New Zealand Men's U-20s

Too lippy?

My three to watch would be Tuiloma, Rufer and Edge.

Cory is a great player (and he's had an excellent start to his US college career); but I'd rate Jesse higher. He's in the first team squad for his team who are sitting 4th in Serie B. Also, I think Rufer is showing more potential than Ridenton.

Any bolters for the U20 squad?

Dylan Burns. Maybe.

Yeah, is he, or should he be considered for the squad? To be honest I didnt know who he was before he moved to England. He will be one of the younger ones if he did make the squad. 

Stand out player for Central in ACFC's Under 17 Easter tournament of 2 years ago. Then played for ACFC's title winning Under-20's last year (I think)

NB Same tournament on again at the Springs starting Friday next (20th March)

Apart from Chris Wood (who went to West Brom when he was 15), have any kiwis who went to develop in the English youth system in their latter teens really kicked on, in the last 5-6 years? I'm thinking Howieson, Payne, Luke Adams.

Is Dimairo a shot?

The 3 times I watched him, he was a black hole. The ball goes to him and he never passes. Just gets it on the left flank and decided to run through the entire team. I have no problem with a kid that backs himself but a smart footballer also knows when to make the pass and when to take the opponent on. It got so bad in one game that his team mates and coach started on him and he just ignored them

http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/u-20s-named-for-uzbekistan/

Goalkeepers

Oliver Sail – Wellington Phoenix, NZL
Nik Tzanev – Brentford FC, ENG

Defenders

Samuel Brotherton – Wanderers SC, NZL
Cory Brown – Xavier University, USA
Jesse Edge – Vicenza Calcio, ITA
Brock Messenger – Wanderers SC, NZL
Adam Mitchell – Wanderers SC, NZL
Deklan Wynne – Wanderers SC, NZL

Midfielders

Andrew Blake – Wellington Phoenix, NZL
Andre de Jong – Wanderers SC, NZL
Nicholas Del Moro – Acqui Unione Sportiva 1911, ITA
Moses Dyer – Wanderers SC, NZL
Clayton Lewis – Wanderers SC, NZL

Forwards

Judd Baker – Wanderers SC, NZL
Noah Billingsley – Wanderers SC, NZL
Monty Patterson – Ipswich Town FC, ENG
Alex Rufer – Wellington Phoenix, NZL
Joel Stevens – Wellington Phoenix, NZL
Birhanu Taye – SKF Sered, SLO

Uzbekistan v Men’s U-20s
Saturday 4 April
Tashkent

Uzbekistan v Men’s U-20s
Monday 6 April
Tashkent

You throw Tuiloma and Ridenton into that midfield and you can see the beginnings of the team.

Interesting rise in fortunes for Dyer coming back from a six month "Club" ban for "making Contact" with a referee at the ACFC U17 tournament to NZU20 rep. No Dylan Burns (same age) who is in full time pro environment 

Great to see del Moro included. Plenty of hope in that guy

Tam dimairo is probably unlucky. He hasn't looked out of place at ASB level games I have seen.

Same with Andrew Blake.

Where has this keeper come from? 

Is there anyone missing from that team that could/should be there other than Ridenton and Tuiloma?

Taye / Rufer as forwards.... in the last games Taye played as DM and RB... now he's a striker? 

Rufer is more a AM as well.

Rufer has played as a DLP in front of the back 4 when I've seen him for the weenix. Ridenton was more likely to push forward.

He's got a bit of bite to him as well.

From memory, I'd say Spiros Agathos, Michael den Heijer, Te Atawhai Wihongi Hudson and Tomo Trbuhovic

Have you ever seen him play?

When is their game?

Lost 1 - 0

Seems to be fairly consistant from them,they seem to defend well, only concede one or two, but never score. They need a striker before tournament starts.

This

As much as we all hope that they do well in the U20 WC next month the reality is that they will be battling to get points. There will be quite a gap in standard between the NZ team and most of the rest of the teams participating(except for the likes of Myanmar). Home town advantage will give the boys a lift but they will struggle IMO. What will let them down is the lack of goal scorers in the team. They will battle away and be combative but if they can't score then they will be in trouble. 

Is Joel Stevens injured and out of the tournament?

Where's Dylan Bull these days? Been banging them in for fun in junior tournaments for years.

He doesn't lack size either so could probably handle the step up physically.

we're going to get fudgeing dicked at this WC

Not a full strength NZ side starting the first game vs. the Uzbeks:

Wynn, Brotherton and Lewis were on the bench because they only arrived from Korea the day before and didn't see much game time. Ridenton was a late call-up after initially not being selected in the squad due to lack of fitness but has recovered from injury sooner than expected.

"All White Bill Tuiloma will remain with French Ligue 1 club Olympique Marseille with the tour outside of a designated FIFA window."

http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/u-20s-set-for-uzbekist...

New Zealand: 1. Oliver Sail (GK), 2. Brock Messenger (6. Sam Brotherton 85’), 4. Jesse Edge, 5. Adam Mitchell (capt), 7. Andrew Blake (18. Noah Billingsley 75’), 9. Judd Baker (10. Clayton Lewis 59’), 13. Cory Brown (3. Deklan Wynne 82’), 14. Andre de Jong (19. Nicholas Del Moro 75’), 15. Alex Rufer, 16. Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi (8. Moses Dyer 63’), 17. Matthew Ridenton
Substitute not used: 12. Nik Tzanev (GK)

Mitchell – one of the U-20 contingent in the All Whites camp in Korea – said his side is set to benefit in game two from the time spent with Anthony Hudson's team in Seoul.

"Being with the All Whites is a great experience and it's going to be good for us to get those players back in the team. We're going to push them again, we know how they play now and we can work on it in training and we'll be pushing hard for the result."

The second and final match of the series is in Tashkent on Tuesday at midnight NZT.

Apparently he's been offered a 3 year contract a the Nix as well.

TV wrote:

Think id rather go to Germany

Well hes gone to the Nix

Where's that Trubohovic guy gone? He had an eye for goal and could put it about.

9 friendlies since june 2014, just one win and one draw, things don't look pretty good ahead of the World Cup

To put our results into perspective, Australia couldn't beat the Uzbeks either (1-1 draw in the AFC qualifying) and finished beneath them in their qualifying group (knocked out in the group stage).

All Uzbekistan u-20's (previously known as "u-19's") results 2014 -15:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uzbekistan_national_u...

Uzbekistan were undefeated in all their eight friendlies last year prior to the AFC Finals in Mynamar (against Hungary x2, Armenia x2, Libya, Albania x2, Thailand)

However, North Korea whipped the Uzbeks 5-0 in the AFC semi - so they must be pretty decent.

Uzbekistan lost narrowly to Portugal u-20's (2-0) and Uruguay u-20's (1-0) in a tournament in Coimbra, Portugal last week.

And expect AFC champs Qatar to be even more decent with their oil millions, Spanish coach, and most of the side already signed to clubs in Europe:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatar_national_under-...

Qatar have players at Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Villareal, Real Sociedad, Auxerre, Salzburg, Linz, Celtic

...and six of the squad are at high-flying Belgian second tier side Eupen (second in the league but lost in the promotion play-offs to enter the top tier). Former Auckland City striker Manel Exposito plays for them (17 apps last season).

Why so many are at this club is explained by the fact that "since June 2012, the club is owned by Qatar and its Aspire Zone Foundation, who also owns Paris Saint-Germain. Aspire tries to use the club as a launching pad into European football for its academy graduates from Africa, South America and Asia." 

The entire squad at the AFC qualifiers was composed of Aspire Academy students. As a result of Aspire's HOPE Project (Holistic Overseas Player Experience), most of the squad were European-based. Only seven of their 24 players at the AFC qualifiers play back home in Qatar.

I do like the general make up of the squad and have high hopes for them, but it would be great if we had that gun striker who could make something happen.

Looking at our midfield of Rufer, Ridenton and Tuiloma, its pretty solid and De Jong as also had a stellar year. The backs similarly have a strong feel about them with Wynne, Edge etc.

Just need that striker.