https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/football-all-whites-set-to-face-2022-fifa-world-cup-qualifying-tournament-in-middle-east-after-bid-to-stage-event-here-turned-down/S5OQKOYWUXCOHUFSIO7ELMDSNQ/
Looks like talks are in place about the previously unconfirmed OFC qualifiers to have them held in the Middle East, after attempts to hold them in New Zealand didn’t work. Quite disappointed, if unsurprised, that couldn’t hold them here given how little football we get to see, especially when watching teams like the All Blacks and Blackcaps have visitors from various countries.
Middle East did hold Australia’s AFC qualifiers last month, which from the outside seemed to have worked ok, but also made a lot more sense for AFC given it covers as far west as the Red Sea, whereas getting Tahiti to the Middle East is a lot further and more difficult. Timezone differences will also make the games hard to watch, likely being in very early hours of the morning, if Australia’s kick off times are anything to go by. It’s a shame, as the OFC qualifiers are typically the only ever AWs games that are in a evening kickoff time to watch.
Have to hope that if it’s in Qatar/Saudi/UAE that they should get better fields than the islands, but climate will be against them, even in winter. You’d assume FIFA would enforce clubs to release players, but if the qualifiers go around three weeks I wouldn’t be surprised if clubs tap some guys on the shoulder, or Hay takes an larger than usual squad, similar to what Graham Arnold did.
Looks like talks are in place about the previously unconfirmed OFC qualifiers to have them held in the Middle East, after attempts to hold them in New Zealand didn’t work. Quite disappointed, if unsurprised, that couldn’t hold them here given how little football we get to see, especially when watching teams like the All Blacks and Blackcaps have visitors from various countries.
Middle East did hold Australia’s AFC qualifiers last month, which from the outside seemed to have worked ok, but also made a lot more sense for AFC given it covers as far west as the Red Sea, whereas getting Tahiti to the Middle East is a lot further and more difficult. Timezone differences will also make the games hard to watch, likely being in very early hours of the morning, if Australia’s kick off times are anything to go by. It’s a shame, as the OFC qualifiers are typically the only ever AWs games that are in a evening kickoff time to watch.
Have to hope that if it’s in Qatar/Saudi/UAE that they should get better fields than the islands, but climate will be against them, even in winter. You’d assume FIFA would enforce clubs to release players, but if the qualifiers go around three weeks I wouldn’t be surprised if clubs tap some guys on the shoulder, or Hay takes an larger than usual squad, similar to what Graham Arnold did.
If is say in the UAE, in January likely not a bad result for Hay. You are looking at average day temps in the mid 20s. Cooler at night. Might even be NZF who are pushing the idea. Especially if FIFA are paying for it all.
Plus a much shorter flight for the Euro based guys (6-7 hours), as opposed to 20 plus hours to get down to NZ/Islands. Though you'd back even a 2nd string AWs side to win any OFC tourney, you only get one chance every 4 years to make a World Cup. You take no risks and play the best team you can. No one wants another 'Horror in Honiara' repeat.
Unless Burnley were in a real relegation dogfight, I'd say some chance Dyche would agree to release Wood for example for 2 weeks. Say from the OFC tourney's last pool game onwards. Ditto for Reid etc. Plus a lot of the other Euro leagues are in a winter break in January, so no club vs country squabble. MLS guys will be in their off season, and happy to escape the snow clad US.
Win the OFC tourney, and it's another huge intercontinental playoff (unless it's 1-5 after an away leg first up!), game in NZ. Games that get the juices flowing, and with future bloated 48 team World Cups, the last big playoff game ever. Throw in a high profile warm up game in NZ like the Socceroos or Japan, a week earlier June 2022 (when most teams won't have competitive international commitments) - and you finally get some quality live international football to watch in NZ.