I want Chris Wood to play every major competitive friendly for the AWs in the leadup to 2026 WC. Yes you do want him to get more in sync with Old and others, he may not have played that much with. There should hopefully be 8 good tough friendlies next year (June, Sept, Oct & Nov windows). Then another 4 or so in 2026 pre the WC itself - the March '26 window and a few warmups just prior the tourney kick off.
Personally I get far more excited about watching the AWs tackle likes of Mexico & US, than waltzing past the OFC minnows. NZ will highly likely be the weakest team even at a 48 team WC. 100% we will not play anyone in our group where we have 70% of the ball like against the Island teams. Even Malaysia will be far weaker than anyone we play in Nth America. Over these next 3 windows we will learn very little new about the AWs, and they offer nothing as a barometer of how the team will go at the big dance in just under 2 years.
Over the next 2 windows I think Wood should probably start against Taihiti & Vanuatu (in the Tron after all). Ride the pine for Malaysia & Samoa. But if he is carrying any sort of niggle, we don't need him at all. Yes definitely call him up in March next year for the semi & final, he can grab himself a couple more hat tricks.
But any nerves we had about the AWs stumbling against the Island teams, were massively lessened by easily winning the Nations Cup (ie they are still to be blunt piss weak) when missing a host of players, and those nerves became nil when OFC kindly gave us home advantage for 4 of our 5 qualifying games (incl semi & final)
And AFC don't give a fudge about OFC, or if the results there are lopsided. Though they might have an interest in the 1 automatic WC spot & 1 WC playoff tourney spot that could be gained by yes tacking on the OFC nations, to their qualifying program.
Personally I get far more excited about watching the AWs tackle likes of Mexico & US, than waltzing past the OFC minnows. NZ will highly likely be the weakest team even at a 48 team WC. 100% we will not play anyone in our group where we have 70% of the ball like against the Island teams. Even Malaysia will be far weaker than anyone we play in Nth America. Over these next 3 windows we will learn very little new about the AWs, and they offer nothing as a barometer of how the team will go at the big dance in just under 2 years.
Over the next 2 windows I think Wood should probably start against Taihiti & Vanuatu (in the Tron after all). Ride the pine for Malaysia & Samoa. But if he is carrying any sort of niggle, we don't need him at all. Yes definitely call him up in March next year for the semi & final, he can grab himself a couple more hat tricks.
But any nerves we had about the AWs stumbling against the Island teams, were massively lessened by easily winning the Nations Cup (ie they are still to be blunt piss weak) when missing a host of players, and those nerves became nil when OFC kindly gave us home advantage for 4 of our 5 qualifying games (incl semi & final)
And AFC don't give a fudge about OFC, or if the results there are lopsided. Though they might have an interest in the 1 automatic WC spot & 1 WC playoff tourney spot that could be gained by yes tacking on the OFC nations, to their qualifying program.