Herbert ignored recommendations - Rufer

New Zealand soccer legend Wynton Rufer says All Whites coach Ricki Herbert has failed to cast his World Cup selectorial net wide enough to include several overseas professionals.

Rufer told Sunday News he recently delivered a list of eight recommendations to Herbert playing professional football in Europe and Asia.

That list included German-based goalkeeper and Everton trialist Stefan Marinovic, versatile J- League defender-midfielder Michael Fitzgerald and better-known youth international Andrew Milne who plays for Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers.

Marinovic and Milne have previously played international age-group football.

Chris Wood, on the books of newly-promoted English Premier League club West Bromwich Albion, was the only name on Rufer's list to get a World Cup call-up.

Rufer says he's disappointed Herbert ignored the rest of his recommendations, failed to return any form of contact and snubbed young Kiwi professionals in favour of "local part-timers such as James Bannatyne and Aaron Clapham".

"I provided a couple of names which they (Herbert and assitant coach Brian Turner) probably hadn't heard of before," Rufer said. "Did they respond? You've got to be joking.

"They're professional, up-and-coming players playing first-team football at the same level of the Phoenix and they've been overlooked.

"Ricki wouldn't have known what those players have done so I gave him that information.

"Everyone knew there was going to be the core group of players but the last few names [announced in the final World Cup squad] were a bit of a surprise.

"One player, Marinovic, who I'd mentioned to Ricki and BT [Turner], is a young, up-and-coming goalkeeper playing over at Wiesbaden in Germany. I was surprised they didn't put him in.

"Marinovic plays at a club with a yearly budget of $12 million, the Phoenix's annual budget is about $6 million. The clubs where James Bannatyne and Aaron Clapham play, well, they're not even pros.

"Why wouldn't you go with the guys who are playing professionally every week? Fitzgerald's another one.

"He's only the second Kiwi after me to get a contract in the J-League. You know how much their budget is for one year? Over $37 million.

- NZPA