Soccer: New trio homing in on World Cup

Rory Fallon during the 2010 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifier match between New Zealand and Bahrain. Photo / Getty Images

All Whites coach Ricki Herbert could be close to having settled on his 23-man World Cup squad 100 days out from the start of the tournament.

And it could well include Chad Coombes, Jason Hayne and Craig Henderson, names few would have predicted four weeks ago.

Herbert professed to have learned a lot in his side's 2-0 defeat to Mexico on Thursday on top of the four days the team had together in camp.

It was a decent performance, especially when you consider the experience missing from the All Whites and the fact Bolivia had five smacked past them by a weaker Mexican side just days earlier.

At 2-0 early in the second half, there was a chance things could have got ugly but they regrouped well, tried to retain possession and got forward as a unit. They also blooded a couple more players in Coombes and Tommy Smith.

Smith is a certainty for the World Cup, injury notwithstanding. The 19-year-old looked composed on the ball and defended reasonably well against a slick Mexican side.

It certainly didn't look like he was making his international debut in front of 90,000 fans and he could well have moved ahead of Andy Boyens in the pecking order at centre back. The good thing with Smith is that he can also provide cover for Tony Lochhead at left back.

The usual approach to picking 23 players is to select two players in each position in a 4-4-2 formation as well as three goalkeepers.

The All Whites aren't likely to play 4-4-2 at the World Cup because of the paucity of decent right backs but it's fair to assume Herbert will stick to convention.

He said minutes after New Zealand beat Bahrain 1-0 in Wellington that his 18-man squad for that game would go to the World Cup.

He has given himself some wriggle room by saying on more than one occasion that someone would have to be playing better to force their way in but that he hadn't found anyone yet. That means Aaron Scott and David Mulligan will make it. It's hard to understand why, especially now.

Scott has hardly been a standout for Waitakere in this season's NZFC and has often been left on the bench by coach Neil Emblen.

Mulligan hasn't played a competitive match since coming on as a late substitute in the 3-1 win over Jordan in Amman in September. His previous game before that was against Iraq at last June's Confederations Cup when he again came on late.

Mulligan hasn't even sat on the bench for the Wellington Phoenix this season, let alone had any game time.

The pair were left behind for the Mexico match and this might have thrown doubts in their minds.

But assuming Scott and Mulligan will both go to South Africa, three positions are still up for grabs - Glen Moss has been promised a position as one of the three goalkeepers even though he is suspended for the first two games.

Those three look closer to having been filled after the Mexico game.

Herbert signalled his intent by bringing in Henderson initially, before the young midfielder was forced out with injury.

Henderson's selection came out of left field but Herbert wants to take a handful of players to South Africa with one eye on the 2014 World Cup campaign. Henderson fits that bill and Herbert said his late withdrawal wouldn't count against him.

The 22-year-old midfielder performed well at last year's Olympics and recently signed with Mjällby in the Swedish Allsvenskan (premier division).

It wouldn't hurt his chances to return to Auckland in April for a domestic camp for Australasian players but Henderson looks to have one foot on the plane to South Africa.

Coombes and Hayne, late call-ups for the Mexico game, could also both make the cut.

Coombes started that match and, while some of his crossing was poor and he dived in a little too much, he was sound defensively.

He's a versatile individual who can play right back, anywhere across midfield and even up front. And, as he showed at last year's Club World Cup, he can score goals.

Hayne wasn't used against Mexico but he is an interesting proposition because he possesses international pace. He can also make things happen, like when he scored two goals in the 3-2 win against TP Mazembe in Abu Dhabi.

Coombes, Henderson and Hayne could well have leapfrogged Jeremy Brockie, Jeremy Christie and Chris James, all of whom went to the Confederations Cup.

Brockie would have been in the frame but is recovering from a broken leg and might not be fit in time, Christie is playing in the US in the hope of breaking back into the All Whites squad and James has dropped off the radar.

The former England youth international and Fulham midfielder is a free agent who late last year had a trial with League One outfit MK Dons.

There is still time for others to force their way in. But time is running out.

Possible World Cup squad

* Goalkeepers: James Bannatyne, Glen Moss, Mark Paston.
* Defenders: Andrew Boyens, Tony Lochhead, David Mulligan, Ryan Nelsen, Aaron Scott, Ben Sigmund, Tommy Smith, Ivan Vicelich.
* Midfielders: Andy Barron, Leo Bertos, Tim Brown, Chad Coombes, Simon Elliott, Jason Hayne, Craig Henderson, Michael McGlinchey.
* Strikers: Rory Fallon, Chris Killen, Shane Smeltz, Chris Wood.