Soccer: Dugdale wants positive play

By Terry Maddaford

Ken Dugdale isn't rattling the worry beads as he prepares to take the All Whites on their most daunting assignment since the 1982 World Cup soccer tournament.

Dugdale put his players through a light training session yesterday ahead of this afternoon's departure for a tournament in Thailand and eventually the Confederations Cup in Mexico late next month.

"Sure, we are going to play countries ranked as high as No 1 in the world with us at 104, but that does not mean we will be going out simply to defend in the hope of keeping the score down.

"If we defend all the time we might prove to be a good team defensively, but that will not help us produce any more Wynton Rufers. We played to a style which brought us success in Brisbane and I can't see any reason to change much this time.

"While our ranking is way below the teams we will face in the Confederations Cup - Brazil, Germany and the United States - I guess they will have to show us some respect after we beat Australia to get through."

Dugdale, assistant coach Mick Waitt and goalkeeping coach Sandy Davie will be responsible for team selection.

"Our first task will be getting the squad down from 21 to 20 for the cup and then down to the 16 or 17 we will be allowed to name for each game.

"That will be an ongoing exercise from the start of our first game in Thailand on Wednesday until we have played the first of two warm-up games against Egypt - in Mexico City on July 10."

Dugdale has handed the captaincy to Chris Zoricich.

With incumbent Jason Batty tied to his Singapore club until the fifth match of the tour - ironically against Singapore - Dugdale has opted for Zoricich. But he said it was "no big deal."

For Batty it might be a relief as he concentrates on holding his goalkeeping place ahead of the challenge from Ross Nicholson and, in particular, Michael Utting.