All Whites' Ryan Thomas (L) celebrates a goal with team mate Shane Smeltz during the New Zealand All Whites v Fiji, FIFA Football World Cup Qualification. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
All Whites' Ryan Thomas (L) celebrates a goal with team mate Shane Smeltz during the New Zealand All Whites v Fiji, FIFA Football World Cup Qualification. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Seven years after their last appearance at a major world tournament, the All Whites are back.
Tomorrow, Anthony Hudson will name his 23-man squad for the Confederations Cup in June where New Zealand will face Mexico, Portugal and hosts Russia in pool play.
NZME football experts Michael Burgess, Jason Pine and Steven Holloway have selected the All Whites squads THEY would put on the plane to Russia.
Jason Pine's Confederations Cup squad Goalkeepers: Jake Gleeson, Stefan Marinovic, Glen Moss. Defenders: Michael Boxall, Sam Brotherton, Kip Colvey, Tom Doyle, Andrew Durante, Dane Ingham, Storm Roux, Tommy Smith, Themi Tzimopoulos. Midfielders: Clayton Lewis, Michael McGlinchey, Marco Rojas, Sarpreet Singh, Ryan Thomas, Bill Tuiloma. Strikers: Kosta Barbarouses, Jai Ingham, Monty Patterson, Shane Smeltz, Chris Wood.
How will your selection likely differ from Hudson's? Anthony Hudson will include Moses Dyer in his squad, as he has for the majority of his time as coach, rather than take the punt I have on the uncapped Sarpreet Singh.
I've seen enough from the Phoenix's under-20 international though to believe he's worth taking to Russia and it's just a matter of when - not if - he'll become a full All White. Why not expose him to the environment, even if he doesn't get on the field?
Hudson will also likely pick Deklan Wynne and may put his faith in Liam Graham's miraculous recovery from injury, rather than recall Storm Roux for the first time in over two years.
Roux's omission was initially thought to be eligibility-related, but he's now been cleared to play and after a solid A-League season for the Central Coast Mariners, deserves a recall.
The pick of third goalkeeper alongside Marinovic and Moss will also be interesting, with Gleeson not having played for New Zealand since November 2014. Tamati Williams may grab that spot.
Who was your hardest omission and why? Deklan Wynne is unlucky, but suffers from a logjam of left-backs. Tom Doyle is number one for me in that spot, with Kip Colvey's ability to play both sides of the back-four giving him the nod over Wynne.
Under-20 striker Myer Bevan is getting big wraps, but it might just be a touch early for him. I would like to have picked him though, but can't leave any of the five strikers I've chosen out. Bevan's time will come, probably soon.
At the other end of the spectrum, I would loved to have found a spot for Rory Fallon, more for his off-field personality and influence on the team culture than his playing ability, but I just can't give up a place in the squad to someone who isn't currently playing (and doesn't even have a club), regardless of their positive impact around the camp.
What would your strongest starting XI look like? Stefan Marinovic would be in goal and my back three would be Themi Tzimopoulos, Andrew Durante and Tommy Smith. Even though he's a natural centre-back, I would be tempted to play Michael Boxall at right back, with Tom Doyle at left back.
In midfield, Michael McGlinchey sitting deep, behind Ryan Thomas and Marco Rojas, with Chris Wood and Kosta Barbarouses up front.
How have you solved the midfield dilemma? In the absence of anyone stamping their mark on the defensive midfield role since the retirements of Tim Brown and Ivan Vicelich, I'd turn to the experience of Michael McGlinchey to fill that slot.
Ryan Thomas is a rusted-on starter, slightly further advanced of McGlinchey, and I'd play Marco Rojas in a freer role.
That may seem defensively light, but with a back-five behind them and a stated aim to play possession-based, exciting football, there still needs to be an attacking look to the midfield.
All Whites' Ryan Thomas celebrates after scoring the first goal of the match. New Zealand All Whites v Fiji, FIFA Football World Cup Qualification. Photo / Photosport.
Michael Burgess' Confederations Cup squad: Goalkeepers: Stefan Marinovic, Glen Moss, Jake Gleeson Defenders: Deklan Wynne, Tom Doyle, Tommy Smith , Sam Brotherton, Andrew Durante, Michael Boxall, Themi Tzimopoulos, Storm Roux, Dane Ingham Midfield: Ryan Thomas, Michael McGlinchey, Bill Tuiloma, Clayton Lewis, Henry Cameron, Kosta Barbarouses Strikers/Wingers: Chris Wood, Marco Rojas, Shane Smeltz, Monty Patterson, Tyler Boyd
Explanation: I've gone for more midfielders and attacking players than in previous squads, as their work rate is likely to be high in Russia. Bill Tuiloma and Tom Doyle (in an emergency) provide central defensive cover. Boyd is a bolter but has played 33 games (eight goals, five assists) in the Portuguese second division this season
How will your selection likely differ from Hudson's? Going on previous squads, Hudson is likely to pick Moses Dyer, Jai Ingham, Alex Rufer and either Kip Colvey or Liam Graham.
Who was your hardest omission and why? Liam Graham. A quality player, but lack of game time counts against him.
What would your strongest starting X1 look like? S Marinovic, D Wynne, T Smith, T Tzimopoulos, M Boxall, S Roux, R Thomas, B Tuiloma, M McGlinchey, C Wood, M Rojas
How have you solved the midfield dilemma? It's not easy. The best defensive midfielder in New Zealand is Spanish-born Albert Riera, but NZF is still waiting on his citizenship. Bill Tuiloma is the next best holding option, though Michael McGlinchey can also perform there.
Clayton Lewis. New Zealand All Whites v New Caledonia. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Steven Holloway's Confederations Cup squad: Goalkeepers: Jake Gleeson, Stefan Marinovic, Glen Moss. Defenders: Michael Boxall, Sam Brotherton, Deklan Wynne, Tom Doyle, Andrew Durante, Dane Ingham, Storm Roux, Tommy Smith, Themi Tzimopoulos. Midfielders: Clayton Lewis, Michael McGlinchey, Marco Rojas, Aaron Clapham, Ryan Thomas, Bill Tuiloma. Strikers: Kosta Barbarouses, Tyler Boyd, Monty Patterson, Shane Smeltz, Chris Wood.
How will your selection likely differ from Hudson's? Hudson will probably leave goalkeeper Jake Gleeson at home and pick Moses Dyer in midfield. I also may be the only man in New Zealand who thinks Aaron Clapham deserves a spot on the plane following another classy national league season. Tyler Boyd seems to be the forgotten man of New Zealand Football, but I'd have him back too.
Who was your hardest omission and why? There weren't any hard omissions and that could be a problem. Jeremy Brockie came close and Kip Colvey could be a little unlucky, but in midfield especially I was struggling to think who to put in, rather than leave out. Clapham wins a spot over Dyer, Alex Rufer and Henry Cameron because he had the best season. We should be rewarding the best players in our domestic national league, not just our best young players.
What would your strongest starting X1 look like? Playing in a 5-3-2 formation: Marinovic Roux, Smith, Boxall, Tzimopoulos, Doyle, R Thomas, B Tuiloma, M McGlinchey, C Wood, M Rojas
How have you solved the midfield dilemma? No question, our midfield is a problem area. We can't afford the luxury of having Thomas, Rojas and Barbarouses all on the field at the same time due to defensive deficiencies, so Barbarouses misses out. A big tournament is needed from Bill Tuiloma and Michael McGlinchey if New Zealand are to have any success.
