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Best 22 AWs Ever

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Best 22 AWs Ever

Supporter of the world's best football teams: Waikato..., Kingz FC, NZ Knights, The Nix, The Argyle & of course the All Whites

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I was thinking about the other thread about the best three AWs (currently?) and then decided to compile the best XI then decided to do the World Cup thing and come up with a squad of 22. Starting XI plus bench:

Starting XI:

W.Rufer / S.Sumner

B.Walsh / H. Ngata / K. Armstrong / B.Turner

A.Elrick / R.Nelsen / D.Hay / G.Wilkinson

C.Gosling

Bench:

C.Killen, V.Covney, F.Van Hattum, R.Herbert, S.Elliot, M.McGarry, I.Vicelich, F.de Jong, A.Vest, C.Zoricich, R.Gray

Some of the starting players may not be in their correct positions but if they were all fit in their prime these boys to me are NZs best and one even played for England in a World Cup!

What do y'all think?

Supporter of the world's best football teams: Waikato..., Kingz FC, NZ Knights, The Nix, The Argyle & of course the All Whites

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

ummm welll.....

Where's...
Grant Turner
Maurice Tillotson
Steve Woodin
Bobby Almond

Profile pic. Should you be interested. Lakhsen, on the right, lost touch with him.
Mohammed, on the left, I'm still in touch with. He's living in Agadez, Niger. Spending more time in town, Agadez, as bad people in the desert are spoiling the good life.
19/4/26.

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Hay and Wilkinson would not make the top 500

If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I'd have John Wrathall in for Sumner, with The Hairy One dropping into central midfield. I'd also have to have Iain Ormond, so it looks like a 4-3-3 for me. Ken Armstrong's inclusion is a bit of a stretch, given that he never actually played a full international for NZ (he did for England though). I'd have Ricki Herbert in at right back instead of Gavin Wilkinson, Rodger Gray in for Danny Hay and Praven Jeram in goal ahead of The Goose.

So, that'd be (it's a bit misbalanced I know...);

Praven Jeram

Ricki Herbert

Ryan Nelsen

Rodger Gray

Bobby Almond

Brian Turner (B)

Steve Sumner

Mike McGarry

Iain Ormond

Wynton Rufer

John Wrathall

SUBS

Frank van Hattum

Fred de Jong

Danny Hay (at his best)

Chris Zoricich

Clive Campbell

Keith Nelson

Colin Walker

TheJam2007-09-11 15:33:22

Nix, Leyton Orient and Alloa Athletic supporting schmuck.

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I guess i only saw Chris Zoricich at the end of his career...was he good??

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Agree with you regards Ken Armstrong. He did play for NZ, at least 12 times.

If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Dave57 wrote:

I guess i only saw Chris Zoricich at the end of his career...was he good??

Yeah he was pretty sharp at his peak in the early to mid 90s.

Supporter of the world's best football teams: Waikato..., Kingz FC, NZ Knights, The Nix, The Argyle & of course the All Whites

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

dairyflat wrote:

ummm welll.....

Where's...
Grant Turner
Maurice Tillotson
Steve Woodin
Bobby Almond

True they were all capped quite substantially for NZ esecially around 82 but to me NZ has had better and I was only looking at 22, if it was a larger squad they would have made the team but in saying that how good was Tillotson? I don't know too much about him.

Supporter of the world's best football teams: Waikato..., Kingz FC, NZ Knights, The Nix, The Argyle & of course the All Whites

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Ceri Evans

Clint Gosling

Robert Ironside

Danny Halligan

Founder

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Leggy wrote:

Agree with you regards Ken Armstrong. He did play for NZ, at least 12 times.

I'd have to check the records, but I'm pretty sure that none of Armstrong's games were fulll internationals.

Nix, Leyton Orient and Alloa Athletic supporting schmuck.

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

OK, Ken Armstrong played 15 games for NZ, ten of which were full internationals. I stand corrected.

He also played for England vs Scotland in 1955. In those days players did occasionally play for more than one country, eg Puskas played for Hungary and Spain and di Stefano for Argentina, Chile and Spain (I think it was Chile).

Of the recent suggestions for inclusion, I would never consider Halligan or Ironside good enough to make an all-time team. One player who hasn't been mentioned who might be worth a thought was Shane Rufer, at left or right back.

Nix, Leyton Orient and Alloa Athletic supporting schmuck.

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Sam Malcolmson said in his book that Steve Woodin was the best player that NZ has ever had including Ruferand he should of played top level football, remeber his finish at the WC. He has to be the first picked. And what about that guy in the 1930's who had the NZ scoring recorded untill Coveny beat it, he must of been the man, I think he got 30 odd goals in 20 games!

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Shane wrote:

Yeah but I don't think they were proper international goals. NZ Football really needs to do some research and clarify full international caps and goals from first class games and goals. Whilst Sumner is the highest cap AW, I'm sure a fair amount of his caps are against clubs, youth sides etc.

disco_mart2007-09-12 19:47:24

Supporter of the world's best football teams: Waikato..., Kingz FC, NZ Knights, The Nix, The Argyle & of course the All Whites

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Try:

www.ultimatenzsoccer.com. If anyone is anal enough to have it right it's Jeremy Ruane.
Hard News2007-09-12 20:02:42

How's my driving? - Whine here

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over 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Where is Colin Walker, he came to Gisborne from Barnsley in the UK, was capped about 12 times for NZ. He scored a few goals too. The best player I have ever watched playing in the old National League.