All Whites' Dead End Road To Russia 2018

Definitely don't think Kosta should be starting on current form. I'd like to see Thomas, Rojas and Wood as a front three with an extra body in midfield.

Last I knew Graham's injury was bad enough that he'll be out past June.

Riera doesn't have the legs for the pressing Hudson wants.

Fenton is a pile of shark, give brock messenger a chance. He is very good at attacking and geting foward as well as shooting as he got the goal of the season fro the ASB prem last season.

Messenger does have great potential, but maybe too soon, not sure the Finish second division is the most competitive, also compared to the opponents we will be facing. 

Think I forgot to add Colvey (probs in the squad instead of Fenton) 

And Whyne, remember the cross to rojas.

The way I see it

?

Tzimi, Reid, Smith

?, ?, Tuiloma, McGlinchey, Wynne

?, Wood

Moss, Roux, Lewis, Thomas/Rojas for me right now.

I feel both Thomas and rojas must start (not one or other), there the most creative players

Football: Everything targeted at winning in November - Anthony Hudson

I think he might be a bit delusional but guess he has to be positive.

I imagine NZF will try secure a quality friendly verus South American or min Central American team. 

But they may shut us out as a bloc as 'Latino solidarity' for whichever team finishes 5th 

The South American teams are out as they have the last 2 of their group games in October as are the UEFA, CAF and CONCACAF top 6 teams

a game against one of the Asian qualifiers would probably be the best we can get

Fair enough. A game against likes of Socceroos, South Korea or Japan would be better than nothing given limitations on availability of countries in that October window. 

Even the 7th best CONCACAF side would still be handy opposition if someone like Panama, El Salavador, Honduras etc. Maybe play the game in USA aligned with a training camp

Also by October European season will be back in full swing, so club coaches of the European based pros will be happier if their AWs players are going stateside rather than longer haul flights into Asia. It's crucial that post Confeds Cup, Hudson has all his AWs squad available (unless injured) for games & training camps - and he needs to have the club coaches on board with that.

Hey whatever happened to NZA? - This is more of a question than statement

Like I know Hudson has pretty much selected the core part of his squad etc, and I know NZA has been playing the nix in recent years.

What I sort of thought of the other day while I was sitting on the toilet seat, was what if all NZ based players "NZA" had just random as games against lower national sides or age group sides.

e.g. Singapore U-23 or like Philippines or Madagascar, Fiji U-23, to just chuck a few out there. 

We had one against Jordan a few years back, and I remember Monty Patterson played in it and Jake Butler! 

Like I said I am interested to see how the October window turns out, but I do think 2017 is a very big year for New Zealand Football, and getting domesticated players more opportunities to play international games might actually help us out. 

But I don't know the rules about international window etc. Like I said, I thought about this at 6am while I was on the toilet seat, and I do know a lot of Asian countries play random friendlies outside the international window. Be good if someone could explain this to me! 

Actually CONCACAF top six qualifying has already started, and of the above teams only El Salvador is not in the top six, and then potentially available for a game in the October window. Looking at tables in link below, Guatemala appeal as the team on form/points, that was most unlucky to not make the top six - and so potentially offer the AWs a tough game against a Latino team in October.

http://au.soccerway.com/international/nc-america/wc-qualifying-concacaf/2018-russia/4th-round/r30437/

2 games a agasint australlia would be great, low cost and and not as hard for our europe based players to come and would also bring back the rivalary.

International windows is one problem, $$$ the biggest. That recent one v Jordan was an odd one, not quite sure why it wasn't an All Whites game, guess they just didn't want to devalue it, or have to jump through red tape a proper intl requires.

I swear NZF already sotred that out.

Has been listed as injured a couple of times recently, not ignored like those (Musa, de Vries) we know are problematic.

Didn't they say everyone they asked about was accepted?

Piney said he was sorted in his power rankings. 

I'd like to see a SS Premiership 11 of NZ eligible players..

Is Josh Hill a New Zealander? Probably been the best goalkeeper in the league.

Josh Hill is a pom.

I tried this the other day.

4-2-3-1: Basalaj; Gulley, Collett (or Hilliar if Collett's an Aussie), Prattley, Rogers; Payne, Clapham; Lewis, Singh, Lovemore; Jackson (is a he an out-and-out Kiwi? Gets an English flag on various websites). 

Lindsay, Ridsdale, Haviland, Milne, Butler, Manickum, Turipa, Bevin, Stevens, Hudson-Wihongi (injured), Blake, Vale, Dyer, Mata, Whyte are others around

Josh Hill was born in England, but his family are all in NZ not sure when they came out to NZ

You have Clapham twice in the first line up - I know he's good but not that good!

Linderboom is a South African

Did you consider any from the Weenix? I reckon Sapreet Singh, Ollie Whyte and Max Mata (OK now Eastern Suburbs) should be in with a shout based on the first half of the season

Was scanning up and down the country and forgot the WeeNix. Singh for the second Clapham.

Hill definitely only came out a few years back to play football in Napier.

Be interesting to see how Brazil go against the Socceroos and against Argentina in the friendlies in Australia in June on the eve of the Confeds Cup. Hope that Sky TV screen these games here as a taster for the Inter-Continental Play-off in November...it could be Argentina after all...

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/socceroos-to-pl...

Any Kiwis going to Melbourne for these games?

"Eren said the Brazil-Argentina showdown was already nearly sold out, with 46 percent of tickets purchased by interstate or international fans.

Australia are expected to fly to Russia the day after the Brazil clash for their Confederations Cup campaign, beginning in Sochi on June 19 where the task does not get any easier against world champions Germany.

Tickets for the Socceroos-Brazil match go on sale March 3."

A lot of foreign GK and strikers in the league. 

Is Saul Halpin a Kiwi? Is scoring plenty for Hawke's Bay, and Sam Mason-Smith must have been here for five years, although not saying he's All Whties material.

I think I'd go Sail over Basalaj, but Hill over them both if he counts.

Payne, Clapham, Lewis and Singh provide a decent midfield.

Could make a case for Tinashe Marowa too.

Hill, Halpin, Mason-Smith don't count, I don't care how long they've been here, Dan Terris wouldn't count either.

Marowa definitely should be on the long list.

with the knowledge that both Ingham brothers maybe in the next squad, who do you think will be named this week?

Gleason, Marinovic, Moss, Durante, Doyle, Wynette Boxall, Tzimi, WeeMac, Tuiloma, Rojas, Wood, Barbs, Thomas, Ridenton, Ingham, Ingham, Smeltz, Brockie 

+ Random Hudson youth call ups not deserving AW caps Brotherton, Patterson, Dyer etc

Omitted: Reid ("injured"), Smith (not match fit), Roux (not a kiwi yet?), Fallon (past it).

And

Whilst it would never happen, would love to see the Nix or another A League club throw bags of money at Fitzgerald so that he could play for the AWs again.

I would change Brockie for Fallon considering Hudson's logic. He's been well past ir for a long time but still gets called up. Add Colvey and that squad would be the less surprising given Hudson's preferences.

Brocks barely got a look in at OFC cup, plus got badly injured. Reckon hudson isn't a fan and can see him being left out. 

You also forgot Luka Prelevic for 'Random Hudson call up not deserving'.

Marinovic, Moss, Williams

Reid, Smith, Durante, Boxall, Tzimopolous, Roux, Wynne, Doyle

Tuiloma, Rojas, Thomas, Dyer, Cameron, Payne, Lewis

Wood, Smeltz, Patterson, Barbarouses

Thinking WeeMac may be injured.

Roux is a Kiwi.

Not sure why you'd make the snide insinuations Reid or Smith will miss the game

I don't understand the Ingham reports, as I can't see where they fit.

I can see Jai Ingham in place of Cameron - he's not played at all for Blackpool and got very few minutes when on loan at Telford, & Dane Ingham instead of Payne with Themi being seen more as a DM

Yeah, I no longer think Payne is in contention, but Ridenton makes more sense to me than Dane. Can see Jai over Cameron.

Hudson's talked loud about his squad being settled, so bringing two new guys (and Smeltz who's basically one) would be odd.

Snide?  I really don't think so. Smith is not match fit yet after his injury and Winston is as bad as Ryan for crying injury when the AWs play on our side of the world.