Regarding this 'we thought there was an issue with Wynne but decided 'fudge it' theme that's coming through, I thought that what Martin said was 'early advise from the lawyers was that if we applied and it was not given, we are stuffed'
That's not them saying 'we knew this'. That's the initial feedback from the lawyers that NZF have asked to look over their position around this.
Do I have that right?
Yeah, pretty much. But guess the point here is - there was clearly awareness that there may be an issue around Wynn's eligibility at NZF (i.e. it's not an oversight, or them simply being unaware of this being an issue at all). The legal advice (wrongly, I think) said FIFA may not make him eligible and that could be it - and in light of that advice, they proceeded to play him anyway, without clarification from FIFA. And furthermore, they've now publically admitted to that situation.
You'd have thought in light of that legal advice, you'd want FIFA to clarify the situation, and you wouldn't play Wynn in the meantime and endanger your whole campaign.
So now them saying - 'oh, yes, he's clearly eligible' sounds hollow, and their decision to play him in spite of uncertainty around eligibility, and without contacting FIFA in relation to it, is pretty unlikely to endear NZF and their position to FIFA if the latter end up having to make a definitive ruling on this.