New Zealand U-23s - Quali Whites

So how many of the squad are A-League players? And where about's in the world does Stamenic play?

Poco

So how many of the squad are A-League players? And where about's in the world does Stamenic play?

We have six A-League players - Stensness, Lewis, Champness, Ingham, Sutton and Waine. Include Old and it's seven, include Paulsen (a stretch) and it's eight.

Stamenic is with FC København in Denmark, made one appearance last season and was a regular this preseason until his callup.

CactusJones

TAB will always have everyone against NZ.

I would suggest betting for NZ to win and making some real dollars.

 Did anyone bet for NZ to win against Korea last night? 

As mentioned above the boys made me just shy of £100/$200.

Now that's it all done dusted.....and with the benefit of Harry Hindsight (TM Ole Gunnar Solskjaer); who would you have replaced M Boxall with, if you could, to help the U23s progress?

Rusty Dunks

Now that's it all done dusted.....and with the benefit of Harry Hindsight (TM Ole Gunnar Solskjaer); who would you have replaced M Boxall with, if you could, to help the U23s progress?

great question - excluding Thomas, I woulda gone with Rojas, though a broken leg curtailed that. Tim Payne for RB I’d have to say

Final standings in the Olympic men's football:
The Oly Whites finish sixth of the 16 countries taking part.
A mighty fine effort in the end, I'd say.
And we beat one of the countries above us and drew with another after extra time.
1. Brazil
2. Spain
3. Mexico
4.Japan
5. South Korea
6. NEW ZEALAND XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
7. Ivory Coast
8. Egypt

Chris Beath was the ref for the final last night, as Brazil bet Spain 2-1 in ET.

Plenty of diving, simulation & other antics to keep him busy.

mrsmiis

Rusty Dunks

Now that's it all done dusted.....and with the benefit of Harry Hindsight (TM Ole Gunnar Solskjaer); who would you have replaced M Boxall with, if you could, to help the U23s progress?

great question - excluding Thomas, I woulda gone with Rojas, though a broken leg curtailed that. Tim Payne for RB I’d have to say

With hindsight, I'd look at a defender who can play in the middle of a back three/sweeper, to cover Reid's injuries.

Can Nikko play there? Themi could, but is past it?

I'd probably plump for Tommy Smith. 

Rusty Dunks

mrsmiis

Rusty Dunks

Now that's it all done dusted.....and with the benefit of Harry Hindsight (TM Ole Gunnar Solskjaer); who would you have replaced M Boxall with, if you could, to help the U23s progress?

great question - excluding Thomas, I woulda gone with Rojas, though a broken leg curtailed that. Tim Payne for RB I’d have to say

With hindsight, I'd look at a defender who can play in the middle of a back three/sweeper, to cover Reid's injuries.

Can Nikko play there? Themi could, but is past it?

I'd probably plump for Tommy Smith. 

Themi has next to no chance of making an AWs squad again so feel taking him would be counter-productive. Having seen the back four shape I’d prefer that, so wouldn’t be desperate for Smith either. 

Given Thomas and Rojas were injured/not fit, I would have gone either Barbarouses or Tuiloma, given they’re both versatile players and at higher levels than their alternatives. Tuiloma could cover centre back or midfield, and Kosta as a second striker or a winger.

Final standings in the Olympic men's football:
https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/football/medals-and-ranking-men.htm
The Oly Whites finish sixth of the 16 countries taking part.
And we beat one of the countries above us and drew with another after extra time.
1. Brazil
2. Spain
3. Mexico
4.Japan
5. South Korea
6. NEW ZEALAND XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
7. Ivory Coast
8. Egypt 
And ahead of (in order):
Germany, Argentina, Romania, Australia, France
So we finished ahead of three of the four European finalists.
Cue a reversal of the usual bashing of Oceania representatives at these sort of FIFA tournaments as you might get from an arrogant Englishman:
"Four European representatives at the Olympics! Blimey guv, they'd be lucky to deserve one!"

carlind

Rusty Dunks

mrsmiis

Rusty Dunks

Now that's it all done dusted.....and with the benefit of Harry Hindsight (TM Ole Gunnar Solskjaer); who would you have replaced M Boxall with, if you could, to help the U23s progress?

great question - excluding Thomas, I woulda gone with Rojas, though a broken leg curtailed that. Tim Payne for RB I’d have to say

With hindsight, I'd look at a defender who can play in the middle of a back three/sweeper, to cover Reid's injuries.

Can Nikko play there? Themi could, but is past it?

I'd probably plump for Tommy Smith. 

Themi has next to no chance of making an AWs squad again so feel taking him would be counter-productive. Having seen the back four shape I’d prefer that, so wouldn’t be desperate for Smith either. 

Given Thomas and Rojas were injured/not fit, I would have gone either Barbarouses or Tuiloma, given they’re both versatile players and at higher levels than their alternatives. Tuiloma could cover centre back or midfield, and Kosta as a second striker or a winger.

Not sure I would rule out Themi unless he himself is wanting to retire from International football. 

I could be wrong here myself, but I always thought that if you pick a squad you want to develop you always have one older person there for experience. 

If Smith, Reid & Boxall were all out of contention through injury etc for an international friendly (Not even sure if we will have any)

Then I would be having my four CB's as Pijnaker, Stanger, N.Boxall and Themi/Payne. 

But hey, that's just me from my perspective. 

Understand there's more in the running, like Brotherton, Mitchell etc. 

But yeah, I always thought for those younger lads, it's always good to have someone around his older and has the experience if say the likes of Reid, Boxy, Smith etc. aren't there. 

Tuiloma. 

.

Any word on Winston Reid. How serious was his knee injury? Any rumours on loan moves? 

Wellington Phoenix have revealed first team players Ben Old, Sam Sutton, Alex Paulsen, Oskar van Hattum and Finn Surman and academy players Noah Karunaratne, Isaac Hughes, Lukas Kelly-Heald and Fin Conchie have been selected in the New Zealand under-23 squad to play China.

— Phillip Rollo (@ByPhillipRollo) March 2, 2023

Don't know where the rest of the squad is though. Can't find a mention of it anywhere...

NZF may not release the full U23 squad, until they also release the AWs squad for these China games. So likely a few weeks away yet.

There could be some mix & match crossover, which is better explained when both squads are named?? I'm just having a guess at their possible rationale

Like Paulsen is named in the U23s, but could also be the backup 3rd keeper for the AWs. 

The U-23 squad has been locked in for games against China this month 🇳🇿🇨🇳

— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) March 2, 2023

No Jelacic, senior call up coming or he looking towards a country swap?

**Adds Finn Linder to the spreadsheet of Kiwi footballers**

Canada starting to be very good avenue for Kiwi's making their way in the footballing world.

Note he was born in Calgary, so assuming the link to NZ is through his parents?

RR

The U-23 squad has been locked in for games against China this month 🇳🇿🇨🇳

— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) March 2, 2023

No Jelacic, senior call up coming or he looking towards a country swap?

No Colloty or Donkers either, hmmm.

Wusty Wab

RR

The U-23 squad has been locked in for games against China this month 🇳🇿🇨🇳

— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) March 2, 2023

No Jelacic, senior call up coming or he looking towards a country swap?

No Colloty or Donkers either, hmmm.

Donkers needs to settle in at his club side and get involved with their U21 side - Don't forget he was a short notice call-up to our U20 side who went to Indonesia recently, so a bit of give and take required in that circumstance.
 
Should be locked in for U20 World Cup as it stands anyway. 

Would have thought Colloty might have got a look in, but maybe he's getting ready for the start of the Northern League, or still trying to pick up a pro gig somewhere else... But it's a good chance to look at some other players from around the traps.

YoungHeartHM

**Adds Finn Linder to the spreadsheet of Kiwi footballers**

Canada starting to be very good avenue for Kiwi's making their way in football.

Transfermarkt has him born in Calgary and playing youth 'soccer' there as well before heading to Vancouver. Born and bred Canadian it seems. So perhaps it's more that New Zealand is an easier avenue for Canadians wanting a youth international gig having missed out on Canada U20s. 

You lose one foreign call-up eligible through parents and you gain another. The ancestry.com membership doing as intended, to steal an Australian's joke about the Socceroos.

Never heard of Finn Linder before but sounds promising. 18 year old 6’3” CB, playing regularly for Vancouver Whitecaps 2 in the MLS Next Pro.

How many are either with the Nix, or have been through the Aacdemy and now elsewhere. About 12 of the 22? Impressive when also factor in 2 of the squad, have learnt their football offshore in Canada.

Certainly becoming the more dominant NZ pathway, when it was more 50/50 with Ole previously.

RR

The U-23 squad has been locked in for games against China this month 🇳🇿🇨🇳

— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) March 2, 2023

No Jelacic, senior call up coming or he looking towards a country swap?

Not available. 

Knew it was wishful thinking but was quietly hoping for a Matt Dibley-Dias call up, but I suppose at 19 in the Fulham set up with the season their senior men's team is having, an England football future wouldn't seem like a pipe dream to the more ambitiously inclined. 

coochiee

How many are either with the Nix, or have been through the Aacdemy and now elsewhere. About 12 of the 22? Impressive when also factor in 2 of the squad, have learnt their football offshore in Canada.

Certainly becoming the more dominant NZ pathway, when it was more 50/50 with Ole previously.

I think 14 that have played for Lower Hutt/Phoenix Reserves at some point. Supyk, Paulsen, Old, Conchie, Surman, Hughes, Lee, Sims, Kelly-Heald, Karunaratne, van Hattum, Bidois, Wynne, Sutton. The coach for this squad is Paul Temple who is at the Phoenix academy though. 

There's also been argued there is a bias towards Phoenix-based players over those playing for other sides in New Zealand and that it looks better to have Wellington Phoenix as the club listed for a player than a non-professional NL club, even if the player isn't near the first team. There can be a cycle where coaches think players must be better because they've been recruited by the Phoenix, which can affect how a player is viewed, consciously or not. After all, biases can be difficult to remove and if you get told something is good you generally notice things which confirm that bias, and same other way around.

Having a professional contract carrot is a big factor WP have over Ole. Ole have to send players to Sweden or into US universities, whereas the Phoenix can offer that right in Wellington, even if the majority of players won't ever get an A League run. Players also see the large numbers of Phoenix players in NZ youth squads and think they'll be likelier to get picked from there than clubs like Western Springs, Melville, Christchurch Utd etc. so have to move there. In that way it becomes almost self-fulfilling, players move there, so more players think they have to move there to get a shot and so on and so forth.

Rock Hopper

Knew it was wishful thinking but was quietly hoping for a Matt Dibley-Dias call up, but I suppose at 19 in the Fulham set up with the season their senior men's team is having, an England football future wouldn't seem like a pipe dream to the more ambitiously inclined. 

I think he will definitely consider a callup for the U20 WC in Indonesia. Why wouldn't ya, even if you don't feel that Kiwi. It's a pretty good shop window, regardless if he has no short term plans to leave Fulham. Plus just the experience of mingling with some of the world's best age group players.

By May WC kickoff the UK club season will basically be over.

carlind

coochiee

How many are either with the Nix, or have been through the Aacdemy and now elsewhere. About 12 of the 22? Impressive when also factor in 2 of the squad, have learnt their football offshore in Canada.

Certainly becoming the more dominant NZ pathway, when it was more 50/50 with Ole previously.

I think 14 that have played for Lower Hutt/Phoenix Reserves at some point. Supyk, Paulsen, Old, Conchie, Surman, Hughes, Lee, Sims, Kelly-Heald, Karunaratne, van Hattum, Bidois, Wynne, Sutton. The coach for this squad is Paul Temple who is at the Phoenix academy though. 

There's also been argued there is a bias towards Phoenix-based players over those playing for other sides in New Zealand and that it looks better to have Wellington Phoenix as the club listed for a player than a non-professional NL club, even if the player isn't near the first team. There can be a cycle where coaches think players must be better because they've been recruited by the Phoenix, which can affect how a player is viewed, consciously or not. After all, biases can be difficult to remove and if you get told something is good you generally notice things which confirm that bias, and same other way around.

Having a professional contract carrot is a big factor WP have over Ole. Ole have to send players to Sweden or into US universities, whereas the Phoenix can offer that right in Wellington, even if the majority of players won't ever get an A League run. Players also see the large numbers of Phoenix players in NZ youth squads and think they'll be likelier to get picked from there than clubs like Western Springs, Melville, Christchurch Utd etc. so have to move there. In that way it becomes almost self-fulfilling, players move there, so more players think they have to move there to get a shot and so on and so forth.

Yes this trend is a bit of a worry for me. Is the NZ pathway becoming a bit elitist and a bit too singular. Are we missing out on the NZ Irankunda and Kuol type players that probably come from less affluent backgrounds ???
I'm not blaming the Phoenix acadamy because they are obviously the flag ship pathway. But ....

Silly question but are 99 born eligible? According to transfer market Oscar Brown was born in Feb 99. 

Enough said

Silly question but are 99 born eligible? According to transfer market Oscar Brown was born in Feb 99. 

Hmm that's weird, he's an '01 baby

Glad to see Conchie in there. Feel he is under rated as a player. Good engine as a DM, can pick a pass and not prone to silly errors (something you'd expect given his age)

mrsmiis

Enough said

Silly question but are 99 born eligible? According to transfer market Oscar Brown was born in Feb 99. 

Hmm that's weird, he's an '01 baby

It's Browne with an E at the end, definitely 2001.

InAuckland

mrsmiis

Enough said

Silly question but are 99 born eligible? According to transfer market Oscar Brown was born in Feb 99. 

Hmm that's weird, he's an '01 baby

It's Browne with an E at the end, definitely 2001.

Which both Soccerway and Transfermarkt have as 26 Feb 1999 born, playing for Western Springs

ClubOranje

InAuckland

mrsmiis

Enough said

Silly question but are 99 born eligible? According to transfer market Oscar Brown was born in Feb 99. 

Hmm that's weird, he's an '01 baby

It's Browne with an E at the end, definitely 2001.

Which both Soccerway and Transfermarkt have as 26 Feb 1999 born, playing for Western Springs

In Comet he's born 26/2/2001, and that's the registration system for NZF

Rock Hopper

Knew it was wishful thinking but was quietly hoping for a Matt Dibley-Dias call up, but I suppose at 19 in the Fulham set up with the season their senior men's team is having, an England football future wouldn't seem like a pipe dream to the more ambitiously inclined. 

You'll be happy to know that he's being pushed in the direction of NZ by his Mum & Dad, and NZF have been in contact. Whether that means we might see him in Indonesia for the U20's remains to be seen, but massive fingers crossed for the months ahead 🤞🤞

Yes you all read that absolutely right!

Have heard the above - the boy knows the u20 world cup and the Olympics next year are massive windows.
A great chance for him (likely to be a starter in our set up) to get noticed.

MetalLegNZ

Have heard the above - the boy knows the u20 world cup and the Olympics next year are massive windows.
A great chance for him (likely to be a starter in our set up) to get noticed.

Very knowledgeable football people around him for sure. 

It's amazing the responses and information you can find by just taking an absolute shot in the dark alongside consuming a few beverages. 🙃

Is the u23 match not going to be televised? I can't see it on the sky guide

surely!