New Zealand Men's U-17s

Shouldve been 7 at half time. Shocked how rubbish we were

Individually I thought some of the players looked ok. As a team...a bit of a mess.

After reading all the great things about this team and players I am mystified that we were beaten so easily.

Either what I have read is rubbish or in reality we again over estimated how good we are.

gees that was embarrassing. Novice display. The least we need to do is get tighter to the ball player and attack the ball when in the air.

Good to see Fred de Jong there in an official capacity. I trust he has paid his $1000.

I still think our team is far better than their display this morning would have us believe ...

I expect a few players will be rightly disappointed by their individual performances but expect us to make a much better showing in the next match.

Not to mention that we should take nothing away from a strong performance by an extremely good Uruguay team.

Did we have any warm up games against anyone decent? 

7-0 - wow

Waitak

Auckland City

UAE club side

UAE U17s

Glad i dont have to get up for the other games now. Awful

I never saw this game and watched them against ACFC. I would have honestly not predicted this score line.

For those that watched, is this perhaps a little bit of 'possum in the car headlights' effect now that they are there and on the big stage? I just think that you don't go with a decent team, an ok warm up, a decent show against UAE and then come out and get tonked over long on with a long lever like that.

How was Rufer and Ridenton?

I thought we did look a bit overwhelmed by the ocassion.

Rufer and Ridenton did ok.

Speedy excellent in goal and if not for him (and some wasteful finishing) scoreline would have hit double figures.

Of goals conceeded, at least two from quick counter-attacks when we coughed ball up cheaply on edge of Uruguay box and then couldn't get back in numbers in time. Three others a direct result of poor defensive positioning (two by left back).

Uruguay pressed us hard which looked like caught us by surprise and we turned-over ball too much.

Didn't win as much in air as we should have given our height advantage and other times we failed to contest in air at all.

Players sometimes guilty of doing too much with the ball and then turning it over too cheaply in dangerous positions to Uruguay.

We were only 1-0 down until almost 40th minute and the goal rush in the second half was at largely a result of us pushing forward much more than earlier in the game.

I watched the game vs ACFC and was surprised at how poor we looked at times today compared to that game. That said, I'm still confident we will make a better showing in next two games and wouldn't want to be Uruguay's next two opponents.

Just my 2 cents - others may have seen things differently...

Watched the match. Uruguay clearly the better side all over the pitch but that still doesn't excuse a 7-nil defeat.
NZ backline bar the goalkeeper were pretty poor, Got stretched a lot and out of position, cut open so easily.
Ridenton looked good at times, made a few stupid passes though (I think he made the pass back for Uruguay's 3rd shambolic goal)
Rufer didn't play as well as I expected. Can definitely see the potential there but from all the hype around the guy I thought he'd do a bit more. Maybe he just had an off night like the rest of the team.
NZ MOM either the goalkeeper Speedy or maybe Ridenton.

I love how we always get pumped at FIFA tournaments and our keeper still gets praised for his MOM performance.

I have always found that the thing that has let us down at that 'next step' and our biggest problem has been 'time needed on the ball'. 

I think that's a combination of

a: a first touch that is not good enough for that level (or if you like, not as good as it should be) and

b: players not aware of when they received the ball, where their options are and if they receive it, they can shuffle it on quickly without having to take a touch, take another to stop it bouncing from the 1st touch and stop it, look up to find an option, take a touch to roll it slightly and then pass it.

I find it very evident at CWC where players like James Pritchett at ASBP can look ok, but at the next level, his first touch gets him into all kinds of problems. I think you sum it up nicely as doing too much with the ball.

I can recall watching Beckham at Mt Smart and while this is a radical example because of his class vs what we are talking about with u17 kids, he only ever took one touch and the ball was moved on very quickly to the next option which was one of 3 he could choose depending on where he received the ball and what the defence gave him. That's what I think made Ryan Nelsen so outstanding. He only ever needed one slight touch to the next guy and while it was minimalist, it was fantastic. I think THATS the virtue the likes of Declan Edge need to trump in his coaching - that he helps to develop a better first touch and I guess football vision, not this 700 passes crap.

Granted we are talking about u17 NZ kids that are in some parts, Saturday morning footballers but that is the standard and its a bit of a rude awakening like this score line.

Agree.

Impossible to overstate importance of 'first touch' to young footballers.

Certainly the number one thing I tell my son to work on, because without a good first touch you put yourself under immediate pressure (against good football players).  Good first touch can give you more time on ball to make decisions, or at least, a better chance of retaining posession.

I think the reality here is that football is a way of life in Uruguay. In New Zealand, football is a hobby.

I honestly think in another group we would be far more competative... this group sucks.

I fully expect Uruguay to put a few past a lot of teams at this tournament.

Got a message from one of the players at 3.30am their time - couldn't sleep.  They are acutely aware of their "Fail", shocked at the scoreline and clearly humiliated.  Outclassed and outscored.  Hope they take their lessons to the next games and give a better showing.

Brazil 6 Slovakia 1    .... takes a bit of heat off.

Anyone prepared to guess result v Italy? It'll be interesting to see if Bazely tries to 'park the bus' - just to try something different. He's going to have to try something...

Saw this pool was named "the Pool of Death"

I'm pretty sure that's not his style.

cynical much - i thought Andre did quite well for the 10 mins he was out there - certinaly linked play well.

sadly because people like you can't seem to seperate their feelings for administrator and player.

That's not true. I quite like Fred as a bloke, and I have no feelings for Andre. 

Mine's more a factual position. When your dad is technical director, and is the guy walking down the line being introduced like "somebody" to the other team, it is hard to imagine the coach (who your dad is the boss of) doesn't feel some pressure to play you. And when you come on for 9 minutes and 30 seconds at the end of a game, well that sort of reinforces the point...

It is inescapable.

Just like at my job, if someone's child gets a job - even though they have to go through the standard interview process - it is inescapable that their relationship to mum/dad had some positive impact.

Fred and family just have to live with it.

 This is how life often works. I've known plenty of people in football and outside football who have been ok but not great at what they do, and have gone far due to who they are or who they know. I don't even think Jnr de Jong is even among the elite for his age. Probably top 50, but not top 25. 

Don't know why  there is so much anti  about this subject.

Fact is that it has  always been about who you know, not what you know. Has been going on since time immemorial

At the risk of trying to polish a turd here, perhaps this isn't all bad news. There's often talk about how the mentality that "we're just excited to have qualified and we'll try our best" needs to change eventually. Obviously too much confidence can be very damaging, but if our junior teams are now going to these tournaments expecting to get results then I think that's a good thing.