Soccer: Kingz' players under Dugdale microscope

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Ken Dugdale's round-the-world travels in search of a New Zealand soccer team to play key World Cup qualifiers next year stops in Auckland this week.

Dugdale, who is just back from Europe, where at least seven prospective All Whites are now playing their football, will be joined at Ericsson Stadium tonight by assistant coach Mick Waitt as they cast their eyes over a dozen of the Football Kingz players.

"We want to have a look at them before sitting down with the club to see what we want for January's tournament in India," Dugdale said. "We want to work closely with the Kingz, as I'm sure they want to with us."

Dugdale must name 18 players for the Fifa-sanctioned 16-team event in India. Depending on how many Kingz players are on that list, the club must decide whether they will postpone matches or continue with their remaining players.

Dugdale has returned from Europe after what he described as valuable time spent at a European symposium which many big-name coaches from South and North America attended.

"There were some interesting new trends which I'm keen to see used," Dugdale said. "It is just a case of finding the time to get around the country and talk to coaches.

"The most significant changes involve defensive patterns, the number of players who attack from the midfield, and the use of flank players.

"As an example, the England under-16 team who played Wales recently went in with two old-fashioned wingers."

As well as seeing his senior players in action, Dugdale spent time at Barnsley, where David Mulligan, Darren Young and Leo Bertos are all on professional contracts, and Jeremy Christie and Allan Pearce are playing for the academy team.

Surprisingly, Mulligan has been playing at fullback after making his mark at last year's world under-17 championships as an attacking midfielder.

These players, and Chris Killen (Manchester City but on loan to Wrexham), David Rayner (Newcastle) and two or three United States-based players, are all likely to turn out for the national under-20 side for their Oceania qualifying tournament in New Caledonia in February.

"The under-20 side already has an exciting look about it," Dugdale said. "Beyond that, they will also be around for the next Olympic side."

Of the offshore-based likely All Whites, Dugdale saw, or had reports on, Kris Bouckenooghe (in Belgium), Raf de Gregorio (Italy), Gavin Wilkinson (Portugal), Jason Batty, Scott Smith, Killen and Danny Hay (England), and Simon Elliott and Ryan Nelsen (US).

Elliott, who is involved with the LA Galaxy in the playoffs for the world club championships, is unavailable for India, but Nelsen is keen to play.

Hay has just had an operation and will miss India, but Dugdale is keen to involve him in some way with the national side if he is to be considered for June's World Cup qualifiers.

Dugdale will also be looking at Australian-based Chris Zoricich, Vaughan Coveny, Mark Atkinson, Sean Douglas and Brad Scott, and he is keen to catch up with goalkeeper Michael Utting, who was last heard from in South Africa.