With the competition in less than a year what will the squad and starting team look like?
This is the NZ u-20 squad that went to China for friendlies earlier in the year:
Goalkeepers
Damian Hirst (Birkenhead Utd AFC)
Oliver Sail (Central Utd FC)
Defenders
Cory Brown (Western Suburbs)
Jesse Edge (Vicenza Calcio, ITA)
Brock Messenger (Sunshine Coast Fire, AUS)
Adam Mitchell (Central Utd FC)
Te Atawhai Wihongi Hudson (Real Salt Lake, USA)
Midfielders
Daniel Bowkett (Miramar Rangers)
Andre de Jong (East Coast Bays AFC)
Michael den Heijer (Kashiwa Reysol, JPN)
Monty Patterson (Ipswich Town FC, ENG)
Matthew Ridenton (Wellington Phoenix)
Alex Rufer (Wellington Phoenix)
Birhanu Taye (Braga FC, POR)
Bill Tuiloma (L’Olympique Marseille, FRA)
Forwards
Judd Baker (East Coast Bays AFC)
Stuart Holthusen (Onehunga Sports)
Joel Stevens (Miramar Rangers)
Tomislav Trbuhovic (Whittlesea Rangers FC, AUS)
Wihongi Hudson has since left Real Salt Lake Academy in Major League Soccer in the USA, and after trialing in Italy, has signed for Wanderers SC in the ASB Premiership.
Birhanu Taye is from an Ethopian refugee family in Wellington and has left Sporting Braga's youth team in Portugal and has been playing in the Under-21 team for major club FC Slovan Liberec in the Czech Republic since late September. He's listed in the team on their website a few times - first one here:
Liberec vs Bohemians 1905
Seems to be mentioned in this report if anyone can translate it:
Pouze plichta juniorky
Judd Baker was briefly at Swansea City's academy earlier this year but is now playing for Wanderers SC.
Stuart Holthusen was one of our best players in the u-17 World Cup in the UAE last year and played last season for Wanderers SC. He has since signed for the University of Akron, USA:
http://www.gozips.com/sports/msoc/2014-15/bios/hol...
Mid-American Conference Season just finished: Played: 19 Started: 9 Goals: 4 Assists: 3
Now in the national NCAA Finals (Akron are one of the top ten college sides in the USA - were #1 in 2010):
"Akron opens its run in the NCAA Championship battling Ohio State on Thursday, Nov. 20, in the opening round of the 48-team tournament.
Under the guidance of second-year head coach Jared Embick, the Zips stand 13-6-1 overall after a 2-1 triumph over Bowling Green on Sunday, Nov. 16, in the MAC Championship.
After 20 matches, sophomore midfielder Adam Najem (Clifton, N.J.) is the Zips' leading scorer with 13 goals, four assists, and 30 points. Freshman forward Stuart Holthusen (Auckland, New Zealand) follows with four goals, four assists, and 12 points."
Tomislav Trbuhovic has returned from Australia to now play for Wanderers SC.
This is the NZ u-20 squad that went to Qatar to play Qatar, Chile and Morocco in September with a few changes from the China tournament squad due to player unavailability (some had signed for US universities and a couple in the All Whites squad vs. Uzbekistan):
Goalkeepers
Oliver Sail - Central Utd FC/NZ
Zac Speedy - Three Kings Utd/NZ
Defenders
Spiros Agathos - Sydney United 58/AUS
Brock Messenger - Sunshine Coast Fire/AUS
Adam Mitchell - Central Utd FC/NZ
Jesse Edge - Vicenza Calcio/ITA
Deklan Wynne - East Coast Bays AFC/NZ
Midfielders
Andrew Blake - Miramar Rangers/NZ
Andre de Jong - East Coast Bays AFC/NZ
Michael den Heijer - Kashiwa Reysol/JAP
Clayton Lewis - Wellington Olympic/NZ
Matthew Ridenton - Wellington Phoenix/NZ
Alex Rufer - Wellington Phoenix/NZ
Gowan Stares - Pulse Premier Academy/UK
Birhanu Taye - Braga FC/POR
Forwards
Elijah Neblett - Birkenhead Utd AFC/NZ
Joel Stevens - Miramar Rangers/NZ
Tomislav Trbuhovic - Whittlesea Rangers FC/AUS
Wanderers SC (NZ u-20) Squad in the ASB Premiership 2014-15 Season:
Gowan Stares is English-born and immigrated to NZ as a kid, playing youth football in Wellington before returning to England to play the 2012-13 season for Cheltenham Town FC's academy. Last season he attended private UK football academy "Pulse Premier" before returning to NZ to play for Wanderers this season.