By TERRY MADDAFORD
New Zealand's return to the international soccer stage is about to hit top gear.
The national under-16 side will play in the ODP International Festival in the United States later this month and a few days later the under-23 Olympic side will play a one-off match in Japan.
The All Whites will play the Oceania's Nations Cup in Tahiti in June, and either the Olympic side or the All Whites are set to play in the Merdeka tournament in Malaysia in August.
The under-16 team to play in San Diego from March 23 to 26 are taking the first step towards the 2001 world under-17 championship in Trinidad and Tobago.
The young Kiwis will play the United States, Thailand and two United States regional selections in a demanding four-day tournament.
Following a talent identification programme, 18 players have been named in the travelling party, who will have All Whites assistant coach Mick Waitt at the helm.
The match in Japan, which New Zealand Soccer chief executive Bill MacGowan said was a cost effective exercise for the association, will be played against Japan's Olympic-bound under-23 team as the curtainraiser to a match involving their national side.
Eighteen players have been named, including newcomers Chris Killen, formerly of Miramar and now on a three-year contract with Manchester City, and United States-based Glen Collins.
The match is a key part of the team's preparation for the forthcoming playoffs with the fourth-best African nation for the last place in the Sydney 2000 Olympic tournament.
After the Nations Cup - with the winners heading for the rich Confederations Cup - New Zealand Soccer will decide which national side will play in the Merdeka tournament.
"If we qualify for the Olympics, this tournament could provide the ideal preparation for the under-23 side," MacGowan said. "If they don't make it, it would be an ideal platform to launch our next World Cup campaign."
Under-16 team for San Diego: Daniel Mortenson, Ben Turner, Craig Wylie (Auckland), Russell Kamo, Hamish Pattison, James Reichwein, John Sansom (Canterbury), Kaz Townsend (Counties Manukau), Matthew Adams, Peter Howe (Hawkes Bay), Wayne Rooker, Mark Schollum, Liam Smith (Hutt Valley), Dane Rayner, Davendar Singh (Mana), Terry Baker, Ryley Webster (North Harbour), Nathan Fry (Western Bay of Plenty). Coach: Mick Waitt.
Under-23 (Olympic) team for Japan: Robbie Barraclough (Nelson), Chris Marsh, Blair Scoullar (Dunedin Tech), Greg Uhlmann, Gareth Rowe, Noah Hickey, Josh Stick, Bradley Scott (Central), Graham Pearce (Mt Wellington), Jeremy Brown (Manawatu), Jeff Campbell (Kingz), Ryan Nelson, Gerard Davis (Stanford University), Glen Collins (Greenboro College), Ross Goodacre (Clemson Univ), John Foundoulakis (Proothefitiki, Greece), Joe Murray (Crewe Alexandra), Chris Killen (Manchester City). Coaches: Ken Dugdale, Ricki Herbert.
Soccer: Systems go for soccer squads
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