New Zealand U-23s - Quali Whites

First official #Paris2024 training session ✅ pic.twitter.com/4XQEWdPYPh

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) July 20, 2024

Arriving for our first official #Paris2024 training session 🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/aB2d2Q8Do3

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) July 20, 2024

What’s the point of these photos and the team of the day when there is no info of an international warm up match?

Controlling the narrative.

Some match highlights from Guinea U23 1-0 win (goal a pen) over Indonesia U23, Olympics playoff game in early May.

Likely that a few of their better players may have been unavailable then as some European leagues were still operating. Plus obviously sans three o/a players.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i27pjYazjc4

Looks like it's still sans Old, Riley Bidois, Mikey Boxall, Joe Bell & Henry Gray.

🇳🇿✈️🇫🇷 #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/zukHhxeLNK

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) July 21, 2024

Game vs Guinea will be on Sky Sports 5 at 2:50am on Thursday.

Seems very unlikely that Old will start that game, even if he is released for the Olympics at all. Here's hoping Boxall & Bell can.

We might see a lineup of:

Paulsen
Bindon Boxall Surman Sutton
Conchie Bell
Garbett Singh Randall
Waine 

coochiee

Looks like it's still sans Old, Riley Bidois, Mikey Boxall, Joe Bell & Henry Gray.

🇳🇿✈️🇫🇷 #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/zukHhxeLNK

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) July 21, 2024

Paulsen doing the Ashley Cole there.

imanixsupporter

Game vs Guinea will be on Sky Sports 5 at 2:50am on Thursday.

Seems very unlikely that Old will start that game, even if he is released for the Olympics at all. Here's hoping Boxall & Bell can.

We might see a lineup of:

Paulsen
Bindon Boxall Surman Sutton
Conchie Bell
Garbett Singh Randall
Waine 

Cruel considering the Ferns are on same time the following day! Damn I wish football was one of the early day events

To those with Sky Sport Now who may not know (I didn't until quite recently), you can go to the TV Guide and click anything broadcast within the previous 24h and play it from the beginning. I'll probably be waking up slightly later than 3am to watch the game a bit delayed. 

After waltzing past Paraguay 4-1,  and then Dominican Republic 7-0, France got a tougher match in their last pre Olympics warmup, a few days ago. A 1-1 draw with Japan. 

For some reference Japan U23 played USA U23 in the States in June, with the Japanese 2-0 winners. They must be a useful side.

Gutting that Bell played 90 minutes this morning, 72 hours before our opening game. Hopes are awfully low at this point. 

imanixsupporter

Gutting that Bell played 90 minutes this morning, 72 hours before our opening game. Hopes are awfully low at this point. 

In Paulsen,we trust...

Player head count now 18 I reckon. Bidois arrived??
If so that would make Old, Boxall, Bell & Gray still absent.

Since Gray's only an Easy Jet flight away in Suffolk, maybe he's gonna be more a non travelling reserve??  Better for him to train around the Tractor Boys' EPL first team and/or get ready for a new loan deal. Imagine there is a bit of a pre season buzz around Ipswich Town FC at the moment, a return to the top flight after 22 years away. The chances that he will need to be called up by OWs slim.

Proud to be part of @TheNZTeam at #Paris2024 🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/9oWlacobPj

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) July 22, 2024

Do the support team outnumber the players? 

FFS

There's a few NZ Olympic officials in that pic

So are you saying they have nothing to do with the team?

If so how many?

Because the above picture clearly illustrates what a cluster fudge this campaign has been. 

Curiosity surrounding Ben Old. NewstalkZB with a report from Ben stating he'll miss the first game vs. Guinea, but will be available for selection past that (injury recovery pending). 

This conflicts from a report two days ago where ASSE's coach said Ben would be available for their friendly against Villarreal on July 27.

Assuming the latter report refers solely to his injury recovery, and his availability for the Olympics is a newer development. If so, that's class - key piece for us

Hmmm. Sounds like the club is more than gently hinting he should play all of the short pre-season he has available with them…Nellie always looked after his club career and was a PL club captain. 

AucklandPhoenix

So are you saying they have nothing to do with the team?

If so how many?

Because the above picture clearly illustrates what a cluster fudge this campaign has been. 

To me in that photo it seems to be all the NZF staff are at the back. Bazeley. Assistants Elliott & Readings. The legendary fitness trainer Coach Sunz (google him). Likely a GK coach, a manager, 1 or 2 more analysts, a physio, maybe a team doctor. Nothing too crazy.

Then at the front it's the lady who gave the team their individual pounamus, plus I'm guessing assorted Olympics staffers. Chef de Mission Paul Avery is there 2nd left, 2nd row. Maybe a translator, maybe a security expert, maybe the bus driver!

Have a good mate who works for the NZ Olympic Committee (or whatever they are named), Paris is I think is his 5th (& last) Olympics. He looks after about 4-5 sports. He doesn't do football, but will no doubt have a NZOC work mate equivalent in that photo, who does.

You work with the various national bodies of those 4-5 sports through the 4 year cycle, identify potential medal winners, work on funding needs, plan out buildup individual events and visit the host city(ies) 2-3 times in the leadup to the big event itself. Meet with the local host country organisers on those trips, make sure accommodation, training venues, transport etc etc are all sorted well in advance to a high standard. Remembering alot of events are not held in the host city, and many athletes never stay in the main Olympic village.

He's a sports nut, and obviously it's exciting to be around world class athletes. But it can also be a very stressful role as the Olympics themselves approach. Invariably despite all the best planning things go wrong, and you are dealing with with emotional athletes who's whole last 4 years (or even lifetime dreams) have come down to this one event. He actually much prefers the Commonwealth Games due to it's more relaxed, fun feel.

 

Back at it in Nice 🇫🇷#Paris2024 | @TheNZTeam pic.twitter.com/4DZxswgUCo

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) July 22, 2024

2️⃣ days to go! #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/NcdRHqBbKM

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) July 22, 2024

In come both Bayliss & Gillion. Luis Toomey better get himself on a plane ASAP.

Though the rules are flexible in that if Old does become available, Gillion can move out of 18 man squad back to being part of the 4 travelling reserves.

Tough on Bidois, could have been a great shop window for him.

Ben Old will miss the OlyWhites' opening game v Guinea, but hopes to be fit beyond that. Liam Gillion will replace him in the squad for game 1.

Riley Bidois has been ruled out of the Games with a hamstring injury; he's been replaced by Lachlan Bayliss. @newstalkzbsport

— Jason Pine (@pineynz) July 22, 2024

AucklandPhoenix

So are you saying they have nothing to do with the team?

If so how many?

Because the above picture clearly illustrates what a cluster fudge this campaign has been. 

This is such a weird criticism. As people have pointed out, a number of these people are NZOC employees. What do you think it takes to run an Olympic campaign, and how do you think their presence in this picture illustrates that the campaign has been a clusterfudge. 

Yeah it was a dumb critique. I'd love to see a photo of USA basketball team's travelling Olympics entourage. That is likely a better example of OTT official support.

If the Olywhites have a poor Olympics, that will be down to clubs not releasing our best players, disrupted preparations, and in hindsight not picking Rufer and one of Roux/Kirwan/Ingham ahead of Bell & Boxall. Having Bell & Boxall come in so last minute is starting to feel less & less ideal. Worried that Conchie & Bell have never played together.

But lets wait to see what happens Thursday morning. Then we can judge.

Fitzy

AucklandPhoenix

So are you saying they have nothing to do with the team?

If so how many?

Because the above picture clearly illustrates what a cluster fudge this campaign has been. 

This is such a weird criticism. As people have pointed out, a number of these people are NZOC employees. What do you think it takes to run an Olympic campaign, and how do you think their presence in this picture illustrates that the campaign has been a clusterfudge. 

We seem to be back in with the bizarre philosophy that if you take a system strained to breaking and cut its operating budget and yell at it enough, we’ll achieve some kind of streamlined performance…

But I don’t think that’s what Auckland means. 

But again I’m an outlier who thinks that there’s sod all Bazeley and co could have done and we’re a victim of our own players success, and perhaps casualness. 

Managers and key players have changed at several clubs. New players have to be eager to please. Older players with lots of competition need to show they aren’t Biden-esque. There are a vast number of players out there absolutely clamoring to get a sniff at top level. Maybe a few players don’t appreciate that? This is bigger than being an AB for that city. 

If you want to play in the top leagues you have to be ruthless and streamlined. That may mean reprioritising tournaments and certainly not playing two in a preseason before a top flight season! 

Other than that medical, tactical and logistical staff are important at a tournament…

Hot as balls and then some here today. 

Reported as per Piney's post.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350352422/midfielder-ben-old-miss-oly-whites-first-match-ankle-injury

I suspect ASSE are probably hoping NZ lose their first two and so then there is no point releasing him for the third, even if he is fit. 

https://x.com/ByPhillipRollo/status/1815851394521604549?t=zkFib-jLW2Fi5mgvTqMKBg&s=19

Garbett captain for the whole Olympics, ahead of Bell & Boxall. Intriguing. I wonder if this puts him in the conversation with Cacace & Bell for the All Whites vice captaincy 

imanixsupporter

https://x.com/ByPhillipRollo/status/1815851394521604549?t=zkFib-jLW2Fi5mgvTqMKBg&s=19

Garbett captain for the whole Olympics, ahead of Bell & Boxall. Intriguing. I wonder if this puts him in the conversation with Cacace & Bell for the All Whites vice captaincy 

Libby is a locked in starter for the AWs. It's a very small number of AWs games he hasn't been at LB since his debut.

Bell's starting spot is definitely under threat with so many quality DMs around, and Garbett ain't locked in to start either. I'd say Cacace who did a good job in Vanuatu, is maybe now the heir apparent to the Woodsman.

But good chance to grow the leadership group, by giving Garbett some armband experience.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350327898/oly-whites-boosted-sarpreet-singhs-presence-paris-olympics

Joining Singh as over-age players in France are midfielder Joe Bell and centre back Michael Boxall, who only arrived in camp this week after playing for their respective clubs in Norway and the United States last weekend.

Midfielder Matt Garbett will captain the Oly Whites, with goalkeeper Alex Paulsen, defenders Tyler Bindon and Finn Surman and forward Ben Waine the others who have been regulars in All Whites squads over the past 12 months.

Left back Sam Sutton, attacking midfielder Jay Herdman and forward Jesse Randall will be three of the under-23 cohort looking to stake their claim for senior opportunities down the line.

The Oly Whites made it to the quarterfinals in Japan three years ago, where they lost to the hosts in a penalty shootout.

They will have their work cut out to repeat that result this time around, having been drawn in group A with hosts and tournament favourites France, the United States and Guinea – who they play first up on Thursday (NZ time).

“I’ll be challenging this group to say, OK, you're going to come up against some pretty good teams, but this is an opportunity for you to prove and show that you're at that level,” Bazeley said.

“For younger players like Jesse and Jay Herdman and those guys, it's a real opportunity to go and announced themselves. This could be a starting point for their careers.

Fitzy

AucklandPhoenix

So are you saying they have nothing to do with the team?

If so how many?

Because the above picture clearly illustrates what a cluster fudge this campaign has been. 

This is such a weird criticism. As people have pointed out, a number of these people are NZOC employees. What do you think it takes to run an Olympic campaign, and how do you think their presence in this picture illustrates that the campaign has been a clusterfudge. 

We forgot drone operators/detectors as potenial NZF staffers in Gaul. 

So it all starts in 5 hours' time. A real test of Bazeley's abilities as coach. Three very decent opponents, with our team not at full strength, and these aren't friendlies. Getting results at these Olympics will be a massive achievement. I'm hoping Bazeley proves to us all over the next week (or 2?) that he is more than capable of taking NZ to the World Cup and having us play to the level that the players NZ has at its disposal are capable of when there.  

NAC Breda midfielder Matt Garbett will captain New Zealand at the Paris Olympics. The 22-year-old launched his international career in Tokyo three years ago, playing a key role after being initially named as a travelling reserve. pic.twitter.com/sroM7Uv8jk

— Phillip Rollo (@ByPhillipRollo) July 23, 2024

At #Tokyo2020 Matt Garbett started as an alternate player but ended up playing a big role in two games as the team progressed to the quarter-finals.

At #Paris2024 he will captain the Men's Olympic Team for the first time 💪🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/r7lzubJP3x

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) July 24, 2024

It is GAME DAY in Nice 🙌

🆚 Guinea
⏰ 5pm [local] / 3am [NZT]
📍 Nice
🏟️ Stade de Nice
📺 @skysportnz 🇳🇿#Paris2024 | @TheNZTeam pic.twitter.com/hKwdKRVGxu

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) July 24, 2024

Getting quite excited for this, there's enough All Whites regulars in the team to make this pretty intriguing. Big test for Bell against Naby Keita in the middle of the park 

For those without Sky, note that the game is live at 2.50 am on Sky Open.
This Olympics is great for Matt Garbett and his family with his mother being French.
No doubt he'll have lots of relies cheering him on.
The interest will ramp up for Matt and his family when they play France.
His French relies will have to support NZ in that one you'd think?

Left France about 3 days ago for sunny Algarve. Currently trying to see if any of the cable TV channels in my AirBnB will show the game. Love to be able to watch a game while being in the right time zone for a change...

Guinea's 18 man squad is in this Wiki thread.

Sucks that one of their players, Algassime Bah, is at Olympiakos, the same club that wouldn't release Stamenic. Though Bah has only played 1 game for the Olympiakos first team.

Their 3 o/a players including Naby Keïta are all in midfield. I guess trying to close down Keita a big plan of Bazeley's game plan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinea_national_under-23_football_team

Any streaming options - overseas for a wedding in Thailand and Skygo won't work and its not on TV here... that I can find.

No Randall on the bench?

Interesting to see Bayliss and Herdman start, otherwise a predictable lineup, and looks like a back 4 for sure.