Soccer: Veterans back in white shirt

Vaughan Coveny will target a long-standing record on the European tour. Picture / Simon Baker

Vaughan Coveny will have a half-century-old record in his sights when he steps out for the All Whites on their coming European tour.

Coveny, 34, back in the national side after his last-minute withdrawal from the two-match tour of Chile last month, heads off this weekend with 28 goals in 72 international outings to his credit. He shares the mark with Jock Newall, who played 17 times for the national side in 1951-52, mainly against island nations.

The tour also gives Coveny the chance to move into eighth place alone on the list of games played for New Zealand. He goes away equal with Chris Jackson on 72.

The other record in the sights of the team named yesterday by coach Ricki Herbert is a first win over an international side in Europe. The closest the All Whites came was in 2003 when they drew 1-1 with Scotland. The only wins on the "other side" have been against lower-rated club sides.

Herbert would not be drawn on which of the four matches he saw as the target for that breakthrough victory.

"I don't know, although I suppose the last one [against Brazil in Geneva] is probably not the top of the list," he joked.

On Fifa rankings Georgia, ranked 101 compared with New Zealand's 120, is perhaps the best opportunity but Estonia (ranked 79) could be a chance given the close game between the two sides in 2002 when the All Whites went down 3-2.

Herbert has seized the opportunity to recall three of New Zealand's more experienced players for the path-finding tour.

Ivan Vicelich and Simon Elliott return for the first time since the dreadful Oceania Cup tournament in Adelaide two years ago. Chris Killen is back in the white shirt for the first time since the 2003 Confederations Cup in France when he played the last of his 22 internationals.

"This tour is important for a number of reasons," said Herbert. "We want to have a look at players we have not seen [internationally] for some time. We need to know which players we feel can step up and show us they really want to play in our World Cup campaign which kicks-off in September next year."

In naming his 20-strong squad, Herbert has opted for only three strikers, with Vaughan and Killen joined by exciting youngster Jeremy Brockie, suggesting the coach may opt to play with a lone striker in front of a strong midfield who will provide the width.

He has left out Andy Barron and Jarrod Smith but says they definitely figure in his planning for the return to Europe in August when the All Whites will play two, and hopefully four, matches against English Premier League sides.

Barron, Ryan Nelsen, Mark Paston, Duncan Oughton and Brent Fisher - who faces a drink-driving charge in Sweden - were ruled out through injury.


ALL WHITES SQUAD

* Goalkeepers: Glen Moss (unattached), Ross Nicholson (Auckland City).

* Defenders: Tony Lochhead (New England Revolution), David Mulligan (Doncaster), Danny Hay (unattached) captain, Che Bunce (Auckland City), Noah Hickey (NZ Knights), Michael Wilson (Minnesota Thunder), Steven Old (St Johns University, US).

* Midfield: Ivan Vicelich (RKC Waldwick), Simon Elliott (Fulham), Tim Brown (Richmond Kickers, US), Jeremy Christie (Perth Glory), Kris Bouckenooghe (KSV Roeselare, Belgium), Raf de Gregorio (Team Wellington), Leo Bertos (Perth Glory), Adrian Webster (Darlington).

* Strikers: Vaughan Coveny (South Melbourne), Chris Killen (Hibernian), Jeremy Brockie (Sydney FC).


ITINERARY

* May 24: v Hungary, Budapest.

* May 27: v Georgia, Altenkirchen, Germany.

* May 31: v Estonia, Tallinn.

* June 4: v Brazil, Geneva, Switzerland.