Further, per the release, Bailey Wright has not linked up with the squad after the birth of his second child earlier this week.
— Joey Lynch (@joeylynchy) September 24, 2022
AWs favourites now?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/129982929/all-you-need-to-know-all-whites-v-socceroos--international-football-friendly
You are looking at through blinkered NZ eyes. I'm currently in Aus. All the football talk is about the World Cup. These are the only locked pre WC warmups they have.
Arnold got what he wanted out of the first game, playing mostly a first string lineup, and aiming to go man on man to test those player's fitness. He now sends them back to their Euro clubs early, which always curries nice favour with their paymasters. Like all international coaches he has that tricky club verus country relationship to massage. Maybe he can get one or two of these guys released early by their clubs come November.
Today the younger/fringe players (kids) get a shot, as he seeks to make the hard picks with his final 26 man WC squad.
To the Socceroos it's all about the World Cup big picture. Fair enough, but very different motivations to the AWs camp, and NZ football public. All the 'ra ra talk' about Aus & NZ needing to play more often has come from Godzone, nothing at all from Australia. It hasn't been on their radar, and will continue not to be.
Hopefully AWs get up today in Winnie's farewell, but any taunted Aussies at Eden Park, could just shrug their shoulders and say 'who cares, we are going to the big dance, and you're not'.