What is interesting given some comments around the Qatar game is the senior players (esp Bell it seems) are having a strong say in how the team want to play.
This wouldn't work for many strong international teams, as the coach needs to make big decisions about dropping senior players, including sometimes the captain if they ain't playing well. But given the AWs thin talent pool, this is likely okay. Joe Bell ain't going to be dropped from an AWs squad this WC cycle.
But could it almost be at a stage now that if an experienced older overseas coach came in, is a risk of upsetting the AWs coach/player power balance? Likely not, but is something the AWs coach selection panel (which Wood & Bella are part of) would have to consider.
Personaly I'd take Danny Hay back in a heartbeat now. Stronger character than Bazeley, and I think he was making progress. Hay was still learning in the job as a fairly inexperienced coach, so I think he would have evolved the lineup into a permanent back 4 (like Baze tried this June window) as well if the team wanted it. I don't think Hay, was Talay-like with only a rigid structure.
But truth is there is still no urgent need to appoint a new gaffer as frustrating as it is. Team won't play again October. Still no competitive games until late 2024, such is the nature of being in tinpot OFC.
Reading some comments on here by a USA supporter about his national team, AWs fans ain't the only national team supporters out there who have to wait awhile for a new coach. And US Soccer has a shark load more cash than NZF. A shark load, plus the lure of an upcoming home WC, and they still went back after their failed search and reappointed former head coach Gregg Berhalter.
This wouldn't work for many strong international teams, as the coach needs to make big decisions about dropping senior players, including sometimes the captain if they ain't playing well. But given the AWs thin talent pool, this is likely okay. Joe Bell ain't going to be dropped from an AWs squad this WC cycle.
But could it almost be at a stage now that if an experienced older overseas coach came in, is a risk of upsetting the AWs coach/player power balance? Likely not, but is something the AWs coach selection panel (which Wood & Bella are part of) would have to consider.
Personaly I'd take Danny Hay back in a heartbeat now. Stronger character than Bazeley, and I think he was making progress. Hay was still learning in the job as a fairly inexperienced coach, so I think he would have evolved the lineup into a permanent back 4 (like Baze tried this June window) as well if the team wanted it. I don't think Hay, was Talay-like with only a rigid structure.
But truth is there is still no urgent need to appoint a new gaffer as frustrating as it is. Team won't play again October. Still no competitive games until late 2024, such is the nature of being in tinpot OFC.
Reading some comments on here by a USA supporter about his national team, AWs fans ain't the only national team supporters out there who have to wait awhile for a new coach. And US Soccer has a shark load more cash than NZF. A shark load, plus the lure of an upcoming home WC, and they still went back after their failed search and reappointed former head coach Gregg Berhalter.
