Soccer: Mt Smart or North Shore tipped for Jamaica clash

Ricki Herbert could return as coach to the "spiritual home" for the 1982 All Whites if they play Jamaica at Mt Smart Stadium. Photo / Supplied.

Ricki Herbert could return as a coach rather than a player to the ground which became the "spiritual home" for the 1982 All Whites if next month's one-off friendly international is played at Mt Smart Stadium.

Although a venue has yet to be confirmed for the proposed fixture against Jamaica on February 29, it appears Mt Smart Stadium or North Harbour Stadium are the most likely options.

Given the huge turnout for the Hyundai A-League game between the Wellington Phoenix and Adelaide United in November, Eden Park was an obvious choice but the third One Day International cricket match between New Zealand and South Africa is to be played at the ground on March 3 which would rule out a soccer game three days earlier.

New Zealand Football chief executive Grant McKavanagh said yesterday that he was a little surprised news of the match had come out as there "is still stuff to finalise" and the NZF board "needs to tick it off".

Details were released after comments from Jamaican Football Federation president Captain Horace Burrell. The match is also listed on Fifa's website and will follow home games the Jamaicans will play against Cuba on February 22 and 24 before flying to New Zealand.

With the Oceania champions set to play the fourth-placed North-Central American (Concacaf) team in the final round of World Cup 2014 qualifying next year, Herbert is keen to pitch the All Whites against teams from that part of the world.

On current rankings, Mexico (at 21), the United States (33) and Panama (47) are the top three teams from the confederation. Honduras (51) are fourth ahead of Jamaica (52). New Zealand are at 118 after watching their ranking fall on the back of a very limited schedule post-World Cup.

The other possibility for this one-match Fifa window was to play No8 Canada in London.

"Ricki was keen to get a game against a Concacaf team likely to figure in the play-offs," said McKavanagh. "This is an ideal game at this time."

Deciding to play in Auckland was a matter of logistics, he said, given it was a one-off date and getting players to Auckland was the sensible option.

"The All Whites have a good history at Mt Smart so it has to be considered. We need to get the right mix as it is important to give the public and fans the chance to see the All Whites at home which doesn't happen very often."

In the only other game between the two countries at senior level, the All Whites lost 2-1 in a game played in China in January 2000. In other games played on February 29, New Zealand lost 1-0 to Australia at Newmarket Park in 1976 and beat the Solomon Islands 6-1 in Noumea in 1980.

Beyond this game, the All Whites will be back in action with group matches in the Oceania Nations Cup against Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea on June 3, 5 and 7 before semifinals and final with the winner to represent Oceania at next year's Confederations Cup in Brazil.

On August 15 an away international against a still-unknown country will be a lead-in to the next phase of Oceania's World Cup qualifiers with matches scheduled for September 7-11 and October 12-16.