All Whites coach Danny Hay and his staff. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
By Michael Burgess in Doha
On the ninth floor of the All Whites' Doha hotel, Joe Bell and Libby Cacace are playing cards. The two youngsters – who are roommates – like to keep things pretty relaxed, especially leading into what will be the biggest game of their lives.
The duo aren't the only ones who enjoy cards or board games, with Eli Just, Callum McCowatt and Nando Pijnaker among plenty of others in the squad.
The match with Costa Rica kicks off at 9pm in Doha and there is a lot of time to kill.
Players have been encouraged to sleep in over the last five or six days, in a deliberate move to adjust their body clocks.
The team have also been training in the evening this week, to prepare for what is to come. The final session was short and sharp, walking through the tactical shape for the last time, along with some work on set pieces.
Dinner was prepared by the team's Italian chef, who has been hired for the week from Abu Dhabi, to oversee all of the food preparation.
"There's a lot of pasta," laughed one insider, "but that's what we want."
The final team meeting is after the meal. Some of the leadership group (Winston Reid, Chris Wood, Bill Tuiloma, Bell and Cacace) may speak, with Reid and Wood often the most prominent. Individualised match notes then get handed out, on an A4 sheet of paper.
"They are position-specific, with five or six key points," says All Whites coach Danny Hay.
"All they are is reminders, all the big rocks, there is nothing new in there. Some will read it, some will take it to the game, have it out as little reminders, some might not read it. But it is all those little things that we go through."
Assistant coach Rory Fallon was the main speaker on Monday night, talking about the epic Bahrain match in 2009. Some players then watched Australia's clash with Peru, while others went to the pool for some recovery. Another group gathered in the medical hub – always a popular meeting point – to chat and sit in the recovery compression boots.
New bonds have been forged on this tour. Pijnaker has enjoyed spending time with roommate Marco Rojas ("it's been great to hear about all his experiences"), while further down the corridor, Matt Garbett and Kosta Barbarouses have found plenty in common, as have Tuiloma and Marko Stamenic.
On match day, there is a 150-minute window for breakfast, as players follow their own rhythms. Then there are unit meetings, with Hay and assistant coach Darren Bazeley.
Sometimes it is split into defenders, midfielders and forwards, but other times, it could be based on a vertical group, like Tuiloma, Niko Kirwan and Stamenic as the right-sided players.
"We have got a whole heap of clips ready but they drive those meetings," says Hay. "It's never too long but sometimes we get a really good discussion going, with the whiteboard there. It's a chance to clarify anything, ask any questions."
The team lunch is at 2pm and Cacace won't stray from his routine.
"I'm going to keep it pretty similar," says Cacace. "I like to keep my food pretty plain, I don't like to eat anything extravagant or anything special. I don't want to put too much pressure on myself before this game."
In the afternoon, some players have a sleep, while others go to the team room for a massage. Huge banners of Ryan Nelsen, Wynton Rufer and Steve Sumner adorn the room, with the words "brothers" and "pioneers" written below the montage of photos of the All Whites icons.
The squad will gather for activations later in the afternoon, limbering up the muscles, before a lighter pre-match snack or meal.
The team bus departs at 6.55pm, with players reverting to their favourite seats. There is some light-hearted banter, but it's not a time for too many conversations, as the players begin to switch into match mode.
It's a 22km drive from their downtown hotel to Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, situated in Al Rayyan, on the edge of the desert. They'll pass several imposing buildings – including Qatar's national library and the royal palace – but will have a swift run with a dedicated lane and a substantial police escort.
The team arrive at the match venue around 90 minutes before kickoff, with a chance for a walk around the pitch before settling into preparations. It's a hive of activity but a familiar drill.
Hay will address the group before they head out for their warm-up.
"I don't say much at all," says Hay. "It will be a couple of minutes max, because everything is done by that stage."
The group returns to the changing room 15 minutes before kickoff, when the enormity of the occasion will begin to sink in. The coaching staff will offer any encouragement needed but otherwise leave the players in their zone.
"I might go around and talk to individuals but keep it very light," says Hay. "The last thing they need is more information from me then. You need to allow them to manage themselves, to get into a good space."
Captain Reid has the final message. All the players and staff gather in a big huddle before the 33-year-old speaks as the group falls silent.
He talks about trust, about having each other's back, about pride in the country and staying in the moment. Wood has earlier already encouraged the players to enjoy the occasion, wanting to pass on belief to his mostly younger teammates.
Down the tunnel, the players can hear the reverberations of "Thunderstruck", the AC/DC classic that has been used by Fifa at its big games and tournaments for more than two decades. Then it is time to enter the arena and face their destiny.
"As I walk out, I'll be smiling and enjoying it," says Wood. "I embrace it. You want to take it in, because these are the moments you want to remember for the rest of your life. Then as soon as the national anthems finish, I will be on to my job."
Saturday was hard to reconcile with what we have seen over the last two months.