China/Japan Squad Discussion

You haven't brought much to this one.

trolls trolling trolls trolling trolls.

IF rickis going to experiment with new players in one of these games, should it be done against Japan or China?

Should he play our best XI against Japan (as to not get trounced) and a 2nd string side against China, as theyre probably not going to be as good as Japan?

Or a 2nd string side against Japan and our best XI against China, so to increase the likely hood of registering a win?

I think China is a better game to start new players, because there's little to be gained by getting trounced by Japan. Reid's out for China, so there's space for a defender in his space (prob Siggy with Musa or a new player backing up on the bench). I'd want to keep Nelsen in for both just because the team looks lost without him. We have Oceania qualifiers to get used to life without Ryan. Without coming up with full line-ups I think Kosta deserves to start against China, as does WeeMac, and Rojas deserves some time off the bench (I'm sure many of you know other overseas-based players worth at least 20 minutes against China). Against Japan I would go full-strength, although maybe start the likes of Kosta - depending on how he goes against China. Again it is the balance of putting in the best possible performances against blooding new players.

I'd guess the 5 or 6 are Kosta, Marco, Gleeson, Rowe and Lindsay, maybe add in Old, Musa or someone ASB Prem.

Looking at the MLS draft I'd argue that Boxall may be in with a shout. A lot of pundits have him in the top 20 - 30 picks and that was prior to the first trial game where he was one of the stand out players according to commentators.

I dont think Musa should even be considered. I mean, hes only in the Nix due to the youth quota right? As of right now, hes not good enough.

No, he's in the Phoenix because the Phoenix sptted him and see him as a future A-League regular.

If you use that logic it's the only reason we have Marco andOPav as well.

Well, it is. Thats the reason the policy exists in the first place, so that young talent actually gets signed up instead of clubs just going all out buying the strongest players possible to win the competition. Im not taking anything away from Marco or Pav but its true, without this quota these guys would be largely over looked, none more so than Marco playing for lowly Waikato...

But of course when you have to sign youth you might as well find someone who you can see promise in, that just goes without saying. I have no doubt that Musa may one day become a fine A-League regular, just obviously not now. Once that happens and IF he proves himself as a fine footballer, then get him involved in the national side by all means.
AJ132011-01-11 07:16:03

So what are you saying? That we should have Musa, or not have Musa?

I think you have confused yourself.

No youre confusing yourself. Its funny how people are suggesting Musa for these games just because hes in the Nix. But if it were not for mandatory youth allocations one could argue that he wouldnt be in the A-League at all.

You could also argue that the Nix would never have signed Kosta, Rojas, Musa,  if it was not for this criteria. Would the Nix still be actively persuing youth players otherwise? Would the YF Scholorship still exist, and would the Nix accept it as a viable recruitment option? POSSIBLY no.

Basically i see it like this. Musa for these AW games? No.

If Musa turns out to be a great player in a couple or so, or more, seasons, then perhaps he can step up to international duty.

But now, no.
AJ132011-01-11 11:16:03

Suggest Musa is silly, suggesting LINDSAY is crazy. rojas will probably be the only uncapped player. barbarouses will be there also....so it'll be from or all of moss, spoonley, sigmund, old, nelsen, reid, vicelich, smith, lochhead, bertos, brockie, mcglinchey, brown, christie, elliott, clapham, barbarouses, rojas, smeltz, killen, fallon and wood

Lindsay, Rowe, Musa and any other wildcards these idiots keep suggesting wont be a part of the squad. they need to prove themselves at the under 20 world cup and olympics the following year.

Agree wuth Musa. But I think Coey Turipa could be a wildcard.

He doesn't even start in the NZFC does he?

Keepers will be Moss, Spoons, Jake.

Steve Irwin?

He started for the youth side. But he's currently the first choice keeper for NZ U-20s, well has been in their past hit-outs. And was told by the coaches he'd likely be first choice the upcoming matches even though a German keeper was going to be there.Luis Garcia2011-01-11 22:34:34

I only mentioned Musa because he's a defender (we're one down with Reid out for the first game and Vicelich is at the end of his international career - again!) and he's young - Ricki is looking to blood new players. I don't know New Zealand's overseas stocks as well as many others on this forum so I put Musa's name out there, I don't doubt there could be someone more promising, I just don't know their name.

Just adds to the anti Miranovic argument. Neither are close.

I know this, but if you can't be first choice for an NZFC side I would suggest you're unlikely to get a full All Whites call up ahead of NZ keepers that do.

We need to be clear that no one is anti the lad (I don't think).  Hope he develops in to a great AWs keeper but he's done nothing to be one yet.

Yeah sorry, I don't mean anti him per se. I'm just in the 'he's not ready' camp.

Agree. Spoonley and Gleeson (I think) have both been in New Zealand U-20's in the past and will be next cab off the rank. Turipa would have to be picked purely on potential, but would be a huge outsider.

he plays 3-4-3 so wont go beyond using sigmund, reid, nelsen, vicelich, smith, lochhead, boyens, old or possibly jack pelter before musa. musa's with the phoenix yes but he's an academy player. something a jack pelter or even a tim myers (better defenders) cant be

turipa yeah good idea. awesome

Does anyone know when the mls draft concludes and when we will know if Kent, gleeson or boxall makes it to pro ranks?

Pelter. Funny. Hard News2011-01-12 13:42:48

why would gleeson be? no way the timbers would let him go. will surely be a back-up to their main keeper in the mls or at the very least 3rd choice

pelters been playing well as is myers.

Does gleeson already have a contract with the mls team for this season?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/3592809/Opportunity-knocks-for-goalieLuis Garcia2011-01-12 17:59:08

old news.

no NEW news on gleeson as yet. im hoping he hasnt been sent to the combine because he has a contract

I think the point was it answers the last couple of questions AucklandPhoenix has asked.

Thanks, good article but you are right it is a little old. If anyone knows if gleeson has been offered a new contract for the mls side let us know. I cannot see him at the moment in their squad

OK, here's the question, if our long term goal is to make the next world cup in 4 years, why not blood some younger players?

Players like Musa may be 'youth spots' now, but in 4 years they're likely to be older than the likes of Tommy Smith & Wicked Winston at the last world cup. And they were only last minute pickups too (albeit playing regularly in high level competitions)

I think we need to be looking ahead to a stable team for the future, rather than expecting that the likes of Nelsen, Vicelich & co will be t here holding the team together at the next world cup.

What are we, Italy?

Can you imagine the media giggling histerically when we get pantsed by playing youngsters against these sides?

I mean, Musa has played 1 game and 10 minutes at A-league level, not even any NZFC, how about we wait until he plays at an age group World Cup and see if he's up to it before advocating we rush him in to the side.

smart man!

sick of this musa sh*t. dont need to blood anyone beyond barbarouses and maybe rojas at this stage.

dont get this panic about age etc. nelsen, vicelich and co still have a lot to offer.

no point blooding youngsters and losing to china and japan. we'll just slip further down the rankings and we wont get decent games. FACT

Spot on. Friendly or not, play the best you can. Giving Wood a full game, or Kosta a half will be enough of "blooding new players"

I think it is important that ricki selects some young promising players so he can at least have a good look at them and determine if they are up to scratch. He doesnt get many chances to see these players due to his A league commitments and needs to take advantage of such opportunities. 

Sometimes.  He does have a proud record of getting things wrong though.

Hard News2011-01-13 14:17:22