coochieemartinbnewzealandpowerOi Oi Edgecumbe+3reg22, Rock Hopper, SamCoughlan
about 1 year ago
A bit odd that Piney doesn't have Roux in his top 23, which he has said in the past is his presumptive squad to go to the World Cup, and has Thomas in there. When was the last time Thomas started a club game? Lot of water to go under the bridge before we see that man in white again.
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
Yeah, good shout. The top 23 is indeed my (and just my) presumptive squad. In that 23, Bindon covers RB. It may well be that Baze goes with specialist cover, in which case Roux gets in. imanixsupporter
A bit odd that Piney doesn't have Roux in his top 23, which he has said in the past is his presumptive squad to go to the World Cup, and has Thomas in there. When was the last time Thomas started a club game? Lot of water to go under the bridge before we see that man in white again.
No doubt Bindon will climb this list, and quickly. Pijnaker is higher because he’s a certainty to start at left centre-back. Bindon is in a battle with Boxall to partner him and I think Boxy edges that selection for March. Similarly Crocombe over Paulsen, for now. Could well be very different at the World Cup. Marto
Not sure I completely agree with the top 10. Pijnaker over Bindon?
I think Bindon should be in the top 5 and will sooner or later own that top spot.
Would be fair to have Bindon be the backup if Payne was a Cacace like mainstay but he's been injured a lot in recent years... I think if you're not taking a specialist backup right back because Thomas and Smith are in the squad then there is potentially a little too much sentimentality going on. I'd love for Thomas to get back to his best and make the squad but I daren't hope for it.
At the same time, with the All Whites’ Oceania World Cup qualifying semifinal against Fiji in Wellington a month away, a new contender has emerged across the Tasman, having a breakout season with the Newcastle Jets.
Ben Gibson has scored four goals and assisted four more in 16 appearances for the 11th-placed Jets in A-League Men this summer.
The 22-year-old’s return of 0.78 non-penalty goals plus assists per 90 minutes (NPG+A per 90) so far has only been bettered by one New Zealander in the history of the competition.
Attacking midfielder Marco Rojas had 0.89 NPG+A per 90 in the 2012-13 season with Melbourne Victory, then returned to the club four years later and had 0.95 NPG+A per 90.
Bazeley has been in contact with Gibson, who was born in Australia but is eligible to play for the All Whites as his mum was born in New Zealand.
“He’s another option that’s keen to be available,” Bazeley said. “At the moment, we just keep monitoring him.
“He's very young. Right now, he's probably not competing with Ben Waine and guys like that, but in two, three, four years’ time – what sort of player will he be?
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
No mention in the article about Ho-Jae Lee (Pohang Steelers), or Jack Iredale (Hibs). So can only assume they continue to be either not eligible, or uninterested in an AWs call up.
Ho-Jae Lee is fit again (missed end of K League season in 2024) and started for Pohang Steelers on the weekend as they opened their 2025 campaign with a 0-3 loss in the K League.
He did score in the AFC Champions League Elite - East, 2 days ago in a 5-2 loss at Johor Darul Ta'zim (Chico's parent Malaysian club). Pohang finished 9th (12 teams) and out of CL Elite playoff spots
I'd like to see Alex Rufer tried as the sweeper, I think he has the skills required for the position. Pijnaker will be the left sided AW (sigh....unless Iredale gets in), with Bindon on the right. Boxall doesn't strike me as a sweeper, and would be competing with Bindon.
Rusty Dunks, have you been paying any attention to the All Whites over the past year or two? They have exclusively been playing a back 4 and Bazeley is on record saying that is the system that they are going to stick with. For better or worse I'm pretty sure we are going to be seeing a back 4 at the World Cup, we aren't going to have a sweeper.
Rusty Dunks, have you been paying any attention to the All Whites over the past year or two? They have exclusively been playing a back 4 and Bazeley is on record saying that is the system that they are going to stick with. For better or worse I'm pretty sure we are going to be seeing a back 4 at the World Cup, we aren't going to have a sweeper.
it's ingrained in me that we play 5 at the back! Ricki Herbert lives in my mind, rent free
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
From that article, sounds like Bazeley's in no rush to pick him. But if he went on a big ALM scoring run that could change.
Actually with the AWs there is not many opportunuities to cap tie players.
4 yearly OFC Nations Cup OFC WC qualifying - done & dusted in only 3 FIFA windows this WC cycle The World Cup itself
That's it. Essentially only 5 FIFA windows in a 4 year period, that will consist of about 18-20 AWs windows in total. Doubt there is another nation in the world that plays as many friendlies as the AWs - for this 2026 WC cycle anyway
Injuries & Covid played their part, but Singh was finally cap tied in his 15th appearance for the AWs, 6 years after his debut!!
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
Although not realistic (so don’t jump all over me) but with so many available to us now and a few based in nz and oz and overseas that would be good to have them in a AWs squad but potentially wouldn’t make it but keeping them in the loop/system would be helpfull, day 1 of international window and friendly get those players assembled agaisnt which ever island team makes it to the next round of qualifiers to try help/give them some game time before there game, well the core starters meet up in Europe. Yes I know it can’t happen, nzf most likely doesn’t have the money to run 2 teams with travel and accommodation….. I just think it would be cool cramming in as many games and helping the islands. Potential team Sail Elliot.(Roux) Smith/pjanker. Sutton Rufer Piper Rojas. Gillion
Mata/kosta Sorry obviously some of those players would also after the game be heading to Europe Rufer and Pjanker definitely
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
I'd like to conduct some research with a month to go until the Fiji match, if the YFF would be willing to indulge me...
Name your starting XI for Fiji – your strongest XI – and your 24-man squad for March
Four rules... (Edit: five)
The XI needs to be in a 4-2-3-1 formation
Tommy Smith must be in your 24-man squad
If you name Ben Old in your XI and squad (which I assume everyone will), name a replacement for him as well, seeing as he is the one major injury concern at present
I'd like to conduct some research with a month to go until the Fiji match, if the YFF would be willing to indulge me...
Name your starting XI for Fiji – your strongest XI – and your 24-man squad for March
Four rules...
The XI needs to be in a 4-2-3-1 formation
Tommy Smith must be in your 24-man squad
If you name Ben Old in your XI and squad (which I assume everyone will), name a replacement for him as well, seeing as he is the one major injury concern at present
No Jack Iredale or Lee Ho Jae
Sure, although why must we have Smith in the squad? I'd probably have picked him for his experience and leadership at the back anyway, and he seems to be showing form for AFC - he's there as a bench player for mine.
Fiji
Paulsen Payne - Boxall Pihnaker Cacace
Rufer Garbett
Just Singh McCowatt
Wood
Strongest
Crocombe Payne - Boxall Pihnaker Cacace
Rufer Stamenic
Just Singh Old
Wood
24 Man squad
Crocombe Paulsen Tzanev
Smith Payne Boxall Pijnaker Cacace Rufer Garbett Just Singh McCowatt Wood Old (if fit) Bindon Stemenic Bell Barbarouses De Vries Surman Thomas (if fit) Waine Roux Mata
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
YellowAndBlack
Although not realistic (so don’t jump all over me) but with so many available to us now and a few based in nz and oz and overseas that would be good to have them in a AWs squad but potentially wouldn’t make it but keeping them in the loop/system would be helpfull, day 1 of international window and friendly get those players assembled agaisnt which ever island team makes it to the next round of qualifiers to try help/give them some game time before there game, well the core starters meet up in Europe. Yes I know it can’t happen, nzf most likely doesn’t have the money to run 2 teams with travel and accommodation….. I just think it would be cool cramming in as many games and helping the islands. Potential team Sail Elliot.(Roux) Smith/pjanker. Sutton Rufer Piper Rojas. Gillion
Mata/kosta Sorry obviously some of those players would also after the game be heading to Europe Rufer and Pjanker definitely
Think FIFA prohibit national teams playing in different confederations in the same window.
Covid and the closed international borders was the time that NZF would have been looking at picking a solely local ALM AWs selection for a game (likely ALM Socceroos)
I believe Paulsen is our most talented goalkeeper, simple as that. Hard on Crocombe whose window would slowly close as a result
Pijnaker hard done by considering his form, but Bindon is Bindon, and Boxall matches the profile of CB that Bindon has excelled next to for Reading. Bindon has played as an LCB for near-on his entire professional career, so I'd continue that here (and I'd expect this to continue once Surman usurps Boxall with age, as many expect)
Singh on the wing is perhaps unorthodox (how much of his vision will he be able to utilise?) but he killed it there for Regensburg a couple years back and I love Rufer sitting deep. Put Singh on the right, let him cut inside (works well if Just does the same on the right, as none of our starting midfielders are particularly offensive), and let Payne maraud down the touchline. If necessary, I'd put him back into a midfield three with Bell and Stamenic and put McCowatt and Just on the wings.
I'm fighting hard not to put de Vries at LB and Cacace at LW, by the way. FDV is the best crosser on the team (Bell 2nd) and on home ground against a Pacific side, his crosses into Wood are essentially cheat codes
Bench Crocombe, Paulsen (with Sims breathing down his neck) Kirwan, Pijnaker, Smith, Surman, Stanger Bell, Thomas, Just, McCowatt, de Jong Waine, Kosta, Mata (sigh)
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
Tired of watching crosses/dead balls intended for Wood not get past the first defender, or sail over his head. Would love de Vries to come in and see if he can change that. With FDV in red hot form & Libby sometimes playing forward in Serie A this season, the stars have aligned.
Also a fan of the midfield setup against the USA (1-1) draw, and though he ain't playing much, Stamenic now has some useful experience in a more advanced midfield role at Olympiakos this season. If we are not defensively sound or competitive in midfield quality teams like Sweden or Spain give us a spanking.
Note this is a starting 11, to play bigger teams outside OFC. To me that's more interesting, than how we setup against road kill Fiji. I'd play only 1 of Bell & Rufer against an OFC nation. Fact I can't find a place in the squad for Waine shows the depth that the AWs now have.
Oh and I like Nando's raking left foot switches, plus touch wood the those previous bad defensive mistakes haven't been witnessed at Auckland. But yeah can see a Boxall & Bindon combination being more defensively solid. Just wonder about Boxy's age now, and looking at next year's WC in the Nth American summer heat. Him & Smith as a combo struggled against the Mexicans. It might be a Surman/Bindon (USA game partnership) CB duo by next year.
How good with Pijanker's rebirth, to now have 3 youngest CBs with potentially great upside.
The below assumes everyone is healthy. If long time absentee Thomas is still not fit, bring in Waine. Edit - out of sight Clayton Lewis a smokey.
Paulsen Payne Bindon Pijnaker De Vries Bell Rufer Singh Stamenic Cacace Wood
Bench Crocombe, Sims/Tzanev (toss a coin), Kirwan/Roux (one for the video analyst), Boxall, Smith, Surman, Thomas, Old, Just, McCowatt, Garbett, Kosta, Mata
11 for Fiji Crocs Payne Boxall Pijnaker De Vries Bell Rufer McCowatt Singh Cacace Wood
Best 11 Assuming all Fit Crocombe Payne Bindon Pijnaker Cacace Bell Stamenic Singh Garbett Old Wood
24 Man Squad: Above best 11 Plus: Paulsen Tzanev Boxall Smith Surman De Vries Roux Rufer McCowatt Just Kosta Mata Waine* Old injury replacement.
Some pretty tough calls there especially at CB and the 2 wide attackers. Might be a bit heavy on defenders so potentially you drop Roux for another midfielder (Rojas, Howieson?). I'm a fan of backing your incumbent so have gone for Crocs over Paulsen. Going to be some unlucky players if everyone is fit.
The level you are playing is only part of the selection equation. Just look at Singh & Just.
Is Serie C (3rd tier Italy) much poorer than 3rd tier England? That's the level Bindon, Crocs, Waine (sparingly) & Tzanev play in. Very good chance Kirwan will be in Serie B in a few months.
Most importantly he seems (from afar) to be getting back to the level he was pre ACL injury.
I doubt Stanger makes the AWs until there are some CB injuries, and/or Smith & Boxall are retired.
Bindon and Pijnaker will obviously be our pairing going forward but Nando deserves the start currently, and as MrSmiis said, "Bindon is Bindon."
The mooted switch to left wing/left midfield for Libby might have been a little too spicy for Baze 12 months ago, but name me another player we have has the quality to start there in Serie A - and as others have said, de Vries probably has the best delivery in the whole squad. Let's use that.
Garbett is such a livewire for the All Whites and it pained me not to put him in, with Singh fit and Just having a brilliant 12 months I can't justify it.
Midfield is tricky, probably harsh on Bell. Thomas' inclusion is more out of hope than anything.
Stamenic & Garbett dropped for not playing. Tyler & Nando are in excellent mid-season form, unlike Boxall & Surman who are just getting started for the year. Payne hasn't played that much this season and while the Nix have looked much better when he is playing, he actually isn't in fantastic form so I've got Roux in there, but that's a tossup and I think Payne at his best gets the spot. Old shouldn't be risked right now and to be honest he hasn't impressed in white in the few chances he has had. Harsh on Just perhaps to drop him but his club side is yet to play a competitive game this year and Kosta is in great form. And yes, let's do the FdV at LB & Cacace at LW experiment already and see if it works.
To be fair, if we're talking about the Fiji match specifically, we're going to fudgeing smash them. I'd start a European-based XI, and have everyone on the bench from the Nix or AFC. Then, when the overseas players get tired, bring on the locals. If we don't beat Fiji by at least 4 or 5-0, I'll eat my privates.
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
Starting XI:
Crocombe Roux Bindon Pijnaker FDV Rufer Bell Old Garbett Libby Wood
Squad: Paulsen Smith Hughes Surman Boxall Payne Sutton Stamenic Just Singh McCowatt Mata Kosta Injury replacement: Rogerson
I’ve left out Wilkins, Stanger, Kirwan and ADJ as I’ve not really seen them play, especially of late.
I guess I haven’t really seen Bindon, but peer pressure there ahead of Boxy, who really should be the captain.
Garbett because Eredivisie training is better than playing in the A league right?
Mata has forced his way into the starting line up at his club and playing well, Waine isn’t playing enough and there are 3 forwards ahead of him and several wide players too who are playing well.
Somewhat inconsistently Singh isn’t starting because I haven’t seen his current form, though it’s a coin toss.
Roux and Payne something of a coin toss too.
Hughes my bolter ahead of Stanger. And ahead of better squad balance etc. Oh supposed to have 3 keepers? Hmm. Eh
Unfortunately Smith seems locked in as part of a package deal to help keep Chris Wood happy. He should have been dropped long before now, with us being completely committed to playing a back 4 system we only need 4 centre backs in the squad, and we all know the 4 CBs that are better than him.
It should also be noted that Payne can also do a job at CB and in a recent window before FdV arrived at Auckland, he was called up by Baze who said he got the nod because he could also do a job at CB as well as at LB. This makes it even more silly to have 5 CBs in the squad.
But now that Smith is in the best form he has been in for years there's no chance he gets dropped anymore, we're stuck with him. Though we all know he is far too slow now to he able to be relied upon in a back 4 system, 34 year old Kosta burned him with such ease to score at Mt Smart.
How big are the WC squads? AV asked us to pick 24 players. I think there is enough wriggle room in a 24 man squad for Smith.
Him & Wood are the only 2 current AWs to have been to a World Cup. That is valuable experience. It's agruably the biggest event now in world sport, and there will be plenty of nerves for even some of the more experienced players.
Without the Intercontinental Playoffs or Confeds Cup anymore, the AWs now play virtually zero high stakes competitive games. So having 2 guys who experienced Sth Africa in 2010, and the pressures that build up around a World Cup will be valuable.
The OFC playoffs in March will have some tension leading in, but once the goals go in during the first half, that all disappears. Very different to next year on the world stage as the underdogs.
Tommy & Boxy will retire post WC next year. That's when likes of Hughes (made too many mistakes this ALM season to be in serious contention now) and Stanger will come into the mix.
World Cup squads have been 23 for a long time now. The only exception was Qatar in COVID times where the squads were slightly larger so that COVID outbreaks wouldn't potentially devastate squads. FIFA reverted to 23 for the WWC in Aus/NZ. Having heard nothing from FIFA about this since, I would assume that the squads will be 23 players, until they announce otherwise.
23 is two outfield players per position + 3 keepers. There is no room for passengers, it means one position has no backup. We have quality backups in every position and we should be taking them. Piney had to leave Roux out of his 23 man squad to accommodate Smith & Thomas in the power rankings he dropped the other day.
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
Yes some sense in that, having Smith on the coaching staff. And then obviously close at hand for any CB injuries.
Assistant Elliott was also there in 2010. Not sure whether Rory is still part of the AWs coaching setup or not.
And I'm sure inspiring Nellie living Stateside will be invited into the team base to provide some guidance and large dollops of self belief, come next year.
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
Smith’s been deputising fairly well for Dan Hall. That’s a lot of ‘been there done that’ calmness to have available.
Plus this is a hypothetical exercise by the rules above. Smith’s in. It’s the rules.
I think Hughes has been impressive and I’d rather have him in than options I haven’t seen. He can step out of defense. He’s scored from a set piece. He’s got a good mentality. It’s my selection. If we want to go 3 at the back then we have the players. Then Rufer and/or Bell can sit a bit higher etc etc.
And if we get down to a crunch moment I’d rather see us control possession, take the opposition out of the game and have space for our attackers, rather than just have a gaggle of poorly matched options up front. Nothing is clearer than Kosta and Zawada if you feed a striker the way they prefer they’re guna do better for you.
Plus it’s something to keep it interesting for me rather than just selecting who I think Bazeley would select.
Also good players are going to score own goals sometimes. If there’s a hard flat cross between you and the keeper to someone ghosting in at the back post you can either leave it because ‘nothing I can do’, or try to get something on it to put the player off, or get it over the bar. It’s a difficult choice that goes wrong sometimes if you take it. But it’s goal every time you leave it.
Plus if we’re using the currently playing 90 minutes regularly for a parsimonious defense at a good level, that’s what Hughes is doing. Not as many games and as much endurance required as league one, but not to be underestimated either.
Smith’s been deputising fairly well for Dan Hall. That’s a lot of ‘been there done that’ calmness to have available.
Plus this is a hypothetical exercise by the rules above. Smith’s in. It’s the rules.
I think Hughes has been impressive and I’d rather have him in than options I haven’t seen. He can step out of defense. He’s scored from a set piece. He’s got a good mentality. It’s my selection. If we want to go 3 at the back then we have the players. Then Rufer and/or Bell can sit a bit higher etc etc.
And if we get down to a crunch moment I’d rather see us control possession, take the opposition out of the game and have space for our attackers, rather than just have a gaggle of poorly matched options up front. Nothing is clearer than Kosta and Zawada if you feed a striker the way they prefer they’re guna do better for you.
Plus it’s something to keep it interesting for me rather than just selecting who I think Bazeley would select.
Also good players are going to score own goals sometimes. If there’s a hard flat cross between you and the keeper to someone ghosting in at the back post you can either leave it because ‘nothing I can do’, or try to get something on it to put the player off, or get it over the bar. It’s a difficult choice that goes wrong sometimes if you take it. But it’s goal every time you leave it.
Plus if we’re using the currently playing 90 minutes regularly for a parsimonious defense at a good level, that’s what Hughes is doing. Not as many games and as much endurance required as league one, but not to be underestimated either.
rules of this thread have to pick smith and agree that he is in solid form for AFC and doing better than some of the doubters had speculated or hoped (?). I think he is comfortable A league standard. WC next year though, time to be hard nosed. We need 4 CB, not 5. If 5 get included then we drop a MF or forward. The 4 atm who line up for me - Boxall as our most experienced and consistently solid CB, Pijnaker given the form he is showing, Blindon on his form/showing beyond his years. If Smith makes it in then it's no Surman. Surman needs some regular quality game time and if in form would be the 4th. Smith has been a good servant for NZF and if only competition for him was Tuiloma or Pijnaker, yup he'd be on the plane, but we have 2 young lads who have developed and look class
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
I think, thought could be wrong, that when is martinb saying "smith is in, it's the rules" he means that Smith gets picked because of experience/leadership/culture/being Chris Wood's best mate and not because of how good he is, so it's a bit of a pointless discussion
