Why do we think we are so much better then the islands? Tahiti and NC have players in France who would be match fit and experienced in pro footie. Let's not forget Roy Krishna, David Browne and others. Players who could impose a Horror in Honiara MK2.
It's disappointing that games are outside of official windows but if we make the WC we will likely be the least rated team there. I relish a tough qualifying tournament to harden up our team for those WC games.
If we end up with Panama or Costa Rica, their footie is going to be more of a Latin style then Canada, USA etc so I hope NZF have some Latin America friendlies arranged (eg Nicaragua) as well as a game or two agisnt Jamaica, Barbados etc.
It's disappointing that games are outside of official windows but if we make the WC we will likely be the least rated team there. I relish a tough qualifying tournament to harden up our team for those WC games.
If we end up with Panama or Costa Rica, their footie is going to be more of a Latin style then Canada, USA etc so I hope NZF have some Latin America friendlies arranged (eg Nicaragua) as well as a game or two agisnt Jamaica, Barbados etc.
Of course AWs will be massively hindered in comparison to the other mostly domestic based OFC teams.
And NZF are at a beggars table re finding friendly fixtures. If you followed CONCACAF at all you'd see Jamaica are in final stage qualifying themselves. Top 100 FIFA ranked Haiti plus Trinidad & Tobago maybe targets for the January window, but suspect NZF are now busy figuring out this OFC announcement, before committing to anything in Jan.
If AWs do draw Cooks/Tonga in their pool, can an A League/NZ based AWs selection fly into either of those countries in the Jan window? Hammer in 10 goals (joke game that it would be), and you have one of those outside of March FIFA window games dealt with. Plus a little PR exercise re football in Tonga or Cooks.