KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's budding talent have been handed a second-to-none chance to play their way into the big time, with the naming of a young, new-look national side to play Fiji next week.
All Whites coach Ricki Herbert hopes at least two of the young players he has named for the one-off game in Lautoka will make the most of their opportunity. The match was postponed from October last year when Fijian goalkeeper Simone Tamanisau was denied an entry visa to play the match scheduled for North Harbour Stadium.
"If we can get a couple of players to step up that would be great," said Herbert in naming his 16-man squad yesterday.
"We have deliberately gone for a young side. There are two big events next year, the Confederations Cup and the home and away World Cup qualifiers, and this is the chance for some of these players to put their hands up."
The match is another hit-and-run mission for the national side and its coaching staff. The all-New Zealand-based squad - Norway-based Kris Bright is due back in the next day or two as the Norwegian season ends - will assemble on Sunday, train twice on Monday, fly on Tuesday and play Wednesday.
With New Zealand already crowned Oceania Nations Cup champions and the Oceania representative in the World Cup play-off with the fifth-best Asian team, there is nothing on the game at Churchill Park.
"We will get this game ticked off and then continue planning for 2009," said Herbert. "This team was selected on the basis of the financial constraints we were well aware of. It is the chance for players who have played at under-20 and under-23 level to step up."
Bright's selection is interesting. Son of Dave Bright, he becomes the first son of a 1982 World Cup All White who went to Spain, to be named in the senior side.
Jeff Campbell, in line for his 20th cap, is the son of Clive Campbell who played in seven of the group matches but did not make the final cut. Wellington Phoenix pair of David Mulligan and Leo Bertos have played 21 internationals and may well be in line for the captaincy along with other Phoenix players Ben Sigmund and Glen Moss, who seems likely to start in goal ahead of Jacob Spoonley.
Five players have yet to play for the All Whites including the three strikers: Greg Draper and Costa Barbarouses (Phoenix) and Bright, 22. Herbert hinted he may play a 4-3-3 formation which would pitch them straight into the action.
* New Zealand team to play Fiji, Oceania Nations Cup / 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier, November 19, Lautoka, Fiji.-
GOALKEEPERS Glen Moss (Wellington Phoenix) 8 caps/0 goals; Jacob Spoonley (Auckland City) 0/0)
DEFENDERS David Mulligan (Wellington Phoenix) 21/3; Aaron Scott (Waitakere United) 0/0; Ben Sigmund (Wellington Phoenix) 7/1; Steven Old (unattached) 18/1; James Pritchett (Auckland City) 8/0
MIDFIELDERS Leo Bertos (Wellington Phoenix) 21/0; Cole Peverley (Hawkes Bay United) 0/0; Jeremy Christie (Wellington Phoenix) 14/1; Allan Pearce (Waitakere United) 1/0; Jeff Campbell (Waitakere United) 19/3; Jeremy Brockie (Team Wellington) 8/0
STRIKERS Greg Draper (Wellington Phoenix) 0/0; Costa Barbarouses (Wellington Phoenix) 0/0; Kris Bright (Kristiansund Ballklubb, Norway) 0/0.
