Soccer: The '82 & '09 All Whites dream team

All Whites skipper Ryan Nelsen is the best New Zealand player of his generation. Photo / Getty Images

Kevin Fallon is a divisive figure. Always has been. Always will be. Discipline and drill work were more his hallmarks, not diplomacy.

His comments last month about how his 1982 All Whites would measure up against Ricki Herbert's current squad got people talking again.

"I don't think they would get near us," Fallon said when comparing the two sides. "They have a lot to prove. They have a long way to go.

"Everyone who played in that [1982] side played 40, 50, 60 or even 100 games for New Zealand. We were like a club side in the end. We were very, very tight - both players and management. They haven't got anywhere near that side yet."

Of course, we will never know who would win. Short of putting out a collection of hobbling 50-somethings against players in their prime, it's impossible to tell. But it's still an interesting debate. Smeltz or Wooddin? Herbert or Nelsen? Moss or Van Hattum or Wilson? Lochhead or Elrick?

Do you pick someone who played 84 times for New Zealand, scored crucial goals in the qualifying campaign and went on to play for Wolves as Ricki Herbert did or Ryan Nelsen who now captains Blackburn and is approaching 150 games for the English Premier League club? What about the A-League's best player and golden boot winner in Shane Smeltz or a striker with a left-footed shot as sweet as anything you would find today in Steve Wooddin?

There are some players who demand selection in a first XI. Wynton Rufer walks into this team. The Oceania Player of the Century is easily the best footballer to come out of this country and went on to become a phenomenon in Germany. Steve Sumner is another automatic selection. The captain of the 1982 side was a natural leader, a demanding and dogged captain and a fantastic reader of the game. Likewise, Bobby Almond was a brilliant central defender who played as a sweeper in a day when that was de rigueur. Beyond that, however, places are up for grabs.

The selectors
Kevin Fallon was the first to be invited. After all, it was his comments which prompted the debate. The dogmatic Fallon was the perfect foil to John Adshead, who was the organiser and frontman of that wonderful 1982 team.

Fred de Jong was the second member of the panel. The former All Whites striker played professionally in Europe and Australia and now commentates All Whites and Wellington Phoenix games.

The final member of the panel is Armin Lindenberg. The little Latvian worked as a sports journalist for the Auckland Star during the 1982 campaign and travelled to Spain to cover the World Cup finals. He is also an Eastern Suburbs life member and established the New Zealand Soccer Media in 1970, which became the New Zealand Football Writers' Association.

The Herald on Sunday's Michael Brown, a three-time New Zealand Football Writer of the Year, was convenor of selectors.

The setting
Most people look back on the 1982 All Whites through rose-tinted glasses. They are still the only New Zealand side to qualify for the World Cup, although that could change next weekend.

Many still remember with great fondness Grant Turner's header to beat Australia in Sydney, Sumner's six goals against Fiji in a then world record 13-0 win, goalkeeper Richard Wilson's feat in keeping a clean sheet for 921 minutes and the courage Almond showed in keeping out the Chinese in the incredible 2-1 win in Singapore to secure their place in the World Cup finals.

But does that make them better than the current squad? Today's squad is made up almost entirely of professionals. Four play for top clubs in the UK, two are plying their trade in America's MLS, eight are in the A-League and four play in the NZFC. In the early 1980s, only Wynton Rufer played professionally in Europe and even then he wasn't in Norwich's first team. A handful played in Australia but the rest played in the New Zealand National League.

The 1982 side had the benefit of playing regularly together and played close to 30 games in the two years from the time they upset Mexico 4-0 in 1980 to their final game in Spain. They were almost like a club side and it is one of the major features Fallon points to in his assessment of the two teams. They also had to endure an exhausting 15 games and 88,000km to qualify for Spain. Herbert's side will play their eighth qualifier in the do-or-die match against Bahrain on Saturday.

The game has undoubtedly changed in the last 27 years. The biggest change was the back pass rule, which was introduced in 1992 after the exceedingly dull 1990 World Cup and prohibited goalkeepers picking up a ball deliberately kicked back by a teammate. It put greater demands on goalkeepers.

Referees have also clamped down on tackles from behind. And the side. And with the studs up. It would greatly impact the effectiveness of a player like Grant Turner, who personified hardness.

There have also been significant advances in pitches, balls and boots.

The side
The First XI is a conventional 4-4-2. It's a formation adopted in the main by both the 1982 and 2009 incarnations.

It's a close decision, but Glen Moss is handed the goalkeeping gloves. Moss was outstanding at June's Confederations Cup and is a brilliant shot-stopper who commands his box reasonably well. He gets the nod ahead of Frank Van Hattum, who controversially played in Spain ahead of Richard Wilson.

Right back is no contest. The present side are still struggling to fill that position - in the first leg in Bahrain, they got around it by not picking anyone there - so Glenn Dods earns selection virtually by default.

Almond is one centre back and he's partnered by Ryan Nelsen. It's a tough call on Herbert, who was ever-present after making his debut against Mexico and scored crucial goals against China and Saudi Arabia. But Nelsen is the best New Zealand player of his generation. He became the third New Zealander to play in England's top-flight but is easily the most successful. He reads the game brilliantly. Left back is a difficult choice. Adrian Elrick earns the call-up by a narrow margin over Tony Lochhead, largely because of his performances at the World Cup. Lochhead is a good athlete but he hasn't been the same player he was in 2007 and was often exposed in South Africa.

Fallon wanted Kenny Cresswell, whom he turned from a left winger to left back during his time at Gisborne City, but he was shouted down by the others (in a respectful way). Sumner slots into central midfield. There was considerable debate over his central midfield partner but the convenor opted for Grant Turner because of his whole-heartedness, ability to get forward and score crucial goals (he finished second behind Brian Turner with eight in the World Cup qualifiers) and the fact he scared opponents with his frightful glare.

Leo Bertos is the most dangerous midfielder in the present squad and wins a spot on the right side. He can beat a player with his trickery and is excellent at dead ball situations. He needs only to score more goals to become a more complete player. On the other side is Keith "Buzzer" Mackay. There were a number of contenders, including the quick Duncan Cole and skilful Michael McGlinchey, but Mackay was a popular player who never let anyone down. He might not have possessed the skill of Ronaldo and wouldn't beat Peter Crouch for a header but he never stopped running.

Rufer is the first striker chosen but his playing partner isn't quite so clear-cut. Some argued long and hard for Steve Wooddin because of his goal-scoring talent, while others pushed for Chris Killen and his ability to play in different roles, but in the end, Shane Smeltz earns selection.

The 28-year-old is a special player. In 2007, he was a little-known striker playing non-league football in England but a double against Wales changed his life. He hasn't stopped scoring goals since at both club (Wellington Phoenix and Gold Coast United) and international level.

'82/'09 All Whites dream team
Glen Moss 09, Glenn Dods 82, Ryan Nelsen 09, Bobby Almond 82, Adrian Elrick 82, Keith Mackay 82, Leo Bertos 09, Steve Sumner 82, Grant Turner 82, Wynton Rufer 82, Shane Smeltz 09.

Subs: Frank Van Hattum 82, Ricki Herbert 82, Simon Elliott 09, Steve Woodin 82.

Fallon's 1st XI
I would go for only two players from the current squad, Ryan Nelsen and Leo Bertos, although goalkeeper Glen Moss would come close.

The biggest thing is picking the blend. That's why players like Kenny Cresswell get the nod. He was a left winger who we turned into a left back and, with a whole-hearted player like Buzzer Mackay ahead of him at left midfield, he could get forward. Also, Nelsen would be the ball winner and Bobby Almond would tidy everything up behind him.

This team would score goals. Steve Wooddin and Wynton Rufer would play up front together, no question. Woody was a sensation. At times he was the kind of footballer where you would wonder why he was picked and then, bang, it was 1-0. He was sheer magic. And Rufer was... Rufer.

I would also pick Grant Turner for his aggression. He was a hard man to tie down and he would score crucial goals.

Lindenberg's 1st XI
Defensively, this side would be as good as any that has worn the silver fern. I'm only sorry that Ricki Herbert doesn't make the team because he was a quality central defender. We have always struggled for goals. That is why I have opted for Brian Turner. BT was a player who could slow a game down. He could get the ball, hold it up and find space for a team-mate. In many respects, he was the antithesis of Steve Sumner, who was the hard man of the side, a little bit nasty. Turner wasn't in his prime in 1982 but any New Zealand selection would have him in it.

I went for Adrian Elrick at left back over Tony Lochhead. Lochhead has size and gets forward well but Elrick could push up the park and had remarkably good hang-time when going up for a header. He had to mark some very good players at the World Cup and wasn't destroyed. I'm not sure Lochhead would have coped as well.

I think players in the present side have the ability to be as good as Steve Wooddin and Wynton Rufer but I'm not sure they are there yet.

De Jong's 1st XI
It was a different era, different game. They were all amateurs then up against a team of professionals. We are comparing a team who played almost entirely in the New Zealand National League up against A-League players and others playing overseas. It doesn't compare. It needs to be remembered that in 1982, players could pass back to the goalkeeper for him to pick it up. It means goalies have to be much more skilful today, which would rule out Richard Wilson. It was also an era when players could kick chunks out of opponents. Grant Turner wouldn't play today because he would be suspended. This is a balanced side. It would go reasonably well on attack because putting Rufer into any New Zealand team would make it stronger. You need Sumner for his leadership and personality and I would opt for Killen ahead of Smeltz because he scores goals and is a different type of player.