In the past we just had no friendlies to develop any angst, now we see how much work has to be done.
All Whites vs Thailand | Wed 19 Nov | 12.30am | SS2
Saying "international quality" doesn't really clarify anything though. By definition, if you play international football you're international quality. In terms of the sort of quality we want/need for the AWs, if you take WC qualification as a benchmark then we need a team which is capable of progressing over 2 legs against middling Asian opposition. We did it against Bahrain and if we had played Jordan last time instead of Mexico then we possibly could have done it then. Could we do it now? Probably not. But with this squad in a few years after playing together more and Hudson fine tuning his approach we should be a possibility again.
Middling? 5th best team of 47. Know what you mean, but don't underestimate Asian football.
Like basically every player in our squad - they need consistent game time.
Players in starting XI with consistent game time at a high level:
Thomas
Barbarouses
McGlinchey
Roux
Smith (though has just got back into the team)
When you look at that, it's no wonder most struggled last night. Until we get players performing consistently week in, week out at a professional level, we will get nowhere. Players need to come in with a running start, not rusty and out of touch.
Saying "international quality" doesn't really clarify anything though. By definition, if you play international football you're international quality. In terms of the sort of quality we want/need for the AWs, if you take WC qualification as a benchmark then we need a team which is capable of progressing over 2 legs against middling Asian opposition. We did it against Bahrain and if we had played Jordan last time instead of Mexico then we possibly could have done it then. Could we do it now? Probably not. But with this squad in a few years after playing together more and Hudson fine tuning his approach we should be a possibility again.
Middling? 5th best team of 47. Know what you mean, but don't underestimate Asian football.
Just as an interesting aside - in EURO qualifying over the weekend, Faroe Islands beat Greece in Greece, Liechtenstein beat Moldova in Moldova, and San Marino got their first ever point in EURO qualifying against Estonia. And we lose to Thailand.
Ye Gods.
You had me until you said Moldova
well I avoided news updates all day to watch that dross. Thank god for mysky and fast forward. Proves that once we take off our ball playing players we offer very little. Need goals..bring on a striker who is struggling.
I have just started watching the last 8 minutes. Jesus H Christ, I hope the whole game was not like this. We are being pumped
save your eyes..
Maybe it was the thought processes and the shots on goal by the Thais leaving a sensational trial of destruction.
The rain over there comes down at speed too.
Really disappointing performance, was hoping for a commanding display, and after the first quarter I thought we'll wear them down, get a couple of goals and then control the match.
Unfortunately poor finishing and lackadaisical play in the final third put paid to that, and from there we turned into a festering pile of shit. Was Rojas injured or something when Payne was brought on, because we lost our mojo from that point.
Does Hudson still want the gig?
Maybe it was the thought processes and the shots on goal by the Thais leaving a sensational trial of destruction.
The rain over there comes down at speed too.
The game in 1969 was 0-0 as the ground was under water by about 1 foot. The only way to play the ball was to flick it up and volley it.
International football is damn tough. It's definitely the purest test of a coach's ability. A coach can't just go into the transfer market and look for what they are missing. I think Hudson is probably just realising that he has to turn these guys into a team which can go to the World Cup. Tough road ahead.
International football is damn tough. It's definitely the purest test of a coach's ability. A coach can't just go into the transfer market and look for what they are missing. I think Hudson is probably just realising that he has to turn these guys into a team which can go to the World Cup. Tough road ahead.
Very tough.
On twitter, I saw a bit of praise for Thailand's 'young' team, that rather ignored the fact that this was also a young, somewhat experimental NZ squad.
I also got the feeling that (on here), there was a bit of under-estimation of the Thai side. Understandable, given the shambles the national team have been recently.
However, the U23s have been in regular camps (a couple of days a month) all year long, as for some reason, the FAT put all its focus on the Asian Games (an Asia-only Olympics). The U23s benefited from a proper build-up, complete with friendlies, and made the semi-finals before losing to South Korea, and then Iran to finish 4th.
While the senior side hadn't had a coach since March, and sent a joke of a side to China in October, the promotion of U23 coach Kiattisak Senamuang meant they were always going to be a different kettle of fish last night. Part of Thailand's 'Dream Team' in the late 90s, 'Zico' has the respect of the current generation. Also, this squad was heavily based around the players he's been grooming for the past year. Despite injuries to key midfielders Adul & Chappuis, he was able to replace them with players who recently played a month-long international competition. He'd also had this squad training for the last 2 weeks.
What you had was a Thai team that had, for the most part had regular training camps with their coach all year, and were familiar with his tactics. They have also come off a full season, which included a tough international competition, compared to a New Zealand team that had been together for just over a week, and are still getting to know what's expected from a coach who's in his 3rd game in charge.
why haven't we blamed the humidity?
why haven't we blamed the humidity?
Guess the point I'm trying to make, is that bad results happen. And are more likely to happen with young/inexperienced sides. It's not the end of the world as long as the coach and players have learnt something from it.
At least we are getting regular fixtures to try get everyone up to speed..
I agree. I guess my point was we're going to get beat by "poor" sides while our team is so young and the bulk of our side, of those who are professionals and are playing regularly, are playing in the A-League.
Does Hudson still want the gig?
NZF knows where to find him.....
I've put in a couple of 'poor' performances in Thailand myself, so feel a bit of sympathy for the team.
I've put in a couple of 'poor' performances in Thailand myself, so feel a bit of sympathy for the team.
LOL. That when you were "young and experimental" and "lacking game time"? Or were you found out as being just not "up to standard?"
Probably thought he was playing Womans grade but ended up in Mixed.
International football is damn tough. It's definitely the purest test of a coach's ability. A coach can't just go into the transfer market and look for what they are missing. I think Hudson is probably just realising that he has to turn these guys into a team which can go to the World Cup. Tough road ahead.
Very tough.
Extremly tough.
Incredibly tough
tuff.
The match against Thailand was disappointing and makes a few of us nervous as I think it has parallels with the upcoming island games.. China are more what you'd expect to face in the playoffs. Against Thailand -
1) we controlled possession but lacked the ability to convert this- the island nations don't keep the ball and are happy to counterattack. We have to be more clinical in front of goal. Don't want to make too many comparisons with the team of 2010 but Killen, Smeltz and Fallon were far more predatorial and goal hungry that Kosta, Rojas,Brockie ... We are almost singularly relying on Wood.
2) we struggled marking and closing them down. The island nations and Thailand basically have one or two quick players who aren't necessarily in the traditional mould but find a way to score freak goals if given space. Krishna showed us that. I agree that 90 mins of doing this requires superior fitness and match fitness. We need our guys playing regularly.
Generally it's a concern that we are still playing Wee Mac out of position as we don't have depth in midfield. He looks a different player at the Nix- although that could be the std of the league.
Kosta is a concern as just doesn't make the step up. Ideally you'd have Wee Mac with a Thomas and Rojas with 2 ball winners behind. It's too lightweight having the 4 of them.
Gleeson did make some ok saves but his distribution was woeful and he makes me nervous, he's too uncoordinated. Moss is clearly the number one.
Smith and Boxall are ok but neither can take the ball and command the direction and tempo of play like Durante or Reid.
Will be interesting to see what Hudson does from here.
Wed, 19 Nov 2014 9:30a.m.
Former All White Sam Malcolmson looks back on New Zealand’s match against Thailand last night and the Asian tour as a whole.
http://www.radiolivesport.co.nz/Sam-Malcomson/tabid/454/articleID/21302/Default.aspx
Fri, 21 Nov 2014 9:08a.m.
All Whites coach Anthony Hudson join the show to discuss his side’s strong start to the Asian tour against China and disappointing finish against minnows Thailand.
http://www.radiolivesport.co.nz/Anthony-Hudson/tabid/454/articleID/21338/Default.aspx