what about Callum McCowatt as the main striker as an option - I reckon as he gets older and a bit more physical that might be where he ends up. I know he plays wide more at the moment but he could be a good number 9 option.
His finishing for the Nix and now AWs is dire. He could have 3 or 4 goals from these two games.
Agree, think his impact over these two games has been pretty forgettable. IMO one of the players that drops from the squad when you get the full strength team inc A-League boys in. Eli Just on the other hand is a bit harder working positionally, suits better in midfield and I think looks much more settled in the side - and is probably the better of the duo at Helsingoer as well.
McCowatt's best recent performance in a NZ jersey, was coming on as a sub in that Japan QF at the Olympics, for an injured Reid. He looked real good in that 30 min cameo plus ET, playing in a deeper role.
Still young. Hopefully next season he's in the Danish top flight, which will challenge him week in week out.
what about Callum McCowatt as the main striker as an option - I reckon as he gets older and a bit more physical that might be where he ends up. I know he plays wide more at the moment but he could be a good number 9 option.
His finishing for the Nix and now AWs is dire. He could have 3 or 4 goals from these two games.
Agree, think his impact over these two games has been pretty forgettable. IMO one of the players that drops from the squad when you get the full strength team inc A-League boys in. Eli Just on the other hand is a bit harder working positionally, suits better in midfield and I think looks much more settled in the side - and is probably the better of the duo at Helsingoer as well.
He set up the goal for Chris Wood in the Curacao game, and of the A League guys only maybe Rojas and Barbarouses could be above him (though he started and scored in the last game the A League guys were available for). If you’re dropping people on finishing then based on those two games you’d have to drop Just, Champness and even Wood who butchered a couple chances against Curacao and then didn’t do anything against Bahrain.
Usually quite difficult to work out how strong a side the opposition puts out in a friendly....but comparing to Bahrain XI against Iran in a must win WCQ in June, 2 players started against us. 6 started against Curacao. Indicates we probably got the weaker team. That should be obvious from the game and especially the keeping for the goal. Nice to get a win. Frustrating how isolated Chris Wood is without Singh sitting central. All our chances seemed to come from wide. Another excellent game for Bell though Bahrain gave him about 20 yards of space everytime he got on the ball. Chat about McCowett is an interesting one. I think his decision making leaves a lot to be desired and I'm not really convinced playing in 2nd tier Denmark is doing much good for him (and others). He's 22 now so hardly a young player and there is a real risk that if he doesn't get out of that league in the next season or so then he might never progress up to the next level. Same goes for Just, Wilkins and Pijnaker. Compare to where Wood, Singh and Bell are at the same age and they are a long way behind.
Adding to previous comments. I thought McCowatt actually showed alot of energy. especially considering the conditions. maybe could have done better at times. Wood sure didn't get the delivery required, but for me he seemed pretty static in this game, almost like he was holding back a bit, with the Man City game on Sunday in mind. For both though 2nd game in 3 days in that heat. so pretty tough to criticise really. As for Just and Mccowatt at Helsingor. actually seems a pretty good fit right now. They are starters getting regular game time. Scoring and assisting in Europe. Playing regular at that age is more important than playing for a big club or in a big league. Especially harder for young attacking players to get game time in the bigger leagues. Just got to look at how Marco Rojas career stagnated with too much bench time in Europe.
Found this online. Amazing. Better than the tele, because this records the experience of being there I feel. Radio commentary from the 2009 NZ Bahrain game. https://youtu.be/3VXf5cPgB0U
Wood would be mad not to just cruise through that Bahrain game, in the heat. He has nothing to prove, and should of course be saving himself for this weekend, and Burnley in general.
But there is untold value just having him on the pitch, giving the young players confidence. Take out Wood & Boxall, and that was an inexperienced (senior international footy wise) young starting team.
Joy in the Kirwan household, and a nice little redemption story after his error against Curacao.
Two very good wins. True seems neither Curacao or Bahrain offered much (I only saw highlights of each game), but add these results to Olywhites campaign and you have to say Hay is doing all he can. Credit to him.
Though in defence of Hudson, he had nowhere near the young talent that Hay has at his disposal.
And nice to see pretty much the whole group given a chance in Bahrain. Only Tzanev and Nikko Boxall didn't get mins?? Though limited time for Smith & de Jong.
Nikko was subbed on vs. Curacao, though I'm pretty miffed Tzanev got no gametime. Been a standout in a similar quality league to Woud, who's seriously struggled so far.
Also, to answer a few of the pronunciation questions - Woud is pronounced like "Vode", similar to "road", and Pijnaker is pronounced similar to "Pain-aker". The commentators usually got Pijnaker somewhat right, but I'm yet to hear many pronounce Woud's name.
sidenote: it's a little confusing with a Nik, Niko and Nikko in the squad
Woud has played in excess of 25 age group and full internationals, and had one terrible game.
I'm not talking about internationals mate. He's been poor this season for Almere City
The tour was a success. Demonstrated that tactically this all whites team is superior to any Hudson put out.
I think our midfield and front three resources are looking very strong - ironically my biggest concerns are at the back.
I get very nervous whenever I see Woud named on the team sheet. I’d prefer Marinovic even if he is limited with the ball at feet. He won’t drop anything or have the ball run through his legs.
While Nando was superb with his passing I don’t think M Boxall is good enough in possession. Physically he’s a beast and athletic but if we are going to try and play out from the back or hit the wide men early then Boxalls distribution isn’t anywhere near that of Nando or Gianni Stenseness.I haven’t seen enough of Tuiloma recently but he was very good in possession when playing as a 6.
I think if Reid is fit he plays ahead of Boxall. Stenseness now looking like a big loss in my opinion.
Stamenic looks to me like an absolute talent. I would love to see a diamond midfield with Bell, Thomas, Stamenic and Singh. That’s a very exciting prospect. Hopefully we see Thomas for ok one of the two games in November.
Also think Hay needs to pick a striker as a back up to Wood and blood them. De Vries worth a punt if Collier isn’t up to much
It’s odd how it all comes in waves right? 2010 we were so sparse in the midfield we had an out of retirement Ivan Vicelich starting and Andy Barron in an amateur club off the bench. And Christie even, without a club. Now we’ve got some riches in midfield, but can’t hold a candle to Rory, Smeltzy, Killen and a younger Wood up front. Though the Woodsman has carved out a very fine niche for himself and is the real deal.
It’s odd how it all comes in waves right? 2010 we were so sparse in the midfield we had an out of retirement Ivan Vicelich starting and Andy Barron in an amateur club off the bench. And Christie even, without a club. Now we’ve got some riches in midfield, but can’t hold a candle to Rory, Smeltzy, Killen and a younger Wood up front. Though the Woodsman has carved out a very fine niche for himself and is the real deal.
Sure but it's not like it was raining goals from those forwards during the 2010 campaign, one goal from Rory to get us there and one from Smeltz against Italy. I reckon I'd take the riches in midfield (plus Wood) tbh.
It’s odd how it all comes in waves right? 2010 we were so sparse in the midfield we had an out of retirement Ivan Vicelich starting and Andy Barron in an amateur club off the bench. And Christie even, without a club. Now we’ve got some riches in midfield, but can’t hold a candle to Rory, Smeltzy, Killen and a younger Wood up front. Though the Woodsman has carved out a very fine niche for himself and is the real deal.
Sure but it's not like it was raining goals from those forwards during the 2010 campaign, one goal from Rory to get us there and one from Smeltz against Italy. I reckon I'd take the riches in midfield (plus Wood) tbh.
Oh, for sure wasn’t comparing the teams effectiveness or that I’d rather have one or the other, just the odd way we had so many of one kind of player available and now a completely different story. Though our midfield and the increase in technical ability has been the result of the academies and NZF working with them. Is Stamenic an academy product too? I think we had that warm up game against Italy where it was 4-3 though iirc? But yeh that’s about it. Anyway results gotten are the proof of the pudding, which 2009 guys managed, after being humped in the confeds. Guess we’ll see what this generation can do over the next 10 years or so.
It’s odd how it all comes in waves right? 2010 we were so sparse in the midfield we had an out of retirement Ivan Vicelich starting and Andy Barron in an amateur club off the bench. And Christie even, without a club. Now we’ve got some riches in midfield, but can’t hold a candle to Rory, Smeltzy, Killen and a younger Wood up front. Though the Woodsman has carved out a very fine niche for himself and is the real deal.
Sure but it's not like it was raining goals from those forwards during the 2010 campaign, one goal from Rory to get us there and one from Smeltz against Italy. I reckon I'd take the riches in midfield (plus Wood) tbh.
Oh, for sure wasn’t comparing the teams effectiveness or that I’d rather have one or the other, just the odd way we had so many of one kind of player available and now a completely different story. Though our midfield and the increase in technical ability has been the result of the academies and NZF working with them. Is Stamenic an academy product too? I think we had that warm up game against Italy where it was 4-3 though iirc? But yeh that’s about it. Anyway results gotten are the proof of the pudding, which 2009 guys managed, after being humped in the confeds. Guess we’ll see what this generation can do over the next 10 years or so.
It’s pretty difficult to compare All Whites teams because success is essentially determined by World Cup qualification, which in turn is (at the moment) entirely reliant on the draw of the intercontinental playoff.
The 2009 team rightly gets celebrated (and would’ve even if they’d lost all three games in SouthAfrica, let alone get three results) but they drew the weakest opposition, in Bahrain, for the playoff. Had they played Uruguay or Costa Rica (the other two teams), there’s a good chance they wouldn’t have won.
Conversely, the 2013 team is often described as in disarray, shipping 9 to Mexico and losing the year before in the Solomons. However, the OFC Nations Cup is an afterthought really, for example, it’s never been used as a feather in the cap for Hudson winning it, and had the 2020 edition gone ahead, NZF was planning on sending an U23 team and using it as Olympic prep, with Hay not even taking the team. So had Herbert been blessed with drawing AFC again he would’ve gotten Jordan, as opposed to Uruguay or Mexico (who both made the knockout stage at that World Cup), there’s a good chance he could’ve won that too, and no one would care about the ‘Horror in Honiara’.
Even Hudson’s tenure was judged entirely, in terms of success, on two games against Peru (funnily enough the first team Uruguay hadn’t been the CONMEBOL playoff participant). Confeds were a write-off, facing CONCACAF champions Mexico (again), Euro winners Portugal, and the following year’s World Cup quarterfinalists and hosts, Russia. Had he drawn Honduras, or even Australia, there’d be a much greater chance of winning, and if he did, he’d probably still be coach today and viewed entirely differently.
Hay will be no different, friendly results are nice, but don’t mean too much in the grand scheme of things, and OFC games should be won regardless, so he’ll be judged on two games in June next year, which (as of right now) would be one of Panama, Uruguay (5th time out of 6 tournaments haha) or Oman/Lebanon and of those is a big jump from the others.
