While I suppose it is a good thing for New Zealand Football that AFC are doing so well, we haven't really started to see much benefit to the All Whites yet.
de Vries has been given a chance to shine, but he is nothing on Nix product Cacace. Pijnaker has looked good but he has been a regular All White in recent years, though he has looked far more consistent and less likely to make a calamitous mishap these days now he is playing and training at a decent level for a change. Mata has looked alright as well, but he isn't going to be first choice or the future #9 for NZ unless Waine continues to struggle for game time overseas. Rogerson has already been a full time pro for years now too. Paulsen was made at the Nix.
Meanwhile players like Gillion, Randall, Toomey have flattered to deceive and don't look like they are going to boss the league or earn a big overseas move anytime soon. I know it is very early days but it would help as a big Nix fan who has to suffer watching AFC do so well if they were bringing through actually exciting players like the Nix have with Kosta, Rojas, Cacace, Waine, Old, Surman, Paulsen. Let's hope they get a conveyer belt of exciting future All Whites going quick smart so that we don't have to resent them so much.
de Vries has been given a chance to shine, but he is nothing on Nix product Cacace. Pijnaker has looked good but he has been a regular All White in recent years, though he has looked far more consistent and less likely to make a calamitous mishap these days now he is playing and training at a decent level for a change. Mata has looked alright as well, but he isn't going to be first choice or the future #9 for NZ unless Waine continues to struggle for game time overseas. Rogerson has already been a full time pro for years now too. Paulsen was made at the Nix.
Meanwhile players like Gillion, Randall, Toomey have flattered to deceive and don't look like they are going to boss the league or earn a big overseas move anytime soon. I know it is very early days but it would help as a big Nix fan who has to suffer watching AFC do so well if they were bringing through actually exciting players like the Nix have with Kosta, Rojas, Cacace, Waine, Old, Surman, Paulsen. Let's hope they get a conveyer belt of exciting future All Whites going quick smart so that we don't have to resent them so much.