All Whites v Sweden | Sat 17th June | 5:00am NZT | Friends Arena, Stockholm

Game now a month away. Sounds like NZF are close to having a 2nd game also in this window, against a more 'winnable' opponent.

This was the squad for China in March.

China Series (24 man squad)
*GKs - Sail, Marinovic
Centrebacks - Payne, Adams, M Boxall, Smith & Pijnaker
Fullbacks - Cacace, Wynne, Elliot & Ingham
Midfield - Howieson, Rufer, Lewis, Stamenic, Bell & McCowatt
Attackers - Garbett, Rojas, Barba, Mata, Greive, Just & Wood

*Paulsen played for U22s but was the backup 3rd choice GK
 
Changes I'd go for (24 man squad) -
Ins - Crocombe, Tuiloma, McGarry, Kirwan, Thomas, Singh & Waine
Outs - Payne, Wynne, Ingham, Rufer, Howieson, Barba & Wood

MLS is playing through the window, so the availability of M Boxall & Tuiloma could be questionable. Tuiloma is also injured at the moment. Others under possible injury clouds Greive & Waine. Wood looks like being definitely unavailable.

Unattached FC - Marinovic, Elliot, Smith & maybe Rojas.
Red Star Belgrade could prefer Stamenic was with them in mid June. Serbian league new season will kick off about 10th July.

I'd also consider extending an invite to Matt Dibley-Dias. Especially if either of Thomas or Singh were unavailable. Seems Dibley-Dias may have made himself available for the U20s, if Fulham weren't including him around the first team squad in their last few EPL games. So appears some chance he will commit himself to NZ, and if so why not bring him into the AWs environment (travelling reserve?) for a look in June.

Storm Roux has to start or at least play in this game. He’s been average in the past but he’s bossing it for the Mariners now in his best ever season.

Plus Elliot has been unconvincing on defence (though great in attack), Payne isn’t a RB anymore, Kirwan has only just returned from injury and Newcastle Jets MVP Dane Ingham is well… Dingham.

Friar Tuck

Storm Roux has to start or at least play in this game. He’s been average in the past but he’s bossing it for the Mariners now in his best ever season.

Plus Elliot has been unconvincing on defence (though great in attack), Payne isn’t a RB anymore, Kirwan has only just returned from injury and Newcastle Jets MVP Dane Ingham is well… Dingham.

Elliot has had one unconvincing game in defense against Craig Goodwin, without a team that could hold the ball elsewhere on the park. Elliot is coming off a very impressive season personally.

And Ingham was his teams player of the season, so he can't of been that bad!

Piney rates Sims, Surman & Herdman. Agree it's time to farewell Barba.

I'd definitely include Kirwan & McCowatt though.
 

Thinking about the All Whites squad for upcoming games against Sweden + Qatar.

Here’s mine …

GK: Sail Crocombe Sims
DF: Elliot Payne Pijnaker Tuiloma M Boxall Surman Cacace McGarry
MF: Bell Thomas Lewis Stamenic M Garbett Singh
FW: Waine Herdman Greive Just Mata Rojas

— Jason Pine (@pineynz) May 24, 2023

coochiee

Piney rates Sims, Surman & Herdman. Agree it's time to farewell Barba.

I'd definitely include Kirwan & McCowatt though.
 

Thinking about the All Whites squad for upcoming games against Sweden + Qatar.

Here’s mine …

GK: Sail Crocombe Sims
DF: Elliot Payne Pijnaker Tuiloma M Boxall Surman Cacace McGarry
MF: Bell Thomas Lewis Stamenic M Garbett Singh
FW: Waine Herdman Greive Just Mata Rojas

— Jason Pine (@pineynz) May 24, 2023

After the season he has had, you gotta find a way of fitting Roux into a squad. Even at 30 yrs old, he can keep the younger RBs honest for a few more seasons in this kinda form.

I think Payne will be picked for his utility value even though he perhaps hasn't been in the sort of form that warrants selection, and so while I think Roux is deserving of a spot in the squad, I'd not drop Elliott right now to fit him in as he needs all the help he can get while he is looking for a new club. I don't think Herdman should be picked yet, unless it somehow results in his dad leaving Canada to coach us, but would like to see Surman given our current CB quality shortage. 

Be interesting if Herdman comits to us at senior level.

If Dibley-Dias was available - seems he may have been unavailable for U20s, as he knew he was a chance of getting EPL mins at Fulham - I'd pick him ahead of Herdman. That's if Dibley-Dias gave a strong verbal commitment to NZ. 

But either would always be the risk of going the way of Stensness & Boyd, until they were cap tied.

Herdman is a big call over McCowatt who has scored goals and never really put in a bad shift for the AW's. Also factor in Thomas and Singh who are more important to get on the park in a similar position.
Fantastic goal though today by Herdman. Next step after WC for him is Olympics next year. I'd say.

Ranix

Herdman is a big call over McCowatt who has scored goals and never really put in a bad shift for the AW's. Also factor in Thomas and Singh who are more important to get on the park in a similar position.
Fantastic goal though today by Herdman. Next step after WC for him is Olympics next year. I'd say.

Yeh- of the forwards I’m only really convinced by Just. McGarry really is a wide forward too. I could easily lose one of them for Roux. 

So Smith is done? I feel like we’re missing another CB. I’d be tempted to bring in someone like Brotherton or Zweetslot or Stanger…someone we haven’t looked at recently…we’ve got a Reid-size hole there. 

The real problem is Tuiloma/Payne/Surman/Pijnaker don’t really offer one stand out player who demands selection. Maybe if Surman gets picked up or has a break out season or if Pijnaker does likewise…or Tuiloma takes on a bit of gravitas for the AWs.

I’d take McCowatt ahead of Mata. Just on a hunch really, though we probably will take both. 

Again with the forwards there are a lot of similar players but no stand outs. No getting in the lad from Tulsa? Gotta be just as strong a competition.

A lot of players with some opportunities to convince and impress. Not much size or dominant physical strength in the team. 

If Singh or Thomas starts perhaps Garbett can be pushed further forward…

Hmmm…new coach please. This collection of players really is a bit of a puzzle. Needs the person looking for the solution for this round on the job asap.

Agree that it is too early to phase out Smith. Payne isn't an international quality CB, Pijnaker and Surman still raw and haven't established themselves as regulars at a decent club level, Tuiloma has never looked particularly defensively solid for the All Whites. I think Smith still looked fairly solid against China before the red card which wasn't completely his fault. I think if we are playing a back 4, and we should be to ensure we are getting as many of our excellent midfielders on the park as is possible, then Smith/Boxall is currently our best CB pair and it is up to everyone else to dislodge them. 

Actually thinking about what our strongest team- Rufer joins that midfield (or even CB) and Singh, Garbett and Thomas push into the forward section with Just. 

That’s closer to getting our strongest 11 on the park.

Possibly Stamenic back into CB. One of him or Rufer going back might be our best chance to have our strongest players on the field. Tuiloma has played at a good level for a long time. How do we get the best out of him for the AWs?

Hmm, doesn’t feel quite right, but:

         Waine
                 Thomas 
    Singh
             Garbett 
           Bell
Cacace    Stamenic  Roux(Elliot)
            Pijnaker Boxall

I’m not quite sure where or how the 3 behind Waine should play or how deep they should be dropping. They’d have to figure it out. Would we want Singh on the ball constantly setting tempo instead of Bell, and so have him deeper? Then pushing Garbett further up on the left? 

Potential subs (not sure how many allowed) : Just, Rojas, Greive, McCowatt, Tuiloma, Lewis, Rufer, McGarry, Elliot, 1 from Payne/Adams/Surman, and my bolter would be Moses Dyer, on the basis his league is surely as good as Ireland and we are short of reliable strikers. And possibly Rogerson. And like the idea of Crocombe and Tzanev/Marinovic. 

The only other worry is who’s scoring headers from set pieces for us? Waine, Garbett, Boxall, Stamenic? 

Mata is your threat for headers. He currently deserves to at least be on the bench. He may even start depending on the current injury status of Greive and Waine.

And Rufer is a solid ALM player but shouldn’t be in a full strength AWs squad. If you are converting a midfielder to a CB it's Stamenic, who apparently has made a decent fist of it in the Danish Superliga once or twice.

what about this wonderkid ROA CONCHIE?  is it true he is under the radar of BOCA JRS,   after the football god  JUAN ROMAN RIQUELME made a few aproaches this days?  

is he argentian eligible?, he has been compared with ANDRES INIESTA by argentinian media so far, he is the assists leader of the competition so far 

Ryan

Be interesting if Herdman comits to us at senior level.

Just noticed that the big tatt Herdman has on his left arm is a large Silver Fern??

So unless he's gonna go all painful laser removal and then stamp a Maple Leaf over the scar, I'd say he's committed to NZ for the long term.

martinb

Actually thinking about what our strongest team- Rufer joins that midfield (or even CB) and Singh, Garbett and Thomas push into the forward section with Just. 

That’s closer to getting our strongest 11 on the park.

Possibly Stamenic back into CB. One of him or Rufer going back might be our best chance to have our strongest players on the field. Tuiloma has played at a good level for a long time. How do we get the best out of him for the AWs?

Storm Roux has to play, he is the in form player for NZ in A LEAGUE , but why not try him as libero instead as  right back, he has the experience to lead the defense there and still just 29

RR

coochiee

Piney rates Sims, Surman & Herdman. Agree it's time to farewell Barba.

I'd definitely include Kirwan & McCowatt though.
 

Thinking about the All Whites squad for upcoming games against Sweden + Qatar.

Here’s mine …

GK: Sail Crocombe Sims
DF: Elliot Payne Pijnaker Tuiloma M Boxall Surman Cacace McGarry
MF: Bell Thomas Lewis Stamenic M Garbett Singh
FW: Waine Herdman Greive Just Mata Rojas

— Jason Pine (@pineynz) May 24, 2023

After the season he has had, you gotta find a way of fitting Roux into a squad. Even at 30 yrs old, he can keep the younger RBs honest for a few more seasons in this kinda form.

i will switch him as center back, next to tuiloma,  i dont like cacace too bulk up, he was lighter and slimer vs CR and he was the motm there  amazing skills as left wing back , left midfielder 

the  team and im not a kiwi  must be   3-4-3

GK  marinovic  all the time for me ( Sail or  Woud or Sims)

RCB  ROUX
SWEEPER  TUILOMA
LCB   Pinjaker ( de vries/ SMITH)

RWB Ingham/ HUGHES from under 20 good on the ball and quick
CM  bell
cm  stamenic
cm conchie   from under 20 
lwb  cacace  

garbett  
wood  (greive / waine)

dont know about thomas and singh and rojas is playing here in colo colo could be a super sub

A few above have called for U20s in this squad, but if anyone watched the Argentina game last night (UK), well no-one above shone.

The match also showed that Baze is not a great tactician and should not be leading the AWs.

That third goal for Argentina was one of the best goals I've seen this year from anyone.  Wow.

Sweden name a 29 man squad for NZ & Austria.
Sadly no Zlatan.

https://www.svenskfotboll.se/nyheter/landslag/2023/05/hugo-larsson-i-anderssons-trupp/

 The very experienced Viktor Claesson is there. A team mate of Stamenic's at FCK. Only Kiwi club connection I can see. Though the injured Wood & Isak crossed paths briefly at Newcastle.

 

29-man squad means at least six will skip the All Whites match, presumably their most integral players to rest them ahead of the Austria match. Sweden really won't care about this match as much as some people down here think they might. I imagine it'll be similar to the last time we played UEFA opposition in match one of a window - the Ireland match (the only 45 minutes Hay got with a full strength eleven) - where not a single player that started that match started their qualifier against Denmark. Nevertheless, a lot of quality in that team playing in big leagues.

Their lineup against Belgium (so assume first choice and possibly less likely to play) in March was:
Olsen
Egnell, Lindelöf, Ekdal, Augustinsson
Svanberg, Olsson, Gustafson, Forsberg
Kulusevski, Isak

Subs: Gyökeres, Claesson, Ibrahimovic, Gudmundsson

Augustinsson and Ibrahimovic are the only ones not in this squad. 

Couple interesting things (to me at least). 18 year old midfielder Hugo Larsson in the squad, he may well be a player given a crack at us. He set the Allsvenskan transfer record just this week in finalising his move from Malmö to Eintracht Frankfurt for 11.5 million Euros. Malmö were uncharacteristically bad last year in his first full senior season where they had four managers, but he's been ever present this year as they look favourites to win the league.

Also, defender Isak Hien is an interesting story as well. He was 21, playing in the third tier Ettan Norra as recently as 2020. Got plucked out of the third tier by Stockholm giants Djurgården in 2021, but only played 30 minutes, before re-joining his previous side who were now in a second tier relegation fight. Ended up getting relegated, but in 2022 was so impressive on his Djurgården return that he got a Serie A move after just 17 games. This season he played 31 games for Hellas Verona in Serie A. A motivational tale. In his 2021 Superettan season he did play in a 1-1 draw against both Francis de Vries and Joel Stevens, but him and Garbett did not cross paths (he missed the match Garbett played and vice versa) so has a brief history of playing against New Zealanders.

Can't be too far from the NZ squad being named with the Under 20s campaign now finished for Bazeley, possibly next week?

That is some tough opposition. 

Good stuff Carlind. Sims, Fay & Ingham are in the Ettan Södra (South).
So a motivational tale indeed.

Hien matched up against Libby last weekend, when Hellas Verona drew 1-1 with Empoli. Last round Serie A this weekend, and Verona maybe relegated so the young Swede could be looking for another club.

But all the Swedish focus will be on the big Austrian game. Some of their big guns maybe will get 45 mins against the AWs for some match sharpness if their club seasons finished 3-4 weeks pre Austria. Still even their B team should be too good for NZ. Lets hope both Singh & Thomas are fit & available.

As half kiwi, half Swedish, I am very much looking forward to this game. Didn't think think I would ever see these two teams come to greater tbh, but here we are! 

Will be a great match, just gutted no Zlatan. Would have been an amazing occasion for some fo the young kiwis to come up against him. 

As Carlind has mentioned above, Hugo Larsson is a very exciting prospect and will be good see him on the international stage. Massive transfer for him recently. 

this

Sail   
Woud
Paulsen
Elliot
Roux
Tuiloma
Pijnaker
Boxall
Payne
McGarry
Ingham
Cacace
Bell
Howieson
Rufer
Stamenic
Lewis
Garbett
Thomas
Singh
McCowatt
Greive
Just
Waine
Rogerson
De Jong

this

Sail   
Woud
Paulsen
Elliot
Roux
Tuiloma
Pijnaker
Boxall
Payne
McGarry
Ingham
Cacace
Bell
Howieson
Rufer
Stamenic
Lewis
Garbett
Thomas
Singh
McCowatt
Greive
Just
Waine
Rogerson
De Jong

I think there are a couple there you can discount. Woud, Roux, Paulsen, Ingham,  McGarry, Rogerson and De Jong. Some unworthy and others will just not be picked.

He's also named a 26 man squad. I think it will be more like 24.

Prediction

24 man squad
GKs - Sail, Marinovic, Crocombe
Centrebacks - Payne, Tuiloma, M Boxall, Smith & Pijnaker
Fullbacks - Cacace, McGarry, Elliot & Kirwan
Midfield - Thomas, Lewis, Stamenic, Bell & McCowatt
Attackers - Singh, Garbett, Rojas, Mata, Greive, Just & Waine

FYI this was the squad for the China games in March (24 man squad)
*GKs - Sail, Marinovic
Centrebacks - Payne, K Adams, M Boxall, Smith & Pijnaker
Fullbacks - Cacace, Wynne, Elliot & Ingham
Midfield - Howieson, Rufer, Lewis, Stamenic, Bell & McCowatt
Attackers - Garbett, Rojas, Barba, Mata, Greive, Just & Wood

*Paulsen played for U22s but was the backup 3rd choice GK

Predicted changes -
Ins - Crocombe, Tuiloma, McGarry, Kirwan, Thomas, Singh & Waine
Outs - K Adams, Wynne, Ingham, Rufer, Howieson, Barba & Wood

Tough on Roux but Elliot looked pretty good against China, and Bazely might do him a favour to audition in Europe given he's clubless. Also think the AWs camp rate Kirwan (started against CR) and will want him back in the fold.

I'd also like to see an invite out to Dibley-Dias to come into camp.
Be interesting to see if Pijnaker starts for Sligo tomorrow, missed their last match.

Napier Phoenix

I think there are a couple there you can discount. Woud, Roux, Paulsen, Ingham,  McGarry, Rogerson and De Jong. Some unworthy and others will just not be picked.

Not sure why people would overlook Roux, especially with people picking Kirwan (who has only played 75 minutes this season). Roux has been really good this season, he is our best RB at this point in time.

Zlatan hangs up those large boots. Ignores the temptation, of a Stockholm farewell against our boys.

Goal Rollo chooses was against Garbett's Breda 19 seasons ago.

https://twitter.com/ByPhillipRollo/status/1665480996870066176

coochiee

Zlatan hangs up those large boots. Ignores the temptation, of a Stockholm farewell against our boys.

Goal Rollo chooses was against Garbett's Breda 19 seasons ago.

https://twitter.com/ByPhillipRollo/status/1665480996870066176

Gutted about this. Going to both games and was super excited that he’d bow-out against us instead of at Milan.

I’d like to see Taznev back in the squad.  
Covid is long goneburgers in Europe with war a bigger issue.  

Am also quite worried about our strikers, or rather the lack thereof.  With Wood and Waine both injured the AWs look weak up front.  The last time things were this bad was the late 90s/early 00s after Wyton retired and before Killen and later Smeltz started to really shine (not forgetting Covs but he missed a few games then).

I’d pick Jay Herdman as a bolter. Is he a Canuck yet?

From afar seemed Crocombe had a better League Two season than Tzanev. Though you could agrue both could be there ahead of Marinovic, who hasn't played now for many months.

Herdman ain't a striker. He's an AM, and even smaller than Greive. Need Mata and/or De Jong to provide some size. Mata has had a good season in Eire, and looked okay against the Chinese.  I'm guessing Waine is over his ankle injury, and so ADJ misses out.

A lot of international teams have named squads for this window, anyone know when ours is likely to be?

coochiee

From afar seemed Crocombe had a better League Two season than Tzanev. Though you could agrue both could be there ahead of Marinovic, who hasn't played now for many months.

Herdman ain't a striker. He's an AM, and even smaller than Greive. Need Mata and/or De Jong to provide some size. Mata has had a good season in Eire, and looked okay against the Chinese.  I'm guessing Waine is over his ankle injury, and so ADJ misses out.

Not sure that Mata or DJ would provide much threat at all against Sweden.

I’m intrigued why Dyer is never mentioned. As Marto said, we shouldn’t expect any of them to be much chop. However, the others are known quantities and Dyer is scoring in the USL this season, after jumping up a level after a couple of good seasons. That’s as good a level as any strikers we currently have fit. Why such a dismissive attitude about him even making the squad? I saw Coochiee you were mentioning the possibility of Myer Bevan ahead of him, where Dyer had been on the top scorer charts in Canada for two seasons prior to heading Stateside. That’s also a lot more than de Jong has been scoring. 

No one else has locked a spot down and though Mata may be due an upward move, surely with the injury situation we’ve got we can afford two young strikers? 

Dyer is 26, not sure if that qualifies as young for a footballer, but semantics aside you have a point. Others from that level made the last squad, and we are very weak in the centre forward position currently