The Road To Brazil 2014 via Wellington feat. Mexico

Somewhere david mulligan is having a tanty

Ha nice AJ

Without trying to sound too negative (hi Leggy - you might enjoy this), to be honest, I don't think it matters a lot about the personel because either way I think the Mexicans will have figured Herbert out. If anything his selections say to them that he won't be doing anything different (we already know that but it's confirmed now). The Mexicans can watch the video of the two games four years ago, or even anything recent, and get a pretty good idea. I seriously doubt Herbert is bluffing anyway - he ran out of ideas at the Nix and I think he's sticking to what he knows here. I would expect Mexico are onto it and will know our weaknesses very well. Hard to be optimistic I guess

Recently rewatched the DVD of the All Whites WC Journey to SA. 

You get an idea on why Christie is there if you watch it. Herbert gets interviewed and says in his usual Ricki psycho babble that "for him players exist in two camps.....you are either in the "in"  camp or not, you are either part of the journey or not"". That sums up how he selects people, was the same at the Nix where he had his favourites. You have to be part of the "Herbert camp" to get in. Christie obviously is, Fitzgerald and Keat are obviously not.

Christie is there to be one of the lads....it will be like South Africa part 2..."the return of the lads" They(Christie, Fallon etc) will have a great old time, burn hotel mattresses, chuck water bombs etc. Just like last time, just like any boys team on tour.

Trouble is if you watch the rest of the DVD there is an interview from Ryan in which he said he really had to crack the whip to get people into a professional state of mind in SA. People wanted to party after the first game....Ryan knocked that on the head. The problem is there is no Ryan there this time. THe skipper Reid is too quiet. There will be quite a few guys who know this will be their last AW gig, some of them will think they have bugger all show of beating Mexico so they might as well have a bit of a party.

This could turn into a train wreck

Mexixo figured us out in 2nd half in 2010. Put ball in behind wingbacks and put it into a frightened NZ box

If any of the all whites get injured in the phoenix game in chch, the phoenix wont be a popular team.

Wanna bet JV?

on what? The result? I think its a forgone conclusion and it would require a herculean effort the likes of which this squad probably does not have, to get through. 1 game, 1 result, sure. Home and away? Not a chance.

Christie to play 2nd half JV

Prediction 0-3 though

1st leg. Christie replacing Vicelich

Sure. I can't see it but ok.

JD :

I agree with 2nd Best - I don't like the fact we have to use Lochhead but that's life unfortunately.  But Christie just smacks of all the things you hear about NZ junior sides - favouritism, cliques, players being picked because of who you know etc.

Welcome to Ricky Herbert's world of Football. He's always selected based on cliques, favouritism etc. Then there are some players, where one year Ricki thinks they're the best thing since sliced bread, heaps of potential, etc eg: Michael Boxall. He should be in the AW ahead of Christie!

JD :

I agree with 2nd Best - I don't like the fact we have to use Lochhead but that's life unfortunately.  But Christie just smacks of all the things you hear about NZ junior sides - favouritism, cliques, players being picked because of who you know etc.

Welcome to Ricky Herbert's world of Football. He's always selected based on cliques, favouritism etc. Then there are some players, where one year Ricki thinks they're the best thing since sliced bread, heaps of potential, etc eg: Michael Boxall. He should be in the AW ahead of Christie!

I can understand picking players out of a sense of loyalty... when they are quality.

Yes he has been there done that, but it was four years ago, at some point you have to say, hmmm has not played in a long time, maybe its time for someone else.

So fn annoyed by this i could explode!!

yes.

newbyone wrote:

JD :

I agree with 2nd Best - I don't like the fact we have to use Lochhead but that's life unfortunately.  But Christie just smacks of all the things you hear about NZ junior sides - favouritism, cliques, players being picked because of who you know etc.

Welcome to Ricky Herbert's world of Football. He's always selected based on cliques, favouritism etc. Then there are some players, where one year Ricki thinks they're the best thing since sliced bread, heaps of potential, etc eg: Michael Boxall. He should be in the AW ahead of Christie!

nomeans wrote:

Which he (RH) is totally entitled to do so long as he his head coach.. I say let him pick who he picks and stop whining about it. Its his ass on the line if it doesn't work and we are not going to replace him before the playoffs. Christie won't get near the pitch he is just one of the lad's and if that adds to team chemistry then let him be there.. We need our starting XI to be as focused and prepared as possible and if that means taking a couple of players to help keep the team motivated then I have no problem with it. I'll start complaining when he start's Christie and we lose by 3+

Yep Ricki Herbert has had far too much power for far too long and we all know that "Absolute power corrupts absolutely". Picking the one professional side that existed in NZ and picking the National side on top of that. 

IMO picking Christie "because he's one of the lads and adds to the team chemistry", does not justify his selection - I can't understand why anyone would think it does! It makes a mockery out of playing for the National side (said in previous posts). You pick players because you think that if need be, when you put them on the pitch they have the capability of playing at that level.

If I was a professional player selected for the National side I would not have much respect for Ricki Herbert. Someone who picks total amateurs, let alone unattached players, ahead of other professional players. He's basically saying - son this player deserves his place in our National side as much as you do, don't worry about the fact he has no club or the fact he doesn't play professionally. He's one of my boys so he belongs here, he did a job for me 10 years ago and I know he still can do it. 

IMO the first players National coaches would be looking at are those that play professionally full time, I guess they would also rank their professional players based on the leagues they play in. The professional players make their livelihood from the game, so day in and day out they live and breathe football, they have to, that's the difference between them and amateurs. 

You pick players because you think that if need be, when you put them on the pitch they have the capability of playing at that level. NZFC should be ashamed that they have allowed one person to have such a stranglehold on their National side and dictate it's selection, however unreasonable and unjustifiable some of those selections are.

It's completely absurd that both Lochhead and Christie are in the AW squad, these are players who aren't even remotely match fit. That Herbert still picks them reflects badly on his professional judgement. There we have young Ryan Thomas playing 90 minutes in the Dutch first division and he isn't picked.

If Lochhead trots out in Mexico City he'll be creamed by the speedy Mexican players, likewise Christie won't even get a look in. It's so obvious, but there's no accounting for Herbert's stubborn nature. Can't someone in the AW camp make him see sense? We really need Nelsen standing on Herbert's shoulder.

"At the end of the day you've got what you've got and you choose who you choose." RH

Tim Cahill went through Brown from behind late with a knee to the back if I remember rightly.

Same game that Vince Grella decided to try break Leo's leg with a 2 footed piece of thuggery..

Both should have been red carded and neither were.

#stillbitter

Who would you have instead of Lochhead?