All Whites' Dead End Road To Russia 2018

An article similar to this one the Herald put out each week would be better.

http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_i...

A wrap up like we get in the podcast each week. I think there would be an appetite for it.... I't ba a much more relevant artivle, talking about our best players who are looking to make the national team, rather than a bunch of has beens and players that weren't good enough for super rugby, all of which aren't eligible for the national team.

Do you have any 16 year olds in there?  There will definitely be a 16 year old.  Possibly also a female, he likes a bolter

rumour has it that a number of players invited to the training camp in Auckland have turned it down, a few trialists for the next round of under 20s have been invited to make up the numbers

While I'm not a Hudson cheerleader I do trust that he will pick a squad and have the structures and plans to pull his off easily. And so he should. Even a team of ASB Prem players should do this. 

He's almost the opposite of Hebert. Hudson studies football, breathes the tactical side, sends clips to his players with briefs about how they fit into the system etc. communicates. 

Ricki rocked up to the last OFC with a squad who had decent warm up games but no systems to speak of- Chris Killen as DM?!!! 

While Hudson does blow a lot of hot air and I'm yet to actually see his "style of play" (pressing, possession) other than the pressing and high tempo start against Korea and Oman, I think he'll play the guys in their natural positions, actually coach them on how he wants them to play and motivate them to get the job done. I simply don't think he's arrogant enough to simply repeat Honiara. And let's face it unlike Ricki he's only got a part time job. 

We shouldn't need Winston and Tommy and co for this. That's not disrespecting the islands rather it's saying amongst the A League and ASB Prem guys we have the players to do it. Yes the games in Brisbane aren't ideal but to be fair it's just about giving the guys a hit out to implement the structures they would have been taught. When you haven't been playing regularly anyway there's little to be gained from playing a top international side a week out from a qualification tournament other than remind the team of hard international football is. But I don't think there's any complacency here. 

I wish I shared your faith but it just takes one dud performance from us in a semi final or final and we're done. And I remember how shark we looked against Myanmar. And by knockout stage our players will be tired from the heat and humidity, which the island teams are used to, and the pitch will have got more cut up and damaged, which will act as a leveller as well. A lot of our guys haven't been playing regularly either which might mean they are struggling for match fitness. This will be anything but easy.

Good post.  The idea that the islands have caught up with us is largely a myth

The asb premiership is the top club comp in the confederation. We should dominate even without our European and a league players.

The thing is though that although we undeniably have the better players, the island teams are much more used to the conditions than we are, and if the pitches are poor quality then the difference in skill level won't mean as much.  OFC refs are usually pretty poor which could impact games too. I think it's dangerous just to think we've got this in the bag because our players are better.

This reminds me of the Olympic qualifier, people were convinced the Olywhites were eventually going to lose and they won 2-0, 1-0, 5-0 and 2-0 until the whole elegibilty thing got them disqualified. Not even a goal conceded. I know it's not the same but even with all the sharky conditions we should win the tournament, the Islands are waaay behind us. Not saying is going to be easy, but it won't be as difficult as some of you are saying.

Of course anything can happen in a cup competition - so you want to bring your best team possible. One off upsets are everyday in football, but a team made up of ASB Premiership players should beat any island team.

Yes, that's true. We've managed to underperform so magnificently that they are now ahead of us (hopefully to be corrected in time for the next tourney), but because we've gone full steam backwards, not that they've made any great leaps forward.

We've lost some doozies, hardly won, hardly played and not looked like scoring against teams we should have romped home against.

All valid points CT and I agree it won't be easy with the pitch and conditions. And we have been somewhat inconsistent in the few internationals we have played (Myanmar and Thailand for instance). The Oceania Champions League showed that all the island teams are capable of scoring goals and have players with attacking ability.  But Team Welly and ACFC showed the way to do it. Granted half the TW and ACFC players aren't kiwis but those that were showed that our decent ASB players are more than capable of beating the island teams by keeping their shape, keeping the ball, controlling the game by slowing it down when needed, and putting them under pressure- they will cough it up. 

We don't have to go there and play beautiful football. It just needs to be effective. While the pitch is likely to cut up (as you say) Hudson should be trying to get us keeping the ball for long periods to avoid doing too much running (pitch contingent). But goals are likely to come from a more direct approach and capitalising on errors from putting their back 4 under pressure (unfortunately it won't be pretty).

Your point about players not playing regularly is a good one. Other than the Nix players most have all still have competitions running over April but some have struggled for game time. Might mean some "lesser" players like TWH get more game time than Tuiloma as they will simply be fitter. 

The heat will be the leveller in terms of difference between teams, not skill.

A couple of names from the ASBP not mentioned that I thought could have been in with a shot - Adam Mitchell (who has obv been told he is not in, given his trial with Red Star - a huge step up!), and Andre de Jong.

Both players, from what I have seen on SKY, have impressed me - de Jong especially. Could they be at the wrong clubs/franchises to get them more in the spotlight?

Kevin Fallon's latest blog on the Manukau City website \ facebook page says Rory is back in NZ for this

Tim Payne tweeted a comment about Tamiti Williams struggling in the beep test video, so he must not be back for it?

I'm not sure who Holloway's source is, but he is suggesting that Fallon will be named in the squad on Thursday, and also that Moss will miss out.

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

Fallon, Watson, and Wood as striking options is probably not a bad idea if the pitches won't be conducive to playing possession football

#putitinthemixer

Ridiculous that there has been no announcement or publicity about this.

When the camp for the first meaningful team in two year's entire media coverage are some half arsed photo spam on twitter your organisation has serious communication issues.

I assumed Brock Messenger.

David Mulligan with bleached hair - I knew he'd be in there!

Yeah, I think that's him too.....here's a fun pic of him going for two points, a la Mal Meninga

Pretty samey

Are a lot of those guys age-group players?

Under 15s.

Take out Fallon and the average age is below drinking age.

I'd be surprised if Moss didn't make it, although I'm not sure surprised is the word - more like disappointedly expectant.

Hudson's a curious mix of Van Gaal and Allardyce right now.

And Tama Iti Williams

Yeah but if I started listing them all the impact of the gag would be wasted.

A joke isn't worth telling unless it's long-winded and, ultimately, just not funny

That list makes fascinating reading! Most must be making up numbers and have no show of playing for the All Whites, surely?

Notice a name who cant even start for his club side in Auckland...., and a name of someone who did not make the 17s last October.

Quite a few in current wider 20s training squad.

 Te Atawhai is now blond

Filled with Western Springs players under Neil's come to springs and you'll be All Whites recruitment policy

Why not?  Go to the right schools and you make the U-17s either as a player, assistant coach or camera man.