World Cup Squad Discussion

Oughton.

A ship pulled into the harbour carrying....New Zealand footballers. Go.

^^ Probably what chris james is thinking too.

Christie !?!

Christie did alright, his passing was a little soft sometimes but he made some good challenges.

How do people here rate WOOD? personally i like him alot and think he is a real talent. However i noticed that he didn't get a very good rating from the player ratings vs serbia. I thought he did alright coming back in defense (I remember one really good challenge) but the player report things seem to think he was sloppy when coming back. Reading around places i also notice that lots of people don't rate him at all... Although i reckon he does a really good job at holding the ball up and creating chances (Like for that opportunity for a 2nd goal right after the 1st) im just curious on how other people view him.

Massive talent for the future, not that far behind any of our other four strikers.

I thought he played well also. I don't really pay much attention to player ratings.

PASTON

If anything Fallon should sit slightly behind the other two strikers as a target man, then the other two can feed off him

 ie.        Fallon
       Killen     Smeltz

Dont know if i like Reid in the midfield either, hes pretty much said he doesnt feel comfortable there.

Reading Herberts praise today for Smith and Reid, then you have them in the wrong positions there, I think they will play the next 2 games to see how they continue to go in defense and if it is alright then they will stay as starters in the WC

Ricki also sung the praises of Coombes after the Mexico game when he was mud.

I thought Reid played quite well. One or two hairy moments but apart from that he was solid. Also provided the pass for our goal. 

Yeah didn't think Reid was bad.  Just a bit nervous in possession.  With another couple of games he might well settle down and be excellent.

My question is can anyone hoenstly tell me that they can see Sigmund putting a ball through like Reid did to create that goal against Serbia? i just think Reid has to adjust which shouldn't take to long. I remember watching one of his Danish league games and it was so physical and hardly and fouls were given. But yet fouls have been given all over the place in the last 2 games for the all whites (not saying thats a bad thing) but i just think give it a game or 2 and he will be set.

We rate Wood. I remember a good piece of defence he did, plus if the best criticism you have is of your stiker that he can't play right back!!

He has been a threat in every game he has played for NZ, plus he's a little quicker than Killen or Fallon I think and possibily could  better on the ball running at players. He's been unlucky not to get his first goal, and should have had an assist in his last game.

Don't read much into the 360 player ratings.

Thought it moderately funny that Ivanovic missed the game on the weekend because he was at a friend's wedding...

[/QUOTE]

So out of the All Whites current squad who do you think could pick up a contract in Europe? or find a better club there.

Fallon should easily find a championship side. been a standout so far.
McGlinchey. Could he do better than the Mariners?
Smeltz - will turkey come calling again?

Two players I really hope find clubs are Cole Peverley and Aaron Clapham, need some youth playing pro football. But I would much rather Brown feature than Peverley. Same league as Christie perhaps?

I think Peverley and Clapham's hopes are that they impress Ricki enough to get Phoenix deals.  They are unlikely to get enough match time to get on the radar of the scouts there.

If any of the Phoenix players go though then impressing Ricki now is how they earn a deal to replace those players.

After the last week or two, it's whether Ricki gets pinched that conerns me!

Yeah, that would be interesting.

I'd kind of assumed he'd pack in the AW's post World Cup to focus on the Phoenix but that opens a whole new fear.

^^ that's what i've been thinking too...

I hope Brockie scores and gets a contract overseas. Had so much potential.But with Henderson playing in Sweden and Milne playing reserve football for Rangers I really hope they can become awesome. In some ways New Zealand needs another a-league team just because it opens so much more doors for kiwi players. This whole import rule really restricts us. Hope Rojas gets some decent football this year.

I'd say it's very unlikely for any of our guys to pick up a contract on the sole basis of the World Cup - European clubs are very, very weary of signing players on the back of a single tournament. Been burned badly quite a few times before, and most are staying clear of signing players in this manner.

It's possible that some of the players with a decent-ish track record (likes of Killen, Fallon, maybe even Smeltzie, etc) may raise their profile a bit and improve their chances of securing a goodish deal, but no-one's gonna go 'Wow, did you that guy Killen play for NZ in the World Cup...we HAVE to sign him now...'

What, even after a hatrick against Italy?

I wonder who the last person to score a hattrick against Italy actually was...if such a thing indeed ever happened...

"I wonder who the last person to score a hattrick against Italy actually was...if such a thing indeed ever happened..."

Valdemar Mota Portugal v Italy 1928(don't know if he was the last,but he did it).
thanks wiki...

Phoenix should sign Valdemar Mota.

Looks like we may be some 44 years too late...

Still worth a shot, surely.

He could still do a better job than Mulligan.

I actually think the player most likely to pick up a contract out the cup probaly was Tim Brown based on the Aussie game.

Yeovil2010-06-01 21:54:37

quite cool