I thought this game should have been stopped with all the withdrawls, namely from the SA side. But after thinking about it these last few days. I think it would be good wit us feilding a younger side. But to be fair to those players, we need more than 1 game here and there. They are not going to build too much from a one off. There needs to be a concerted effort. For example some of these players featuring in this game have individual skills that certainly will make them better pkayers in 2 or 3 years time and then, they really will take off. Players like McGlinchey will become the elder statesmen of the side and make for a great Captain in my opinion.
I will watch the game with interest. I hope guys like Musa show some form. I liked him at the Nix but thought lack of game time and not pkaying him in a proper position hurt his devekopment for two seasons. If the mentions about his form are true, it is good for him and for NZ football. Boyd is a player that I can see showing some form these next 2 years and he and Fenton will certainly be important to the Nix and their future if they keep progressing.
The All Whites played 17 friendlies in the 14 months before the first World Cup qualifier in April 1981 against Australia on the road to Spain, during which they blooded several new caps such as Ricki Herbert, Grant Turner, Steve Wooddin, Keith Mckay and Allan Boath. Even more were tried and discarded or were established internationals who were phased out.
That included a very young selection featuring the teenage Wynton Rufer and Ceri Evans entered in the Merdeka tournament in Malaysia in October 1980. Only Rufer from that squad later made the 1981-82 All Whites ,while Ceri Evans became a regular from 1983 on.
Big Pete 65, Christchurch