Soccer: Tommy Smith to miss All Whites matches

New Zealand All Whites defender Tommy Smith. Photo / NZ Herald

A back injury has ruled Ipswich Town defender Tommy Smith out of the All Whites' international soccer matches against Honduras and Paraguay.

After playing Ipswich's first 12 English championship league and cup matches this season, a prolapsed disc in his lower back ruled Smith out of an away trip to Reading and was set to see him rested for the weekend's match against Leeds United until teammate Darren O'Dea was injured and manager Roy Keane called on the 20-year-old defender.

Smith scored the winner for Ipswich in a 2-1 victory.

New Zealand team physiotherapist Roland Jeffery said New Zealand and Ipswich had taken a commons sense approach with Smith's long-term welfare in mind.

"Given the amount of games Tommy has faced recently, the addition of long-haul travel was not going to be conducive to his rehabilitation," said Jeffery.

"Ricky (Herbert, the All Whites' coach) has spoken to Tommy and to the club's medical staff and we all feel it is in Tommy's best interest to stay at the club to manage the injury."

Meanwhile, Honduras and Paraguay have confirmed their squads for the matches against New Zealand on Saturday and next Tuesday.

Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, whose spectacular 60m free kick at Stoke last season was named premiership goal of the season by BBC, headlines the Honduras squad.

Paraguay's squad contains no fewer than seven players from the English and Spanish top flights including Manchester City's Roque Santa Cruz and Hercules' Nelson Valdez who struck both goals in a win over Barcelona last month.

HONDURAS SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Noel Valladares (Olimpia, Honduras), Ricardo Canales (Victoria, Honduras).

Defenders: Sergio Mendoza (Motagua, Honduras), Maynor Figueroa (Wigan, England) Quiarol Arzu (Platense, Honduras), Johny Palacios (Olimpia, Honduras), Erick Norales (Marathon, Honduras), Ivan Guerrero (Motagua, Honduras), Mauricio Sabillon (Hangzhou Greentown, China).

Midfielders: Jorge Claros (Motagua, Honduras), Eder Delgado (Real Espana, Honduras), Mario Martinez (Real Espana, Honduras), Oscar Garcia (Olimpia, Honduras), David Meza (Platense), Emil Martinez (Hangzhou Greentown, China), Ramon Nunez (Leeds United, England), Edgard Alvarez (Bari, Italy), Alexander Lopez (Olimpia, Honduras).

Forwards: Georgie Welcome (Motagua, Honduras), Roger Rojas (Olimpia, Honduras), Jerry Bengtson (Vida, Honduras), Ruben Licona (Necaxa, Mexico), Walter Martinez (Beijing Guoan, China).

PARAGUAY SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Justo Villar (Valladolid, Spain), Diego Barreto (Cerro Porteno, Paraguay).

Defenders: Carlos Bonet (Libertad, Paraguay), Paulo Da Silva (Sunderland, England), Claudio Morel (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain), Antolin Alcaraz (Wigan, England), Dario Veron (Pumas, Mexico), Cesar Benitez (Cerro Porteno, Paraguay).

Midfielders: Cristian Riveros (Sunderland, England), Enrique Vera (Atlas, Mexico), Osvaldo Martinez (Monterrey, Mexico), Osmar Molinas (Olimpia, Paraguay), Victor Caceres (Libertad, Paraguay), Marcos Riveros (Nacional, Paraguay), Nestor Camacho (Rubio Nu, Paraguay), Hernan Perez (Villarreal, Spain), Derlis Orue (Olimpia, Paraguay).

Strikers: Edgar Benitez (Pachuca, Mexico), Roque Santa Cruz (Manchester City, England), Nelson Haedo Valdez (Hercules, Spain).

- NZPA