What are the rules if he decides to 'try' another country? I thought the rules had been strengthened and you could still only switch once after you'd played for a National Team?
Great news for NZF, but until he's full cap tied (and possibly beyond that given his potential ability to switch) let's not count our chickens.
Hopefully being a shoe in for each WC from now on and being a likely starter for NZ sweetens the deal. Brazil and Portgual would be massive nuts to crack
Great news for NZF, but until he's full cap tied (and possibly beyond that given his potential ability to switch) let's not count our chickens.
Hopefully being a shoe in for each WC from now on and being a likely starter for NZ sweetens the deal. Brazil and Portgual would be massive nuts to crack
I love how you left out England as an option at the end there.
They're pish! 😂
A few quick serious points though.
I think the best thing about his selection is that we're enough of a pull for him to accept a call up, and in that respect at least we have a horse in the race.
Young Dibley-Dias is an aspirational young player who's made no secret of his desire to play for Brazil in the past (maybe others, but the interview I've seen specifically talks about Brazil) - It takes some serious balls to come out and make a statement like that, but again it's a smart move from the youngin' too. A proper player who is now on a long term deal at a Premier League club, combined with living in the age of Twitter, Instagram, Facebook etc etc - Like I said, it's a bold statement, but it puts you on the radar. He might be down the pecking order for all other options, but it wouldn't surprise me if he's on a few lists. As far as I know as well he hasn't been tapped up by any other options, so we might be clear for a wee while yet!
Finally, you've got a guy who is aspiring to Premier League level in the future, and we've got Chris Wood in the same squad who boasts over 200 appearances at that level to go with combined total transfer fees over his career in excess of £60-70 million. It wouldn't surprise me if Bazeley decides to sidle those two up together. I could certainly think of worse mentors at club/international level, and if it helps pull Dibley-Dias into the NZ fold even more then I'm all for that. 🙏