All this team does is reinforce the fact that currently if you want to make a NZ team, the best place to be is Wellington... it use to be Auckland, but with the NIX and OLE down there this has changed.
Whilst I want to trust the system, it just doesn't look right. Where is the coach from... if its Wellington it looks even worse.
Congratulations to the players, they have parents who can afford $30k per year to send them to private academies where they receive better training. Money does not equate to talent.
Most parents could never consider this option so the boys from the provinces miss out again.
Doesn't the U17 tournament or NZSS results not count for anything.
Declan cant complain as it was his players who dislodged the Eastern Suburbs players in the summer.
Jose has done this before so why would you expect change.
It all Nepotism
From the outside yes. It looks like the elite and rich kids that attend the big academies are getting the breaks.
We have a good example in our system how things can be done differently. A currently successful NZF youth football coach in Leon Birnie. He visits the regions hold's camps with the most promising young players. He has a presence at age group tournaments. and I assume now knows alot of the regional coaches and has a good idea on talent coming through. And his NZ teams contain players from all over the country.
I don't know if Jose went to the same extent as Leon when scouting for talent. And yes there is more to it than just scouting the best players but Leon has the results to prove what ever he is doing is working.
I know the set-up of girls football in NZ is different to boys. But then why is that. Why is it different.