Dyer & Bevan very similar very fringe selections. Is USL much of an upgrade on the CPL?
Dyer has 2 goals for Tulsa in 13 games. Mostly coming off the bench lately
Mata was in the China games. If AWs want a big body in Wood’s absence for some hold up play he’s the most likely. But Greive or Waine (if fit) probably start. Of course with no Wood, but hopefully Singh and Thomas the shape could be tinkered by Bazeley from March
Is it almost getting to the point now that we may not see Thomas back in an AW's shirt again? Don't know whether we give him a bit of discretion on whether he wants to be included at all, or whether he's just not particularly interested in the jersey anymore.
I like De Vries, but now way he should be getting picked before McGarry, the starting LB for the A-League winning side, versus a guy who has barely played in 12 months due to an ACL injury and is currently working his way back to fitness in the NZ domestic season.
some interesting non-selections - Singh and Thomas I understand if they are only just recovered from major injuries. But Roux and McGarry have had outstanding seasons. The back up keeper choices too, clearly Sail is seen as #1 with the other two as backups. Did Marinovich say no, or has the curtain been pulled on his international career now?
Squads out and seems to be a rather unambitious one. Great to see Crocombe and Tzanev get a call up behind Sail but surprised they weren't willing to find room for McGarry and Roux after the season they've had.
Apologies for being negative, but I really worry about the Sweden game with that squad. They'll of course have two eyes on their qualifier and none on this game, but the quality disparity could be vast. Bazeley with the keys doesn't fill me with confidence either given the game plan just employed with the 20s, a youth tournament where the emphasis should be performance > result (in my opinion).
Likely to see a team along the lines of this? Sail, Payne, Tuiloma, Boxall, Pijnaker, Cacace Garbett, Stamenic, Bell, Rojas Greive
Qatar might even be an ask, especially if he plans on giving everyone (bar one/two keepers maybe) a run. Could be a big ask for a back four of De Vries and Surman Northern/Central League players, 33 year old Smith fresh off not playing fourth tier football since February and Elliot currently on European OE.
Fully rotated squad could be 4-2-2-2/diamond? Tzanev/Crocombe Elliot, Surman, Smith, De Vries Rufer, Lewis McCowatt, Just Waine, Mata
Not many players hitting the squad with top form and/or minutes; McCowatt, Garbett, Boxall, Tuiloma, Cacace exceptions possibly. Even Pijnaker is under an injury cloud and Mata's form has dropped off - one goal in his last 516 league minutes - and the two are now only two points off a relegation playoff spot in Ireland.
I'm happy Rollo has said that Thomas & Singh are both managing themselves after long injury layoffs. Both of them probably just want a nice long holiday with family and friends after interesting yet contrasting seasons at club level.
McGarry & Roux needed to be in that squad announcement, no further questions asked. Easily the pre eminent full backs for their clubs, fresh off success and most importantly match fit and looking sharp.
Would have been happy to see someone like Kyle Adams over Tommy Smith as well to be honest, because I feel the latter won't be around come 2026, and we're actually lacking a bit of depth in a position in which we've been relatively strong over the past several years.
Dyer & Bevan very similar very fringe selections. Is USL much of an upgrade on the CPL?
Dyer has 2 goals for Tulsa in 13 games. Mostly coming off the bench lately
Mata was in the China games. If AWs want a big body in Wood’s absence for some hold up play he’s the most likely. But Greive or Waine (if fit) probably start. Of course with no Wood, but hopefully Singh and Thomas the shape could be tinkered by Bazeley from March
Well the top scorer at FC Tulsa also has 13 appearances with 3 goals. As you say Dyer has two goals and also two assists in his first season for a team where the goals are shared around.
And two seasons before that in the CPL where he was the league’s second top scorer twice.
His club record in the CPL is 19 goals and 7 assists from 57 matches. That’s fairly handy, particularly if the USL is on par with the CPL. I feel the USL as the MLS feeder and more established competition must be stronger currently.
Apparently Greive is back (32 matches, 4 goals, often from the bench) as is Waine (10 matches, 1 goal, also rarely a starter), so he won’t be included.
Anyway, just as a fan I would have liked to see him in the squad as his reinvention of his career must have required a strong mentality and determination. Perhaps he’s reached his level, but he’s been on an upward path of late.
Tzanev in will make Marto happy! It’s probably been one of his toughest times as a pro of late, but better late than never. Actually pleased to see him in the mix.
Have to echo the disbelief about Roux and McGarry. But perhaps Bazeley remembers his time at the Knights and hasn’t followed the A league since?
What's with the aversion by NZF to list both Elliot & Smith with Unattached FC?
Surprised by McGarry's omission, less by Roux's. And if de Vries is considered fit enough for international duty coming from Eastern Suburbs, why not Kirwan who has done his rehab and is now back playing in a pro environment.
Really disappointing no Singh or Thomas. With Stockholm & Vienna they could hardly get closer to Ámsterdam or Bavaria. Though I see Singh missed J-R's last Liga 2 game, so he may already be back in NZ for a holiday. Without them and Wood, like Carlind I expect the Sweden game to be a tough watch.
not a kiwi but I know football and players a lot IF everyone is available and in clubs and no injuries , this is the team I WOULD FIELD
GK stefan MARINOVIC the best kiwi keeper ive seen since PASTON is 31 keeper should be experienced and he has tenacity and commanding (SAIL-WOUD)
RBSTORM ROUX winner A-league and at good age, younger rb can wait having two defenders from the same team can only benefit the line ( ELLIOT-INGHAM) RCB BILL TUILOMA (SURMAN-HUGHES-PAYNE) LCB MICHAEL BOXALL (PIJNAKER-SMITH) LB MC GARRY winner A LEAGUE playing v good football alongside roux (SUTTON/ DE VRIES-SUPYK)
RM SARPREET SINGH (JUST-HERDMAN-OLD) CHM JOE BELL (LEWIS-CONCHIE) CHM MARKO STAMENIC (RUFER-HERDMAN) LM LIBERATO CACACE they guy is the heart of the team, so composed on the ball can switch everywhere (MC COWATT-ROGERSON)
AM RYAN THOMAS freedom to do his thing ( GARBETT- ROJAS) CF CHRIS WOOD the main player up front ( WAINE/ GREIVE-DE JONG)
not a kiwi but I know football and players a lot IF everyone is available and in clubs and no injuries , this is the team I WOULD FIELD
GK stefan MARINOVIC the best kiwi keeper ive seen since PASTON is 31 keeper should be experienced and he has tenacity and commanding (SAIL-WOUD)
RBSTORM ROUX winner A-league and at good age, younger rb can wait having two defenders from the same team can only benefit the line ( ELLIOT-INGHAM) RCB BILL TUILOMA (SURMAN-HUGHES-PAYNE) LCB MICHAEL BOXALL (PIJNAKER-SMITH) LB MC GARRY winner A LEAGUE playing v good football alongside roux (SUTTON/ DE VRIES-SUPYK)
RM SARPREET SINGH (JUST-HERDMAN-OLD) CHM JOE BELL (LEWIS-CONCHIE) CHM MARKO STAMENIC (RUFER-HERDMAN) LM LIBERATO CACACE they guy is the heart of the team, so composed on the ball can switch everywhere (MC COWATT-ROGERSON)
AM RYAN THOMAS freedom to do his thing ( GARBETT- ROJAS) CF CHRIS WOOD the main player up front ( WAINE/ GREIVE-DE JONG)
you know football - really? I can see three errors in your assessment of the best NZ lineup. Marinovic over Sail? - ummmm no thanks, Sail bumped Marinovic out of the Nix job and then Marinovic disappered in the Israeli leagues. Cacace as a LM? - sorry WTF? he's was easily the best LB in the A-league when he played with the nix and has only played there internationally, wingback at best. Singh as RM? again WTF? he was a standout for the Nix as a central midfielder, he's your AM over Thomas.
not a kiwi but I know football and players a lot IF everyone is available and in clubs and no injuries , this is the team I WOULD FIELD
GK stefan MARINOVIC the best kiwi keeper ive seen since PASTON is 31 keeper should be experienced and he has tenacity and commanding (SAIL-WOUD)
RBSTORM ROUX winner A-league and at good age, younger rb can wait having two defenders from the same team can only benefit the line ( ELLIOT-INGHAM) RCB BILL TUILOMA (SURMAN-HUGHES-PAYNE) LCB MICHAEL BOXALL (PIJNAKER-SMITH) LB MC GARRY winner A LEAGUE playing v good football alongside roux (SUTTON/ DE VRIES-SUPYK)
RM SARPREET SINGH (JUST-HERDMAN-OLD) CHM JOE BELL (LEWIS-CONCHIE) CHM MARKO STAMENIC (RUFER-HERDMAN) LM LIBERATO CACACE they guy is the heart of the team, so composed on the ball can switch everywhere (MC COWATT-ROGERSON)
AM RYAN THOMAS freedom to do his thing ( GARBETT- ROJAS) CF CHRIS WOOD the main player up front ( WAINE/ GREIVE-DE JONG)
you know football - really? I can see three errors in your assessment of the best NZ lineup. Marinovic over Sail? - ummmm no thanks, Sail bumped Marinovic out of the Nix job and then Marinovic disappered in the Israeli leagues. Cacace as a LM? - sorry WTF? he's was easily the best LB in the A-league when he played with the nix and has only played there internationally, wingback at best. Singh as RM? again WTF? he was a standout for the Nix as a central midfielder, he's your AM over Thomas.
There's some merit in those shouts to be fair. Marinovic does need to get back playing to get his spot, but the Israeli league would be better than League 2 with Tzanev/Crocombe. If he picks up a comparable gig in June/July then no reason he couldn't get back his spot, he's not old for a keeper at all.
As for Sarpreet, he last game for the Phoenix was more than four years ago, that's a long time ago. At Jahn Regensburg this season he played almost exclusively out wide right, mostly in a 4-2-3-1, so basically what they suggested. That would be a role that would suit him a lot drifting inside to the half-spaces on his left foot for a shooting/creative threat and getting a right-back to overlap.
Cacace going forward is a gun, why not try him out in a more advanced role in what are ultimately inconsequential games? His right foot packs a serious punch when he shoots on it, so he could drive on the outside to the byline on his left foot or cut inside in a similar vein to Sarpreet. Fullbacks often play different roles in their national teams if they are at a higher level - David Alaba spent years in midfield for Austria while left-back at Bayern, and Alphonso Davies often plays as a winger in a Canadian jersey.
Francis De Vries in over pros like McGarry and Roux? wow.
What is Smith going to offer moving forward?
Rufer? faaaaaaaaark
I don't get some of these selections.
Considering lots of players won't have played in over a month it made even more sense to select Roux and McGarry. Roux looked as good as I've ever seen him in the A League final.
Dyer & Bevan very similar very fringe selections. Is USL much of an upgrade on the CPL?
Dyer has 2 goals for Tulsa in 13 games. Mostly coming off the bench lately
Mata was in the China games. If AWs want a big body in Wood’s absence for some hold up play he’s the most likely. But Greive or Waine (if fit) probably start. Of course with no Wood, but hopefully Singh and Thomas the shape could be tinkered by Bazeley from March
Well the top scorer at FC Tulsa also has 13 appearances with 3 goals. As you say Dyer has two goals and also two assists in his first season for a team where the goals are shared around.
And two seasons before that in the CPL where he was the league’s second top scorer twice.
His club record in the CPL is 19 goals and 7 assists from 57 matches. That’s fairly handy, particularly if the USL is on par with the CPL. I feel the USL as the MLS feeder and more established competition must be stronger currently.
Apparently Greive is back (32 matches, 4 goals, often from the bench) as is Waine (10 matches, 1 goal, also rarely a starter), so he won’t be included.
Anyway, just as a fan I would have liked to see him in the squad as his reinvention of his career must have required a strong mentality and determination. Perhaps he’s reached his level, but he’s been on an upward path of late.
I mentioned Bevan (3 goals in 8 games, this season) as an outside chance a few weeks back, when it seemed some of Greive, Mata & Waine could miss these 2 friendlies. All have missed club games of late with injury.
Realistically Bevan & Dyer (both 26), given the level they are at, their AW callup days are likely over. They need to be absolute stand outs in the USL & CPL to be called up. Interesting that neither went through the Weenix or Ole academies. Could their careers have gone differently if they had? Who knows. Both are real good from the pen spot (unlike Greive!). But they need to be banging them in far more than they are currently to stake a claim.
Colloty, Donkers and Adam Watson the future. But producing strikers not really a strong suit of either Weenix or Ole it seems.
not a kiwi but I know football and players a lot IF everyone is available and in clubs and no injuries , this is the team I WOULD FIELD
GK stefan MARINOVIC the best kiwi keeper ive seen since PASTON is 31 keeper should be experienced and he has tenacity and commanding (SAIL-WOUD)
RBSTORM ROUX winner A-league and at good age, younger rb can wait having two defenders from the same team can only benefit the line ( ELLIOT-INGHAM) RCB BILL TUILOMA (SURMAN-HUGHES-PAYNE) LCB MICHAEL BOXALL (PIJNAKER-SMITH) LB MC GARRY winner A LEAGUE playing v good football alongside roux (SUTTON/ DE VRIES-SUPYK)
RM SARPREET SINGH (JUST-HERDMAN-OLD) CHM JOE BELL (LEWIS-CONCHIE) CHM MARKO STAMENIC (RUFER-HERDMAN) LM LIBERATO CACACE they guy is the heart of the team, so composed on the ball can switch everywhere (MC COWATT-ROGERSON)
AM RYAN THOMAS freedom to do his thing ( GARBETT- ROJAS) CF CHRIS WOOD the main player up front ( WAINE/ GREIVE-DE JONG)
you know football - really? I can see three errors in your assessment of the best NZ lineup. Marinovic over Sail? - ummmm no thanks, Sail bumped Marinovic out of the Nix job and then Marinovic disappered in the Israeli leagues. Cacace as a LM? - sorry WTF? he's was easily the best LB in the A-league when he played with the nix and has only played there internationally, wingback at best. Singh as RM? again WTF? he was a standout for the Nix as a central midfielder, he's your AM over Thomas.
There's some merit in those shouts to be fair. Marinovic does need to get back playing to get his spot, but the Israeli league would be better than League 2 with Tzanev/Crocombe. If he picks up a comparable gig in June/July then no reason he couldn't get back his spot, he's not old for a keeper at all.
As for Sarpreet, he last game for the Phoenix was more than four years ago, that's a long time ago. At Jahn Regensburg this season he played almost exclusively out wide right, mostly in a 4-2-3-1, so basically what they suggested. That would be a role that would suit him a lot drifting inside to the half-spaces on his left foot for a shooting/creative threat and getting a right-back to overlap.
Cacace going forward is a gun, why not try him out in a more advanced role in what are ultimately inconsequential games? His right foot packs a serious punch when he shoots on it, so he could drive on the outside to the byline on his left foot or cut inside in a similar vein to Sarpreet. Fullbacks often play different roles in their national teams if they are at a higher level - David Alaba spent years in midfield for Austria while left-back at Bayern, and Alphonso Davies often plays as a winger in a Canadian jersey.
Good mate compared Cacace to Bale when he first saw him- so time to be drifting forward in position and scoring more if true!
Agreed that both seem to have missed the boat- but the way players develop is never uniform. Who knows? Sometimes that AW call up can provide the validation to push on to that higher level. Or those journeyman skills, a l a Mitch Duke, backed with lower level experience can be more useful than someone more talented, but less prolific in front of goal. (I would argue he’d had a couple of more than very decent CPL seasons, to your point about being a stand out.)
Anyway after the mockery he got in Hudson’s teams, it’s a real credit to Dyer to have fashioned a career as a professional footballer and be at the same level as Wynne, Brotherton, Collier, Adams, Musa and others who as you pointed out had academy football or similar.
What's with the aversion by NZF to list both Elliot & Smith with Unattached FC?
Surprised by McGarry's omission, less by Roux's. And if de Vries is considered fit enough for international duty coming from Eastern Suburbs, why not Kirwan who has done his rehab and is now back playing in a pro environment.
Really disappointing no Singh or Thomas. With Stockholm & Vienna they could hardly get closer to Ámsterdam or Bavaria. Though I see Singh missed J-R's last Liga 2 game, so he may already be back in NZ for a holiday. Without them and Wood, like Carlind I expect the Sweden game to be a tough watch.
Elliot is paid through to June 30, so it is not incorrect. I don’t know Smith’s status, but I also don’t get his inclusion. Should be looking to build for next WC.
Smith is still relatively young for a CB and nobody other than Boxall (who's a couple of years older) has proven to be better for the All Whites yet. Tuiloma/Pijnaker/Surman need to raise their games and become a lot more solid before we can forget about Smith. Does need to find a new club home though.
I haven't seen the press conference yet but disappointed by Bazeley's explanation in the stuff article for not picking McGarry & Roux (isn't it so great we are leaving out good players) if that was all there was. There is no good reason that Payne or De Vries should be considered ahead of them at RB and LB right now. Cowardly picking who he knows.
I'm disappointed the Nix chose not to sign Stefan and he is being lost to the wilderness, he's still the sort of keeper you'd want in an international squad in my opinion, but hopefully Crocombe and Tzanev can make it seem like he deserves to be surplus to requirements.
Smith is still relatively young for a CB and nobody other than Boxall (who's a couple of years older) has proven to be better for the All Whites yet.
In the Benjamin Button world maybe. But on my planet 31 is a couple of years younger than 33. And 33 is only ‘relatively young’ if your relatives are old. And that makes him 36 come WC time. Do you anticipate him being quicker then?
There are a lot of CBs playing at very high levels at the age of 33 or older. To me, right now is too early for 2026 to be the primary consideration. I think we need to be playing a back 4 and I don't trust Tuiloma or Pijnaker to be solid enough defensively in a CB pairing. A back 3 hides their defensive weaknesses while allowing their other strengths to be more useful, but the problem is every NZ team that plays a back 5 looks much worse and gets worse results than the same team playing with a back 4. So for me it is smith and Boxall for now and it is up to the chasing pack to earn that starting spot or for Smith and Boxall to lose theirs. Heck it might encourage nando to try to play at a decent level. We shouldn't be rewarding league of Ireland players with a guaranteed spot in the all whites starting xi.
I put this up on Piney's tweet earlier. I know it's very unrealistic that Bazeley implements something so outwardly positive such as this, but I can dream.
Would be intrigued to see if McCowatt is employed at some stage in a more central position like he has been for his Helsingør club side. Failing that, it's useful having him as an interchangeable player between both left and right wing positions.
Anyway, roll on the 5-3-2 setup that gets employed to limit the damage and is somewhat of a faux attempt to keep it tight...
If you can’t get in the AWs off the seasons Storm Roux and James McGarry have had then there’s no reason for kids to want to play for the AWs. After all CC play most of their games closer than the AWs! And don’t they have enormous sauce bottles? As well as meaningful knockout football? They’ve played three games of that much closer than the AWs are planning to, possibly for ever…watch Kiwi football on the coast! As your second team of course.
I don’t know Smith’s status, but I also don’t get his inclusion. Should be looking to build for next WC.
Just lazy selection? Great opportunity to look at younger for the future.
Smith (was 33 in March) has been released by Colchester. Be interesting to see what he does next. Maybe the 46 game L1/L2 slogathon through a wet cold English winter doesn't suit his body anymore.
Boxall (will be 35 in August), from MLS highlights he still looks in top form - and may become that vocal defensive rock this cycle like Nelsen & Reid were, if not at their level. Hopefully he stays fit. He was quick enough when younger to play RB now & again.
Surman is a look to the future. Seems that N Boxall & Adams are now discarded.
Tuiloma was picked ahead of Boxall for the CR playoff & leadup, because he was in great scoring form for Portland at the time. Hay knew the AWs scoring options were limited, and BT was knocking in some bangers for the Timbers. In hindsight a mistake not to start Boxall snr. Billy T remains a mixed bag defensively.
Pijanker, great switch cross with his left peg. But again not 100% dependable at the back. You'd really hope he is better than the LOI. Hopefully he can remove those defensive errors, and move to a higher level. Ryan Nelsen was 27 when he moved from the MLS to Blackburn. Some players need time, or that opportunity.
Lastly somehow just have this crazy feeling that we haven't seen the last of Winnie Reid. Likely way off the mark. But it wouldn't shock me if he signed up to captain an Auckland ALM team with an eye to 2026. He put everything into that one CR playoff game, for basically 12 months from the Tokyo Olympics. It was his sole focus. He desperately wanted to go to another WC.
He's 35 next month (so 1 mth younger than Boxall), but really the last few years it's been more about his body than his age. Maybe a few years away from the game will repair it all. Probably way off the mark, but I just wouldn't be shocked if it happened.
Rojas is not a touchline hugging winger, and I personally think Just while talented & has a lot of potential isn't really international starting level yet. I think we need to pack the midfield and have Cacace and Elliott provide attacking width.
I'd like to see Stamenic Bell & Lewis in front of a back 4 and with Garbett & Rojas between them and Waine.
Waine could provide more attacking width when Wood returns, and until then I think Rojas, Garbett, Cacace & Elliott can figure it out between them. YoungHeartHM
I put this up on Piney's tweet earlier. I know it's very unrealistic that Bazeley implements something so outwardly positive such as this, but I can dream.
Would be intrigued to see if McCowatt is employed at some stage in a more central position like he has been for his Helsingør club side. Failing that, it's useful having him as an interchangeable player between both left and right wing positions.
Anyway, roll on the 5-3-2 setup that gets employed to limit the damage and is some of faux attempt to keep it tight...
I’m really concerned with 6 centre backs we are light in that department (wtf!!)
Thomas and Singh have both been playing 90 minutes or close thereto for 2-3 months now so their omission is average. Maybe if we had a new coach sorted that would have been different?
Only one right wing back is odd. Neither Tuiloma or Payne can play that role now unless of course the plan is for that position not to get forward and let Libby do all the work for two games straight.
The 5-3-2 shape or variant thereof is pretty uninspiring and we are asking a lot of our 6’s and 8’s without Thomas or Singh..
coochiee
What's with the aversion by NZF to list both Elliot & Smith with Unattached FC?
Surprised by McGarry's omission, less by Roux's. And if de Vries is considered fit enough for international duty coming from Eastern Suburbs, why not Kirwan who has done his rehab and is now back playing in a pro environment.
Really disappointing no Singh or Thomas. With Stockholm & Vienna they could hardly get closer to Ámsterdam or Bavaria. Though I see Singh missed J-R's last Liga 2 game, so he may already be back in NZ for a holiday. Without them and Wood, like Carlind I expect the Sweden game to be a tough watch.
The more I think about it the more I'm gobsmacked by the absence of Storm Roux. I appreciate Kirwan is still a developing player and currently under an injury cloud but Payne has been remarkably lacklustre the last two seasons. I'm getting shivers just anticipating the next extravagant miscommunication between Payne and Sail on the pitch. Elliott had the best season of his career despite that performance un the playoff and is one for the future. Storm Roux is an A League title winner ffs. I gather RB is a position we lack depth in but there must be someone else coming in through the wings that is worth a punt over Tim Payne, surely?
Uninspired selections from an interim coach that is getting frustrated by the delays in formalising the position. I hope that NZF have a better option than Bazely in mind.
With no coach confirmed this was a chance for Beazley to make himself stand out, to be positive/creative... and instead he's gone with uninspired selections.
Picking De Vries - becuase he's done well in the past is a joke selection. The boy isn't Reid/Wood etc. Hell, he wasn't even a starter before his injury and the argument we need him to provide more CB cover is bollocks with so many in the squad anyway.
I don’t know Smith’s status, but I also don’t get his inclusion. Should be looking to build for next WC.
Just lazy selection? Great opportunity to look at younger for the future.
Smith (was 33 in March) has been released by Colchester. Be interesting to see what he does next. Maybe the 46 game L1/L2 slogathon through a wet cold English winter doesn't suit his body anymore.
Boxall (will be 35 in August), from MLS highlights he still looks in top form - and may become that vocal defensive rock this cycle like Nelsen & Reid were, if not at their level. Hopefully he stays fit. He was quick enough when younger to play RB now & again.
Surman is a look to the future. Seems that N Boxall & Adams are now discarded.
Tuiloma was picked ahead of Boxall for the CR playoff & leadup, because he was in great scoring form for Portland at the time. Hay knew the AWs scoring options were limited, and BT was knocking in some bangers for the Timbers. In hindsight a mistake not to start Boxall snr. Billy T remains a mixed bag defensively.
Pijanker, great switch cross with his left peg. But again not 100% dependable at the back. You'd really hope he is better than the LOI. Hopefully he can remove those defensive errors, and move to a higher level. Ryan Nelsen was 27 when he moved from the MLS to Blackburn. Some players need time, or that opportunity.
Lastly somehow just have this crazy feeling that we haven't seen the last of Winnie Reid. Likely way off the mark. But it wouldn't shock me if he signed up to captain an Auckland ALM team with an eye to 2026. He put everything into that one CR playoff game, for basically 12 months from the Tokyo Olympics. It was his sole focus. He desperately wanted to go to another WC.
He's 35 next month (so 1 mth younger than Boxall), but really the last few years it's been more about his body than his age. Maybe a few years away from the game will repair it all. Probably way off the mark, but I just wouldn't be shocked if it happened.
It would be a bit difficult for Reid to come back into club football after essentially three/four years out. Even with the quality he has/had. He went off injured to various degrees in about half the games he played from the Olympics onward and given his track record I imagine it would be a bit difficult to get motivated when the next injury and rehab are at the back of his mind. The sacrifice was probably worth it for a career swansong in Qatar, but three more years is a big call, he did get the walk-off in Auckland after all.
Provided he hasn't blown through the multimillion payout from West Ham, he won't need the money. Maybe he could do an ambassadorial or consultant role for any possible Auckland team, but as said about Ryan Thomas' connection to NZ waning, Reid has been Northern Hemisphere based since 1998. Though, what better excuse to come 'home'.
I think a number one centre-back pairing if the All Whites ever do play a back four should be Tuiloma-Boxall. They are both key centre-backs in MLS, which probably deserves more respect than it receives due to being outside Europe. This is a league where they come up against young attacking stars bought from Argentina (we saw the quality of their youth) prior to on-selling them to Europe, and also players with considerable top 10/5 European league experience.
Boxall's most recent game saw him against former Serie A and Italian stars Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi, signed from Napoli and Juventus. Tuiloma's had him up against 24 year old Colombian international Cucho Hernandez, signed last year after 23 PL matches for Watford and also with 90 career La Liga appearances. With all due respect, Pijnaker's not facing anything near that, so I'm not sure he deserves first dibs on the left side of centre-back (which is the side Tuiloma plays a lot on).
Since his debut, no AW player has more national team minutes than Pijnaker, so the theory that playing him will get him a bigger move hasn't really worked. It got him a gig at Helsingør post-Olympics with McCowatt and Just but he only played eleven minutes in total before leaving. Sligo are in a relegation fight, so if they go down then there's some worries. In that case possibly second tier Dutch given he was born there (though would join mid season), or Superettan as he has lived in Sweden and would be close to Edge, or possibly a similarly ranked EU top tier like Lithuania, Finland, Latvia, Slovenia or Slovakia (left to right increasing in UEFA coefficient).
I do feel a bit for Adams, he's by no means so old to be put on the scrap heap at only 26. He plays week in week out in USL which isn't that mean a feat. Comparing leagues based on players is never telling a whole story, but Max Mata scored two in nineteen USL appearances but has eighteen in 50 LoI appearances for example. No massive harm as it's only a friendly but a big call to pick Surman over him, with only 148 A League minutes and coming off conceding ten goals in 192 minutes in Argentina.
My memories of the 2 big pressure games last year. Tuiloma alongside a few others like Stamenic looked very nervous against Peru in front of their 35,000 fans. Billy T sprayed a number of passes off target, which just heaped more pressure on the AWs. Pijnaker came on at HT (for Smith) and things started to improve. Especially down the left side Pijnaker finding Libby & Garbett who had a big game.
Now in an intimidating atmosphere like that (the AWs playing sans crowds up to that point) it's likely easier to get a feel for the pressure watching from the pine, than immediately starting. But was disappointing to see Tuiloma with all his big game experience in the MLS (he had been on goal scoring fire with Portland up to then as well) sort of freeze.
Then in the huge CR playoff, Tuiloma gets burnt badly by the 18 yr old kid (a selection that may have caught the AWs staff off guard), and Campbell somehow scruffs his shot in. There were a number of AWs at fault for the goal (incl Pijnaker) but BT was the biggest culprit. Pijnaker does need to be playing at a higher level, but from what I've seen he seems to have a pretty calm big match temperament.
Be interesting to see who Bazeley picks for the Friends Arena.
FYI - that 18 yr Ticos winger Jewison Bennette, went on to sign for Sunderland and play 15 games n The Championship, before injuring himself with CR in the March FIFA window. Turns 19 next week.
Yep agreed. I think that's why he's picked Surman too.
Yipe was going to add that. Surman impresses as having the mental strength goods for pressure football. Not getting down after making a mistake. Got plenty of experience of that in Argentina. He could be the next Weenix grad that the club can nab a transfer fee for.
It works better with our full strength XI (i.e. Wood, Singh and Thomas involved), but I still reckon a 4321 formation gets our best players on the pitch.
With the team selected it would look like:
Waine Rojas - Just Garbett - Bell - Stamenic Cacace - Boxall - Tuiloma - Elliot Sail
Rojas and Just would be narrow 10s playing behind Waine (or Greive or Mata depending on your preference).
A fluid midfield 3, Bell can drop into defence when needed, Stamenic and Garbett cover the half spaces when the fullbacks bomb forward and in defence.
You could also play Garbett as a 10 alongside Rojas and start Lewis in the midfield if that works better.
Now that I think of it, you could also play McCowatt in either the 3 or as one of the 10s.
To an extent I can understand leaving out McGarry. As he’d be playing second fiddle to Libby in any case and from DBs comments sounds like he’ll start him in both games.
But surely Roux should be our starting RB for this window? Payne barely played rb this season and I’d have Elliott in as back up.
Our CBs are an interesting one. I’m glad they’re taking a closer look at Surman - hopefully he gets more mins at the Nix next season.
I still think there’s a place in the squad for Smith but he hasn’t played a game in a while so some of the States based guys can feel hard done by there. Guess his selection was more experience/culture based for this window.
Boxalls gotta be our first choice CB regardless of age. Not uncommon for defenders to play at a high level into their late 30s and I can see Boxy doing that.
Midfield/forwards about what was expected give injuries. But yea gutted no Thomas or Singh. I wonder if they’ll be invited to the camp at all or nah?
Your xi/formation is rather similar to the one I posted above, though obviously you've got more trust in Bill's defensive solidity than I to have him in a CB pairing. I don't see Just as a 10, I see him as the best (only?) true wide attacking option we have, probably best suited for now as an option to stretch tiring defenses later in games.Friar Tuck
It works better with our full strength XI (i.e. Wood, Singh and Thomas involved), but I still reckon a 4321 formation gets our best players on the pitch.
With the team selected it would look like:
Waine Rojas - Just Garbett - Bell - Stamenic Cacace - Boxall - Tuiloma - Elliot Sail
Rojas and Just would be narrow 10s playing behind Waine (or Greive or Mata depending on your preference).
A fluid midfield 3, Bell can drop into defence when needed, Stamenic and Garbett cover the half spaces when the fullbacks bomb forward and in defence.
You could also play Garbett as a 10 alongside Rojas and start Lewis in the midfield if that works better.
Now that I think of it, you could also play McCowatt in either the 3 or as one of the 10s.
