All Whites' Dead End Road To Russia 2018

our forwards looking so good, shame the midfield is so sharke, the link up play between marco and thomas really is something else and inform kosta with wood upfront, such a shame we cant pull together our defenders. Imagine what a decent coach could do  with that attack plus reid and smith in defence. I get the feeling mcgarry could be the missing link we need, hopefully bill can come into his own one day. 

i honestly get so excited at the prospect of what we could be then remember we'll probably have clayton lewis as our most experienced player....

FARK

Wynne is injured so think  Brotherton may get a call up and Fenton may play as a wingback. 

Doesn't look like Payne is playing for PTimber (or anywhere for that matter) so can't see him being picked. We already have BT not playing so cannot have two midfielders with no club minutes under their belt. 

If Hudson is going back to Dura then he may as well as Keat or Clapham. Either of those guys would do fine in the islands in DM. Or Albert Riera. 

THW may end up being picked ahead of the other DMs as he has been playing (well) for ACFC and Hudson will know what he is getting. TWH would have to be one of the bigger improves in the wider squad. I have been impressed with him recently- his vision, positioning and distribution have been very good for ACFC. Easier when you are playing in the team with 65% possession I know but he should do well in the OFC Cup and should be looking to get a pro contract. But with the number of games in a short space of time we need three central midfielders in the squad ( like you have) so need someone else in for Payne. 

Up front looks fine. Thomas won't be there and Patterson is just back from injury. I think he'll pick Watson as imagine the pitches will turn to paddocks and we'll need bulk up front.

At least we are talking about the AWs again. It's been a while! 

quote=KG19]

My picks:

Moss
Maronkovic
Crocombe / Tzanev / Gleeson

Durante / Musa
Boxall
Adams
Themi
Wynne
Edge / Colvey
Doyle

Fenton
Tuiloma
THW
Payne
Lewis
McGlinchey

Kosta
Rojas
Wood
Smeltz / Brockie
Patterson / Watson
Thomas / Boyd
De Vries

[/quote]

Why is it the team needs to adapt to him and not the other way round? He isnt Messi and even within the AW squad he isnt head and shoulders above the rest so making allowances for him to me seems a bit ridiculous. The other 21 players in the squad have to adapt to him? Give me a break. Its a team sport, if you dont fit a TEAM then there is no room for you.

No need for the team to adapt or him to adapt. He needs to do what the coaching staff want him to do and if he's a bit of a dick of field who cares? As long as it's not on the pitch.

I disagree. Players who don't fit the culture off the field won't fit it on the field. And only weak coaches make exceptions to that. The All Whites need a team of honest, hard working and diligent professionals. Think back to what Hudson said after that first Uzbec game. Players turned up with no uniform, scruffy, joking around etc. they got dropped. 

You can give me numerous examples of superstars that will prove that wrong in the sense that the team is a better unit with them (on paper at least) but this is Chris James and the All Whites we are talking about. 

Personally I love the energy the guy brings. He is one of the few players that "wants the ball". But then again we aren't sitting in the dressing room and if he isses the others off as this thread suggests then he shouldn't be picked. 

This same logic should apply to Tommy Smith etc as well. Again, very hard (emphasis added) to know the truth around why he hasn't played and don't want to speculate on that, but assuming what is said is true re his lack of commitment then that puts him in the same bucket.

Give me a bunch of team men any day over a bunch of more talented bunch of misfits.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c...

Only issue with Piney's rankings is that Tommy Smith gets dropped into the teens because of likely unavailability but Reid stays #1 - no consistency in his argument. Either rank the players best to worst or likelihood of getting picked.

Reid wants to be involved with the AWs and NZ, Smith doesn't give a toss would be my read

Does he?

Yeah, Smith has played quite a few more games than Reid in the same time frame - Reid has just managed/PR'ed his absences a bit better. 

I don't read too much from Piney's ranking. It seems to be just an opinion, and in some cases is based on assumptions, like Brockie getting dropped because of a 'report' of Hudson not picking him, even though he's on fire. I love Piney but these rankings are kind of nonsense.

He hasn't really, he went on holiday once instead of going to camp with the AWs. I'm thinking there's a bit of a bias because A) Reid sounds like a New Zealander and B) he plays at a higher level.

The main way that Reid has managed his absence better is he's shut up about it as far as I can tell.

Looks like it is modelled on Football365's England Ladder, where they always put Phil Neville in at no 50.....maybe we could do the same, but with David Mulligan

Just stuff like this :

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/71435479/Win...

tends to make you think he's invested in NZ. Nelsen wasn't here a lot of the time, but gave his all when he was, and didn't mouth off about us in public. That's the fans job!

I don't think anyone takes Piney's rankings as anything other than opinion, and I don't think they're presented as anything more.

With Brockie, you have to factor in that Hudson's already not picked him last time out (granted, before his recent scoring run).

I have never understood how pineys ratings  can actually make it into mainstream media on a regular basis. Heaven knows how much he gets paid for these articles 

The first time, they were very very cool, the next time cool but thereafter?

Anyone who complains about the lack of football coverage in the media (considering the all whites don't play any games) needs to placed in a room for a week and told to read these ratings over and over

He's basically outlining what players are around, and whether they've been playing much. Don't really see the issue. Most people wouldn't have the foggiest that Tuiloma hasn't played all season etc.

TOP 5

1; Winston Reid – without doubt, New Zealand’s bestest and most highest profile player. A God amongst men. Will offer solidity at the back against those nippy Island forwards. Will be in Dubai.

2; Chris Wood - giant lumbering centre forward who is going through a lean spell at Leeds. Has missed some real sitters (and you wouldn’t want to miss a Sitter!). Captain.

3; Glen Moss – hasn’t played for the All Whites in almost 2 years, while Stefan Marinovic has come in and performed admirably between the sticks. Questionable positioning. Will be the No 1 at the OFC. Undoubtedly. Possibly.

4; Johan Cruyff; inventor of the Cruyff Turn, the very essence of Total Football. His inclusion would be a key factor for the AWs. Has to shake of his sicknote reputation, mainly garnered from being dead.

5; Hilary Barry; honest as they come, the nations darling. Available now after contract dispute with Club has been resolved. Could form a deadly duo with John Campbell, though questions over control of emotions persist.

OTHER NOTABLES

8; Chris Killen; with the All Whites struggling to find a solution for their defensive midfield problems, expect Killen – without doubt NZ’s greatest DM – to announce his return from retirement.

10; Leo Messi; genius on the ball, lover between the sheets. Only his previous 107 appearances for Argentina make him unavailable. Still, we live in hope.

12 through 15; Some club hackers no one has ever heard off

17; Richie McCaw; if John Key can somehow get off his dick, then the Father Dougal lookalike would be able to lead the traditional All Whites pre-match war dance The Macarena.

20; Sam Malcolmsen; would have himself at number 1, the man who offers answers to questions no one asked could provide experience so the AWs avoid “doing a Honiara”

21; Adnan Januzaj; recent rumours have suggested to could switch allegiance to Kosovo after bombing out with Belgium. Has heard of New Zealand, which may make him eligible. Warm up the fax line to FIFA

23; Lorde – recent broken arm will have this creative genius sweating.

A STARTERS CHANCE

24 through 45; every South African currently residing in Browns Bay

LONG SHOTS

46; Brad Scott, ol’ Duggers will vouch for him

47; Silvio Berlusconi who would provide entertaining Bunga Bunga parties post-match

48; David Bain; looks great in a jumper, broke Batman’s back - so both elegant and powerful

49; Anyone playing in Scandanavia

50; David Mulligan – you never know

I currently have a list of 52 players (including 5 players currently injured) that could be selected. Still not confident I've got the final 23 players in there.

Have you allowed for a Hudson bolter? Some kid that he thinks will be right on the night come 2018?

that's why I'm not confident the 23 will come from that list.

My OFC Nations Cup Squad Bingo card

Does he really have no love for Brockie?

He has been on form at the moment for Supersport

How about Hobbs as a potential bolter to cover RB?

So silly to let personal feelings get in the way of picking your best current players on their form

When is the team announced?

how about this guy? A relative of Martin?

http://youtu.be/MsASumr8AEY

All Whites: Hudson ready for OFC Nations Cup challenge

All Whites coach Anthony Hudson is looking forward to getting his team back on the park to begin their preparation for the upcoming Oceania Nations Cup.

The coach of the national side, who will name his team for the Nations Cup on Thursday May 12 at QBE Stadium in Albany, is excited about his first competition with the All Whites which will be played from May 28 to June 11 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

The greater training squad will assemble in Auckland on Monday May 9 for a week-long training camp ahead of traveling to Brisbane on Saturday May 14 for a training camp and fixtures.

“This Nations Cup is what the team and I have been working towards for the past 18 months,” said Hudson. “Our goal is to get to Russia and this is the first step towards making that a reality.”

The All Whites, who defeated Oman 1-0 in their last international friendly, will play three training game fixtures in Brisbane against teams competing in the Queensland National Premier League.

These fixtures will be against Western Pride FC, Redlands United and Brisbane City, and Hudson is pleased with the build-up to his first OFC Nations Cup in charge.

“We need three games in this period, so everyone can get game time before going to Papua New Guinea. We also need to acclimatise to the conditions which is why Brisbane will be perfect for us, and we want as many days on the training pitch as possible, hence why are we staying in one place and reducing any unnecessary travel time.

“Speaking to the players they are very excited about getting into camp, what is coming up and building on our preparation to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in 2018. Our road to Russia begins now.”

The OFC Nations Cup will be the 10th edition of the championship. The winner of the OFC Nations Cup will qualify for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia.

All Whites Training Games in Brisbane (local times)

Wednesday May 18

v Western Pride FC at Briggs Rd Sporting Complex at 6pm

Open game (for media and fans)

Sunday May 22

v Redlands United at QSAC stadium at 6pm

Closed game (for media and fans)

Tuesday May 24

v Brisbane City at QSAC at 6.45pm

Closed game (for media and fans)

"Our goal is to get to Russia"

Maybe we shouldn't have turned down a friendly there then. Best chance of getting to Russia we would have got.

So our crucial warmup is against three small club sides in Australia????

Who is the person in charge of arranging warm up games??