Soccer: Struggle to find matches for All Whites

NZ Soccer Chief Executive Graham Seatter.

The All Whites face a bleak fixture list after New Zealand Soccer (NZS) chief executive Graham Seatter was unable to secure them any international fixtures in Europe.

New Zealand have played just one international this year, against Australia in June, and potential opponents are not exactly queuing up to play the All Whites, who have slipped to 111th in the world rankings.

"It is frustrating," Seatter said from England, where he visited Blackburn Rovers and Charlton Athletic after last week's Fifa Congress in Marrakesh, Morocco.

New Zealand Soccer are desperate to improve their world ranking, but can only do so by beating countries outside the Oceania Confederation as the island nations are all ranked below the All Whites.

"The only way we can play teams that are ahead of us are friendlies and friendlies are pretty hard to organise," Seatter said.

"We don't get our best players and other teams don't get their best players. And if we play away we don't get the broadcasting rights. So things get a bit problematic.

"But we've got to solve it because we won't advance the game unless we get our national team playing."

In Morocco, Seatter spoke with representatives of other countries but the limited windows in the international soccer calendar leave little room aside from qualifying matches for the World Cup or the continental championships.

"We're in a unique situation in Oceania because we do not get the opportunity to play any strong teams within our own confederation. Every other confederation in the world provides that opportunity, but not Oceania."

Following Australia into the Asian Football Association (AFA) does not figure in Seatter's plans just yet.

Seatter did not want to comment on Australian newspaper reports in which Fifa boss Sepp Blatter told Australia it did not need New Zealand for a 2018 World Cup bid.

Seatter thinks the next calender year will throw up more opportunities for the All Whites, as countries will be looking for sparring partners ahead of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Meanwhile, Seatter said All White captain and Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Nelsen reiterated his support for the national team.

"But he did make the comment that his manager, Mark Hughes, is reluctant to let him go for friendlies," Seatter said.

"In their mind, a friendly is a friendly, so why would you bother. But from our point of view, friendlies are the most important games."

- NZPA