All Whites announce new coach Fritz Schmid

Switzerland's Fritz Schmid is named as the New Zealand All Whites football coach. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

New Zealand Football have announced Fritz Schmid as the new All Whites coach.

The 58-year-old Swiss, who earned his UEFA Pro-Licence in 1998, becomes the 17th coach of the New Zealand men's national team on a four-year contract. Schmid has been tasked with the goal of qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Schmid comes to New Zealand with the experience of coaching at the highest level for both club and country. New Zealand Football Technical Director Andreas Heraf believes he will add huge value to the All Whites as they look to qualify for their third FIFA World Cup.

Schmid has decades of experience in football, but limited time as a head coach.

His most recent job was with the Asian Football Confederation, and before that he spent three years as technical director of Malaysia.

"We are pleased to confirm Fritz as our new Head Coach for the All Whites," Heraf said.

"Fritz has a proven track record at the highest level of coaching in Europe and we believe he will take our national team to a new level. He has the experience and the vision to help the All Whites achieve the goal of winning on the world stage at pinnacle events."

Schmid was the Assistant Coach for the Austrian National Team (2011 – 13) and Assistant Coach for FC Basel in the Swiss Super League (2002 – 09) when they achieved success by winning the Swiss Championship four times, the Swiss Cup four times and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League twice.

Before his success with FC Basel, he was the Head Coach at SC Kriens in the Challenge League (2000 – 02), Assistant Coach of FC Zurich in the Super League when they claimed the Swiss Cup in 2000 and in the late 1990s he was an Assistant Coach at Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League.

Alongside his long list of coaching qualifications, Schmid has experience as a Technical Director, he has completed a Masters in Sport Management and is a qualified journalist.

Schmid, who leaves his role as the Technical Director for the Malaysian Football Association to come to New Zealand, is looking forward to working with the national team.

"It is a great honour to be named as the 17th Head Coach of the All Whites," Schmid says.

"I am excited to be here in New Zealand and build on what the team has achieved in the last four years. The All Whites are an exciting team and have huge potential. Our ultimate goal over the next four years is to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in 2022 and I am confident we can achieve this."

Schmid will begin work in March once his visa application has been completed. The All Whites are preparing for the upcoming international friendly against Canada in Spain on 24 March.

The All Whites, who will arrive in Spain on 19 March and leave on 25 March, will have a training camp in Murcia with the main objective of beginning the new era under their new coach.

Schmid will work with Des Buckingham (New Zealand U-20 Head Coach) and Jose Figueira (New Zealand U-17 Head Coach) as his All Whites Assistant Coaches.

Schmid would be well known to new NZF technical director Andreas Heraf, as they were both at the Austrian Federation for two years.