his performances have caught the eye of Australia.
Marquee
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So what happens in a years time if we make it to the WC and he has not got a call up as of yet from Australia... does he come back, do we accept him?

Being available is different to being selected. 

Massive loss as he was shaping up to be a big part of our future... equal blame to NZ for never having games and to covid as well. Stopped us from locking him in earlier!
Appiah without the pace
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The JourneyFan
YoungHeart
Disappointing from Stensness to choose to represent Aussie, but that's what happens sometimes.

In more positive news, does anyone have any more info on where Kelvin Kalua is trialling? How good is the depth that we can pick an entirely Northern Hemisphere based squad too! 
He's at Torslanda with the other Ole boys
So he's trialing there? Not even playing?
Legend
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MetalLegNZ
So what happens in a years time if we make it to the WC and he has not got a call up as of yet from Australia... does he come back, do we accept him?

Being available is different to being selected. 

Massive loss as he was shaping up to be a big part of our future... equal blame to NZ for never having games and to covid as well. Stopped us from locking him in earlier!

agreed being available is different to being selected, but he proactively called Hay and said I'm looking at Aussie not NZ.
I  doubt he'd want to play for NZ if we make it and Aus dont, I'd like to think Hay would tell him he was nit needed if he was available and remained unselected for Aus.
Legend
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Arnold was pissed off that Champness choose NZ over Aussie, when I think from memory he had played some Aus age group stuff. So with Stensness is honestly swings & roundabouts. These kids grow up (are even born) in Aussie, plus do all their football development there (yes Stensness did a short stint at the Nix), so they are always a bonus for NZ Football in many ways if found to be eligible.

But he's taking a gamble throwing his lot now in with Socceroos. Just look at Boyd now, seemingly well out of the USNMT picture.

Honestly hope I'm wrong re M Boxall & Tuiloma, but real risk is there they could pull out.

Note those selections you might see as 50:50 (Kalua, Wilkins & de Jong) all known to Hay through his time at ES. But how nice is it, to just be talking about an AWs selection.
Legend
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2ndBest
The JourneyFan
YoungHeart
Disappointing from Stensness to choose to represent Aussie, but that's what happens sometimes.

In more positive news, does anyone have any more info on where Kelvin Kalua is trialling? How good is the depth that we can pick an entirely Northern Hemisphere based squad too! 
He's at Torslanda with the other Ole boys
So he's trialing there? Not even playing?
Probably same as when Pijnaker first got to Europe. Base yourself at Torslanda, but from there head to wherever in Europe to trial. Maybe Declan & Keat through some contacts up there, even help these young guys secure the trials. Not a bad strategy on the face of it, with a good support network giving these young guys a higher chance of getting a Euro gig.
First Team Squad
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about 3 years
MetalLegNZ
So what happens in a years time if we make it to the WC and he has not got a call up as of yet from Australia... does he come back, do we accept him?

Being available is different to being selected. 

Massive loss as he was shaping up to be a big part of our future... equal blame to NZ for never having games and to covid as well. Stopped us from locking him in earlier!
I think he's made his bed now, and we should plan for a future without him. Plus, it sounds like he has been in dialogue with Aus for a while, so likely to get involved at some point soon you'd say. 
Life and death
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almost 17 years
Fudge him
MetalLegNZ
So what happens in a years time if we make it to the WC and he has not got a call up as of yet from Australia... does he come back, do we accept him?

Being available is different to being selected. 

Massive loss as he was shaping up to be a big part of our future... equal blame to NZ for never having games and to covid as well. Stopped us from locking him in earlier!
Starting XI
1.3K
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almost 9 years
coochiee
2ndBest
The JourneyFan
YoungHeart
Disappointing from Stensness to choose to represent Aussie, but that's what happens sometimes.

In more positive news, does anyone have any more info on where Kelvin Kalua is trialling? How good is the depth that we can pick an entirely Northern Hemisphere based squad too! 
He's at Torslanda with the other Ole boys
So he's trialing there? Not even playing?
Probably same as when Pijnaker first got to Europe. Base yourself at Torslanda, but from there head to wherever in Europe to trial. Maybe Declan & Keat through some contacts up there, even help these young guys secure the trials. Not a bad strategy on the face of it, with a good support network giving these young guys a higher chance of getting a Euro gig.
aye thats pretty much it - easier to get seen in Sweden than in Auckland or Porirua
Legend
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https://theniche-cache.com/football/2021/9/28/the-all-whites-squad-for-curaao-amp-bahrain-has-been-named-let-us-take-a-wee-looksee

You’ve also got six players who started for Eastern Suburbs when they won the NZ Premiership grand final in 2019 under Danny Hay’s coaching tutelage.........

https://twitter.com/andrewvoerman/status/1442300688470401028?s=20

Final point to be made here: Vaughan Coveny has hung on as New Zealand’s top male international goal scorer for too long. Fair play to the man but 28 goals is not enough for the number one. Four years ago anyone would have said it was only a matter of time until Chris Wood buried that number, but there’ve been so few games that he simply hasn’t had the chance. But it’s coming. It is coming.
Legend
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https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/football-all-whites-coach-danny-hay-contemplates-drastic-solution-to-miq-issue-ahead-of-trip-to-northern-hemisphere/Z7RPLGQRWMR3AAT56Y2SWI3N7I/

All Whites' coach Danny Hay is considering relocating his family to Europe for a period, if his MIQ quest continues to be fruitless.

Hay departs New Zealand on Sunday bound for the Middle East, ahead............



Starting XI
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almost 17 years
Not great reading for us from our ex captain… who makes out that he always put the fern first, not something that I completely agree with:

https://www.fifa.com/football-development/the-future-of-football/news/nelsen-planning-for-travel-and-rest-is-crucial


Legend
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reads like he is in support of having almost two AW's squads, one based in America/Europe and one based in NZ. 
Odd comment from him regarding wanting to always play for the fern and then to contradict it saying the travel reduces the ability to play for the club who pay your wages....
Starting XI
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over 5 years
I think he's trying to make an argument for having the WC every 2 years. Where part of that proposal was for less short international windows during the domestic season, in leu of regional qualification tournaments of longer duration. Meaning less frequent travel requirements on players.
Marquee
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More importantly, who are we getting games against in November!!
Marquee
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Finally we are beginning to look like a competitive international team, and that's despite us still not being able to put out our best 11 yet.

From the squad that played today, you have (if fit) Reid, Singh, Thomas to come in, plus Kosta who I think would be a potential starter as well. Plus a RB to be added in.

In theory that's 5 positive changes. Plus you have the added depth of others joining the squad in Lewis and Rojas as well.

I also think Hay needs some kudos. Gets a lot of angst on here about only getting the job because of being mates with the selection committee, but he is producing results.

Legend
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Given Kalua and Kirwan's performances at RB I dont think we'd be looking to far from one of those two. Fenton would be hard pressed to get in ahead of them on their defensive work. Rojas has to be on the outer now, he's not as quick as he used to be and with Champness and singh in the mix with Kosta(?) he'd be 5th in line for a wide playmaker role.
Legend
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Ranix
I think he's trying to make an argument for having the WC every 2 years. Where part of that proposal was for less short international windows during the domestic season, in leu of regional qualification tournaments of longer duration. Meaning less frequent travel requirements on players.

Well by June 2022, will be nearly 5 years since the AWs last played in NZ, so that's virtually 5 years sans long distance travel requirements!

But yes post Covid from 2023 these issues will crop up again. I'm still in favour of OFC & AWs somehow joining some sort of AFC/East Asia Nations League for the first 2 years of a 4 yr WC cycle.

Even if you were missing some big name players each window, when playing in Japan, Australia, Korea, China, Vietnam or NZ - there is enough depth now for the AWs to always field a competitive team. Major plus being you would get actual meaningful games in NZ full (H&A programme), outside the usual OFC dross, in a Nations League setup.

Even the away games, would be in pretty favourable viewing time slots. Watching the Socceroos verus Japan last night, here in QLD was a treat. Lots of tense drama.

I don't like the idea of biennial World Cups.
Marquee
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almost 17 years
Getting Uzbekistan would be huge for one of our next two games. They would cut us to pieces but what a learning opportunity that would be! Hopefully those two recent victories gives us some Street cred in Europe/Asia and we can get some good games. 
Phoenix Academy
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over 3 years
Had a look.. couple of European sides next month don’t have World Cup qualifiers on.. hmm
Legend
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TBH I'd take anyone as an opponent in November, as long as we get another 2 games against non-oceania teams I'll be happy.
Legend
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alon222
Had a look.. couple of European sides next month don’t have World Cup qualifiers on.. hmm

Yipe would be useful to play a top 50 ranking team, well drilled and a cut above Curacao or Bahrain. 

Would also be nice to play on a truer surface than one in Manama, and cooler conditions. See if AWs can play the high press for longer, with better ball movement.

Google tells me av March temps in Qatar (OFC tourney) are in mid 20s range, so a bit cooler than Bahrain was.

Though the away leg of June Intercontinental Playoffs (NH summer) could well be somewhere steamy (if avoid CONMEBOL). So certainly some merit in playing these simulation friendlies somewhere toasty hot.

Sooner the Intercontinental Playoff draw is made the better. Apparently this month, read somewhere.
WeeNix
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about 3 years
Georgia, Lithuania, Kazakhstan and Czech Republic are the only UEFA teams available to play in November (Kosovo, Bulgaria, Belarus and Ukraine also only have one qualifier but have already organised a friendly for the other matchday). Of those, only Czech Republic has an open slot for matchday 1 of the window, the other three play that matchday but not matchday 2, so if they went UEFA only it would have to be Czech Republic, then probably one of Lithuania or Georgia, as Kazakhstan would probably be too far travel wise.

Czech Republic would be a very tough ask, but the other two would be winnable, plus, as mentioned, cooler climate, better playing surface, less travelling time. Though given the lack of choices there’s a good chance it’ll be AFC teams instead.

Selection questions as well, as if Ryan Thomas plays he’s an automatic starter, so to fit him in to midfield you either drop Stamenic who really stood up, or go with the diamond again and drop Garbett, which is less of an omission. With a diamond you then lose wingers and how well they worked against Bahrain, though either way it’s rare to have too many options for an NZ team. Also add in the A League guys who should come into selection in March, like Rojas and Barbarouses who definitely good enough to be starters, and suddenly a 23 man squad is leaving out some quality players.
Life and death
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almost 17 years
isn't the world cup in Qatar being played indoors?
coochiee
alon222
Had a look.. couple of European sides next month don’t have World Cup qualifiers on.. hmm

Yipe would be useful to play a top 50 ranking team, well drilled and a cut above Curacao or Bahrain. 

Would also be nice to play on a truer surface than one in Manama, and cooler conditions. See if AWs can play the high press for longer, with better ball movement.

Google tells me av March temps in Qatar (OFC tourney) are in mid 20s range, so a bit cooler than Bahrain was.

Though the away leg of June Intercontinental Playoffs (NH summer) could well be somewhere steamy (if avoid CONMEBOL). So certainly some merit in playing these simulation friendlies somewhere toasty hot.

Sooner the Intercontinental Playoff draw is made the better. Apparently this month, read somewhere.
Legend
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almost 9 years
Yipe Qatar will bring the air conditioned World Cup.
https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/news/dr-cool-the-mastermind-behind-qatar-2022-s-air-cooled-stadiums

Socceroos played in the air con there last week, against Oman.
https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/sport/socceroos-to-play-in-world-first-airconditioned-qatar-stadium-in-world-cup-qualifier-against-china/news-story/2c7556e9acfcd754a07f63a17d444dea

Though natural temps in Nov-Dec (World Cup time slot), and March (mooted OFC tourney time slot) should be cooler than the mid year furnace temps.
Legend
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almost 9 years
Seems some friendlies are going to happen in the November window.

Wonder if there also a chance of some in that extra January 2022 FIFA window (24th Jan - 1st Feb).

Think that special one off window will exclude UEFA countries, ie just AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL to allow them to catch up on their Covid delayed WC qualifying programs.

Presumably that extra window is not really designed for friendlies?? And imagine Burnley, PSV, Jahn Regensburg etc will not be happy at all to release Wood, Thomas, Singh etc. Think the A League is playing through this extra January window as well??

But alot of the other NH leagues AWs players are at, will either be on a mid winter break (Denmark), or in their off seasons (MLS, Sweden, Finland, Norway) come late January 2022. 

So maybe chance to sneak in another friendly(ies) before the March 2022 OFC tourney. Though could also just struggle to get enough quality players, plus problematic for coach Hay & any NZ based staff if NZ MIQ still required upon return, come Feb 2022.


Legend
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almost 9 years
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/126676186/playing-time-at-club-level-in-focus-as-all-whites-break-up-after-successful-window

But the question now is how many minutes will they play over the next four weeks, before they meet again in November, where Hay is expecting to have more All Whites fixtures and an announcement is due in the next week or so.

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