Bit late to the Stamenic chat but I have heard very, very good things from ex-teammates and coaches that have ben around him. One team mate of his at one of the youth WCs said he was like a 'cheat code' in training and in the domestic regional leagues. Although, I have never seen the player myself!
Nevertheless, very much looking forward to see this talented generation of Kiwis compete!
This post makes a lot of sense to me. Rojas and Kosta have played in teams with very very week midfields so we’ve hardly seen the best of them. Look at what they do as wide players in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-2-2 in Kostas case when their teams are playing through the thirds.
I wouldn’t dismiss the batch of 27-29 year olds just yet.
coochiee
For AWs and those 2 big intercontinental playoff games June next year, I'd still be very tempted to have both Barba and Rojas up top with Wood. They have both played alot with the Burnley striker, and have a tonne of experience in big one off high stakes games (A League finals, previous intercontinental playoffs).
That is if they are both in reasonable form & fitness come mid next year. It's up to McCowatt, Just etc to prove they are better.
However will unfortunately be very problematic, getting the A League guys together with the rest of the AWs (Euro/MLS), before June next year. Any quality friendlies before then are likely to be in Europe, and the 2 week MIQ requirement for A League guys on return to NZ/Aus will rule them out.
So I guess that is advantage Euro based guys like McCowatt, Just, Garbett etc - re likely getting more AWs opportunities in the lead up to June next year.
Have the other squads been announced, and are there any players in particular to watch out for? Especially overage players. Has Son Heung-min been selected?
Have the other squads been announced, and are there any players in particular to watch out for? Especially overage players. Has Son Heung-min been selected?
None of the others in our group have been named yet, but in general a few players to look out for other groups are:
Group A Eduardo Camavinga, Jonathan Ikone, Maxence Caqueret (FRA); Takefusa Kubo, Ritsu Doan (JAP); Diego Lainez (MEX) (those three teams and South Africa make up Group A who are drawn to face our group in quarters ie first A v second B and vice versa);
Group C Ezequiel Barco, Alexis Mac Allister, Thiago Almada (ARG, who haven’t brought any Copa America guys ie Messi, Di Maria etc); Pedri, Dani Olmo, Marco Asensio, Mikel Oyarzabal (ESP, who have a very strong side, on paper favourites maybe) (group also has AUS and EGY)
Group D Bruno Guimaraes, Matheus Cunha, Antony, Malcom, Claudinho (BRA); (group also has Germany, Saudi Arabia and Ivory Coast)
Have the other squads been announced, and are there any players in particular to watch out for? Especially overage players. Has Son Heung-min been selected?
Goalkeepers: Song Bumkeun (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Ahn Joonsoo (Busan IPark)
Defenders: Kim Minjae (Beijing Guoan F.C.), Kim Jaewoo (Daegu FC), Kim Jinya (FC Seoul), Seol Youngwoo (Ulsan Hyundai FC), Lee Youhyeon (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Jeong Taewook (Daegu FC), Kim Donghyun (Gangwon FC)
Have the other squads been announced, and are there any players in particular to watch out for? Especially overage players. Has Son Heung-min been selected?
Goalkeepers: Song Bumkeun (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Ahn Joonsoo (Busan IPark)
Defenders: Kim Minjae (Beijing Guoan F.C.), Kim Jaewoo (Daegu FC), Kim Jinya (FC Seoul), Seol Youngwoo (Ulsan Hyundai FC), Lee Youhyeon (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Jeong Taewook (Daegu FC), Kim Donghyun (Gangwon FC)
Forwards: Song Minkyu (Pohang Steelers), Um Wonsang (Gwangju FC), Lee Dongjun (Ulsan Hyundai FC), Hwang Uijo (Bordeaux)
No Son for South Korea
Lee Kangin the name that sticks out, he won the Golden Ball (best player) in the 2019 U20 World Cup, as a 2001-born player, as South Korea made the final (but lost to Ukraine)
Kim Min-Jae a top quality centre back as well. Has had all number of rumours linking him to top clubs - taken to the Olympics as an overage player as he misses out on the deadline by just two weeks. Makes Wood’s job a little harder
FE42B217-BD9A-40A8-8058-FD826F78A632.jpeg142.83 KB Here’s Romania‘s squad, but apparently Puscas, who is their senior national team striker, was pulled out by Reading despite having already travelled to Romania, he’s been replaced by Andrei Sintean of Romanian Liga II team FC Hermannstadt.
FE42B217-BD9A-40A8-8058-FD826F78A632.jpeg142.83 KB Here’s Romania‘s squad, but apparently Puscas, who is their senior national team striker, was pulled out by Reading despite having already travelled to Romania, he’s been replaced by Andrei Sintean of Romanian Liga II team FC Hermannstadt.
Honduras name their team tomorrow.
fudge, this is a weak team compared to what they could have fielded. we’ve gotta count ourselves lucky that we’ve managed to pull almost all our players - first no Son, then Romania bringing none of their top young talent
Do we have warm up games planned and against who and when?
Covid restrictions in Japan probably not making it a straightforward exercise to arrange warm up matches.
Have a mate involved with the NZ Olympic team. Looks after travel arrangements, planning etc for about 8 different sports. He's been to Nippon a few times over the last couple of years in the runup. Pre Covid many smaller Japanese cities were falling over themselves offering to host, fully paid training camps and the like. That has all now just stopped completely.
Do we have warm up games planned and against who and when?
Covid restrictions in Japan probably not making it a straightforward exercise to arrange warm up matches.
Have a mate involved with the NZ Olympic team. Looks after travel arrangements, planning etc for about 8 different sports. He's been to Nippon a few times over the last couple of years in the runup. Pre Covid many smaller Japanese cities were falling over themselves offering to host, fully paid training camps and the like. That has all now just stopped completely.
The olympic football tournament is spread all over Japan. Travel logistics must be difficult considering covid. Would make sense to centralise the games somewhat and reduce the domestic travel requirements, but if finding enough suitable training facilities is difficult then this just adds to the difficult logistics. Your mate will be really earning his wages.
Good that the full 22 players will be available. It always seemed weird to take four players to not have them available to play, as if the IOC wanted to make certain that it’s NOT a FIFA tournament so let’s do things differently. Good chance for Old, Garbett and Sutton to get a chance at coming on now though, given I thought they weren’t necessarily the 19th to 22nd best U23 players, but more so they would be eligible for the next Olympics, so giving them a taster. I wonder if guys like Billingsley or Rogerson would have been taken instead had this been the case from the start, but their age (‘97 and ‘98 born) dissuaded Hay from bringing them as reserves.
Technically, Devlin’s Jets contract started today, so you could argue it’s only 6, but that’s pedantry and I get your point.
FE42B217-BD9A-40A8-8058-FD826F78A632.jpeg142.83 KB Here’s Romania‘s squad, but apparently Puscas, who is their senior national team striker, was pulled out by Reading despite having already travelled to Romania, he’s been replaced by Andrei Sintean of Romanian Liga II team FC Hermannstadt.
Honduras name their team tomorrow.
fudge, this is a weak team compared to what they could have fielded. we’ve gotta count ourselves lucky that we’ve managed to pull almost all our players - first no Son, then Romania bringing none of their top young talent
So we have the easiest draw we've ever had at a world cup/olympics, and none of the teams we're playing have chosen their very best players. Surely this is the best chance we're going to get in a long time to do well.
Really looking forward to seeing this team perform.
Although I know of a lot of players who aren't in the mix anymore that could've been big talents for NZ.
One to point out is Henry Cameron - ACL just ruined him as a player and he's gone from playing for Blackpool to Australian State leagues. If he stuck with it and it didn't do his ACL, I reckon he could've been a really good asset for us.
But, I guess you could say there are many "What ifs" that exist in football.
Henry Cameron is back in the UK, working for a car leasing company. Not sure if that means he's completely given football away.CactusJones
Really looking forward to seeing this team perform.
Although I know of a lot of players who aren't in the mix anymore that could've been big talents for NZ.
One to point out is Henry Cameron - ACL just ruined him as a player and he's gone from playing for Blackpool to Australian State leagues. If he stuck with it and it didn't do his ACL, I reckon he could've been a really good asset for us.
But, I guess you could say there are many "What ifs" that exist in football.
Apparently the game has a 1500 crowd so not behind closed doors, but isn’t being streamed/broadcast which seems bit poor. If they were that scared about teams getting a look at tactics/shape they wouldn’t have 1500 people going, given there hasn’t been a game at any level for almost two years you’d think they would want to show it. Same situation as when they played Aus U23 in October 2019, they didn’t stream the first game and only realised afterwards that people wanted to watch.
Sounds like Boxall won't be going to Japan now, if Minnesota have their way. Will be important that Hay keeps a good relationship with MLS coaches like Heath at MU, as those big intercontinental playoffs game June next year will be mid season MLS - if admittedly in a FIFA window. But Hay may want Boxall released earlier (same Tuiloma at Timbers) for some important warmup games/camps prior in 2022. So need to keep the goodwill going.
Payne will be a pretty able replacement. Was actually at London 2012, but as a DM??
https://www.mnufc.com/news/postgame-quotes-colvmin-x9461 On Michael Boxall and his prospects of going to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games …“He’s got a problem at this minute in time and he probably won’t be going I would think.”
Sounds like Boxall won't be going to Japan now, if Minnesota have their way. Will be important that Hay keeps a good relationship with MLS coaches like Heath at MU, as those big intercontinental playoffs game June next year will be mid season MLS - if admittedly in a FIFA window. But Hay may want Boxall released earlier (same Tuiloma at Timbers) for some important warmup games/camps prior in 2022. So need to keep the goodwill going.
Payne will be a pretty able replacement. Was actually at London 2012, but as a DM??
https://www.mnufc.com/news/postgame-quotes-colvmin-x9461 On Michael Boxall and his prospects of going to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games …“He’s got a problem at this minute in time and he probably won’t be going I would think.”
Nah. I don't think Payne is the man for it. I think because of Haze defensive inclination, for me it's more likely that Stensness would go into that vacated role. He's very capable of filling the Boxall boots, is bigger/stronger than the other CB candidates, and there are other midfield options. It's basic thinking but will do the job, even though it would be a shame to lose his domination in midfield.
On a separate note, it must be a piss off for players who work hard all year on one position, in order to get to the O games, only to be put in a different role when they get there.
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