All Whites' Dead End Road To Russia 2018

Or Australia apply for a dispensation from FIFA.

He needs to show a heck of a lot more before he gets a look in. Even if he stayed in Australia he was more likely to play for NZ in the end.

....as if that's a good enough reason ;-) !

Whens the next squad being announced against Myanmar? Be interesting to see it after all this eligibility drama. 

Squad for Myanmar game announced.

Goalkeepers

Max Crocombe (0/0/Oxford Utd, ENG)
Stefan Marinovic (1/0/ SpVgg Unterhaching, GER)

Defenders

Michael Boxall (12/0/SuperSport Utd, RSA)
Sam Brotherton (0/0/Wisconsin University, USA)
Thomas Doyle (1/0/Wellington Phoenix, NZL)
Liam Higgins (0/0/Stop Out FC, NZL)
Harshae Raniga (0/0/Onehunga Sports, NZL)
Winston Reid (18/1/West Ham Utd, ENG)
Themi Tzimopoulos (1/0/PAS Giannina FC, GRE)

Midfielders

Moses Dyer (1/0/Onehunga Sports, NZL)
Clayton Lewis (1/0/Wellington Olympic, NZL)
Michael McGlinchey (31/3/Wellington Phoenix, NZL)
Tim Payne (13/2/Portland Timbers, USA)
Bill Tuiloma (8/0/Olympique Marseille, FRA)
Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi (0/0/Onehunga Sports, NZL)

Forwards

Kosta Barbarouses (28/2/Melbourne Victory, AUS)
Jeremy Brockie (46/1/SuperSport Utd, RSA)
Logan Rogerson (0/0/Wellington Phoenix, NZL)
Marco Rojas (21/1/FC Thun, SWT)
Alex Rufer (0/0/Wellington Phoenix, NZL)
Shane Smeltz (50/23/Sydney FC, AUS)

So Hudson still playing a development squad, good to see Smeltzy back though

No Henry Cameron,well thats a let down.No Roux or Wynne either.

Yeah thought he might have given Cameron a run. Roux and Wynne - no surprise there. We know they're not eligible at this stage.

I think this is a reasonable squad. Add in Thomas, Wood, Smith, Moss & maybe Boyd and it's about the strongest squad we could field I think.

Bit lacking in midfield. Problem is we don't have much to pick from to begin with in that area.

Talk about inexperienced squad. All the experience up the attacking end, will they ever get the ball?

Thomas had an injury so will still be rebounding from that. I think Wood needs to stay in the Championship for a while.

They will play 3-5-2.. Wingbacks

Is this going to be on TV?

Dura also announced his retirement from international football.

Hopefully a decent enough squad to get a win with. 

Light on experience in that midfield area though, and that will make or break us. Attacking third looks strong, but I suspect they won't run riot against against the hosts. Not helping us is that this time of year coastal Myanmar receives a bucket load of rain (monsoon season?) and the humidity is consistently above 80%. 

The burning question I have though, is the pitch in Yangon going to allow us to play football? Will we be hoofing it in hope of finding someone like Smeltz? If it turns into a dog fight due to heavy conditions and energy sapping weather, I suspect a lot of the younger players will struggle. From a standpoint I guess Hudson wants to see that - adaptability, mental fortitude and all that carry on.

What I also suspect is he'll want to see is a New Zealand win - Yes, it's a friendly, but you've got to start clocking them up sometime.

pity about Dura retiring. could have used his experience in this very inexperienced team. Dyer must have a thing going on with Hudson given his involvement yet again.

I have a massive bone to pick with Hudson here.

You can't sit there and voice your frustration about not being able to pick your top side and then talk about the quality players you are leaving out for various reasons. This is the FIFA window, you are the coach. Pick the team you want and deal with it or fudge up. 

Moss is a tough one but he has hardly used Moss in recent times anyway because he wanted to find a number 2. Well now Moss is not available, he has had to use his number 2 so thats worked out for him.

Roux and Wynne and not eligible so you can't whinge about not picking them anyway.

Rufer and Rogerson are there because Wood and Thomas are not so thats just a gap filler. Rufer is not a striker anyway.

Higgins and Raniga?? Really? Are we that bare? Is Aaron Scott, and he is aged I give you that, not infinitely better than both of these 2 for just this campaign? I know Fenton is injured and Smith is out so that explains these 2 but this is actually laughable.

He is stuck for midfielders cause he has alienated a couple he had in James and Howieson. Both of those 2 are infinitely better the Dyer and T-AH-W.

I just think to myself that he is making a lot of excuses before a ball is kicked but in reality, a couple of these choices are of his own making.

I expect Reid and Boxall to anchor with Doyle on the left, Tuiloma and A-Z in front of them with Smeltz/Brockie up top and Rojas, Kosta and WeeMac behind. Pick who ever you like as a RB and a keeper. Thats his strongest team with what he has taken and if he can't pick them, then he can't whinge if they lose.

Interesting. Anyone know Brotherton's history? Just I thought he was UK born...

Any update on Fitzgerald ? Or is it the same situation still ? just curious don't need to get cranky. Wood has hit form after a long period on the pine so thats fine. Thomas still finding fitness thats cool. Smith should be playing aside from that whats up with Fenton ? not much else we could expect maybe Keat ?

Probably didn't get FIFA clearance way back when.

Oh yeah. Forgot about Keat and Henderson. Does Hudson know they exist. Would certainly be better than Dyer and T-AH-W

We used to apply for clearance though. It's only the current regime that stopped applying. Players like Smeltz and Smith weren't born in NZ or lived in NZ for five years after the age of 18 but still were given clearance by FIFA to play in a world cup.

agree re Keat. Here is a guy who is 27 with 2 or 3 years now of pro experience. He is starting every week in a professional league. He's not a brilliant player but is definitely a better option than Dyer et al for the next 3-5 years. Hardly past his best

I was trying to be sarcastic. I'll add the smiley winky face next time.

the 5 year rule is for those who debuted after 2007

If we lose then the coach can resign and not bother coming back to NZ. I don't rate him. he's all talk!! 

Fiji will be playing Singapur, India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka

I know they are far away from NZ standar and we should beat them easily, but is good to see an Island team playing friendlies against Asian opposition. Hope this happen with other teams such as the Solomons, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and PNG. Would be a great way to develop Oceania standar and therefore, NZ's

Playing Asian opposition now like Mynamar/Phaic Tan is a waste of time, now that Oceania's qualifying route is via 5th placed CONEMBOL. Realise that Mynamar game was booked in advance of the 2018 qualifying path being confirmed.

7 plus players now, of any 1st choice AW starting eleven are playing in either Europe, South Africa or North America (MSL). 

NZ Football  should now seek to schedule AWs game during the FIFA windows in the States playing CONCACAF or CONEMBOL teams, to mimic the playoffs in 2017 verus 5th placed CONEMBOL.

Alternatively get AWs playing in Europe against some reasonable European teams. That way Hudson is much more likely to get players like Reid, Smith, Thomas, Rojas, Tuiloma, Marinovic,Tzimopoulos, Payne, Boxall, Brockie etc released by their clubs on a regular basis - and not piss off the clubs by having them hop on a 20 hour plane trip to Asia, to get injured on some pot holed paddock.

There is enough young kids like Boyd,Crocombe, Patterson, Howieson (if available), Wynne & Musa (if eligible) in Northern Hemisphere to patch together a squad. Plus some older forgotten pros in Europe like Henderson, Keat etc.

From the A League I'd only bother to fly Wee Mac & Kosta to States or Europe.

Plus playing in Europe would give time for Hudson to stock up on some quality English bully beef for his dogs, and scout for his next job.

Plus watching us lose to a good side is less depressing than a struggle for a draw against Myanmar.

Plus by playing games in the States on a semi-regular basis, they can invite Nellie back into the fold, as some sort of coaching advisor whenever they decamp Stateside.

If anyone can inspire the AWs with some self belief, to head down to Suid America in 2 years and burgle a result it's that man. 

Get him involved regularly now, not with some last minute, half arse, shambolic preparation as happened in late 2013, pre the Mexico playoffs. Chivas FC match anyone!

This gets mentioned often, Nelsen being involved with the AW team but the truth is that Ryan isnt interested. He has other things in his life that are keeping him busy.  

Have you asked him? 

He's probably not interested in flying 20 hours to Mynamar, no insult to the lovely Burmese people - but he maybe tempted by a much shorter flight from DC to California/Texas/Florida - or wherever you would organise a game(s) verus Mexico/Honduras/Costa Rica/Panama

I think deep down Nellie's a passionate Kiwi, even if he has lived overseas now 20 odd years. No stone be left unturned to get the man involved

There are a few other stories along these lines and one from about 4 months ago. The impression being given that he is no longer interested in any football based career.  http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/10447743/Smith-Back-to-business-now-for-Ryan-Nelsen