Soccer: Scrap brewing over Fallon

Rory Fallon. Photo / Getty Images

A conflict between New Zealand soccer and English Championship club Plymouth Argyle is building as both sides prepare to fight for striker Rory Fallon's service.

Fallon, who scored the match-winning goal for New Zealand in their second leg World Cup qualifier against Bahrain in Wellington, told Plymouth-based newspaper The Herald he was ready to sit out a World Cup warm-up soccer match against Mexico to continue with club duties.

Plymouth Argyle, who are facing relegation, have two important matches on either side of New Zealand's Mexico friendly in Los Angeles on March 3 and Fallon said he had put the decision over whether he would play in his club coach's hands.

"I have told the gaffer (coach Paul Mariner) it's up to him. Plymouth is my number one," Fallon said.

"I told him I wouldn't be upset if he didn't let me go because I know he wants me 100 per cent for the games around that time.

"The problem with friendlies is that you can pick up injuries, and I'm not really a friendly type of player. I'm all or nothing with the way I play."

However, New Zealand Football chief executive Michael Glading told Radio Sport the friendly falls within an official Fifa international window and he expected Fallon's presence.

"We have rights and they're very limited rights, and they're rights that have been hard fought over the years by various associations with Fifa, so one wouldn't just actively back down from the rights that we have."

- NZPA