it's a Fifa window Pete. Players have to be released if they are selected. And it was the Lithuania game we were being looked at.
As a Phoenix supporter I wouldn't be happy with players being released from a struggling team resulting in a possibly humiliating result..
Would Ernie have been happy?
NZF also have to keep the Phoenix happy.
A few weeks ago when NZF were approached about the Russia game, the Nix were still mathematically quite capable of a play-off birth.
(Even now they still are, if they win every game and Sydney FC continue their slump).
As an All Whites supporter though, it's always good to see them play as often as possible.
I wouldn't be keen on a very weak team playing away in Moscow though to risk humiliation.
I doubt if Hudson would call up Marinovic for example either with him required for a league game that weekend.
To me it would have been a long, long way to travel to play in sub-zero conditions with a weak squad.
The latest news on Winston Reid is that he will resume training tomorrow but looks unlikely to be risked in a match for a week or two.
Chris Wood resumed training this week at Leeds but was judged not fit enough for the mid-week game and is likely to be on the bench this weekend.