Soccer: Fallon, McGlinchey called up to All Whites

New All White Rory Fallon.

Plymouth Argyle striker Rory Fallon and Central Coast midfielder Michael McGlinchey have been named in an 18-man All Whites squad to play a friendly against Jordan in Amman on September 9.

Both uncapped, Gisborne-born Fallon, 27, and Wellington-born McGlinchey, 22, have represented England and Scotland respectively at age group levels, and missed their previous window to switch allegiance to New Zealand before they turned 21.

But the recent removal of the age limit by FIFA gives All Whites coach Ricki Herbert the chance to take a last minute look at the pair, subject to official FIFA approval.

If impressed, Herbert may well select them for the World Cup playoff against Bahrain or Saudi Arabia in October (away) and November (home).

"It may be late but they're both playing exceptionally well, playing regularly for their clubs and that's important," Herbert said.

"It's great that we've had the chance to bring them into the fold albeit close to the qualifier."

With Celtic's Chris Killen and Gold Coast United's Shane Smeltz both in goal scoring form for their clubs, Fallon - son of 1982 All Whites assistant coach Kevin - faces strong competition for a starting spot.

Herbert said that is the sort of selection dilemma he wants.

"In all honesty it's going to pit the best against the best. All three are in excellent form and currently playing. So whilst they are all very close in terms of a selection process, it's a fantastic position for the country to be in not just now but in the future with three such talented players to choose from."

McGlinchey began his career at Celtic, where he made his league debut as a teenager in 2005, and Herbert is excited about what the attack-minded midfielder offers.

"I'll be really interested to see Michael from the international point of view," Herbert said.

"He's settled into the Central Coast team extremely well, and he's come from a big club at Celtic where the grounding and framework of his career would have been very solid. From the early signs in the A-League, and from talking to (Central Coast manager) Lawrie McKinna, people have been very impressed.

"He'll add pace for us coming out of midfield and technically he's very good and gets on the ball well."

Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Nelsen has been reinstalled as captain after missing the FIFA Confederations Cup with a calf tear.

Five non-travelling reserves have been named in a signal from Herbert that the door remains open for players to force their way into his World Cup playoff plans.

Jeremy Brockie and Jarrod Smith were not considered due to injury.

The trip to Jordan offers the All Whites an early taste of the conditions and challenges they'll face on the away leg of the World Cup playoff.

While the All Whites are in Jordan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia square off twice, with the winners hosting New Zealand on October 10 and visiting Wellington for the return leg on November 14.

"Firstly we're going to be in the geographic area, with an important trip to Bahrain or Saudi Arabia coming up.

"The travel component gets everyone adjusted again to what we'll face in October and it's a chance for us to get the side together. Jordan will be excellent competition for us having just narrowly missed out on the World Cup opportunities themselves.

"The strength of opposition is there, but more importantly for us it's a chance to acclimatise a little bit just out from the first leg of the playoff."

Observance of Ramadan in the region has forced an unusual kick-off time of 10.30pm local time, and also limited options of a second friendly in the region after New Zealand Football refused a request from the Iraq FA to move a planned international from Amman to Arbil in Iraq.

All Whites squad to Jordan

Goalkeepers - Mark Paston, Jimmy Bannatyne

Defenders - Andrew Boyens, Tony Lochhead, David Mulligan, Ryan Nelsen, Aaron Scott, Ben Sigmund, Ivan Vicelich

Midfielders - Andy Barron, Leo Bertos, Tim Brown, Simon Elliott, Michael McGlinchey

Forwards - Rory Fallon, Chris Killen, Shane Smeltz, Chris Wood, Non-travelling reserves:

Kris Bright, Duncan Oughton, Chris James, Jeremy Christie, Jacob Spoonley

Not considered due to injury:
Jarrod Smith, Jeremy Brockie

- NZPA