KEY POINTS:
New Zealand soccer's bid to follow the national hockey teams into the Olympic arena hots up next month with the men's under-23 side to contest the Oceania Olympic qualifying tournament in Fiji.
Stu Jacobs, called in to replace Ricki Herbert as coach of the Oly-Whites, has named All Whites Daniel Ellensohn, Jacob Spoonley, Jeremy Brockie and Steven Old in his squad to play in the March 1-9 tournament also involving Fiji, Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
In taking over the team Jacobs, also the coach of the New Zealand under-20 side, has freed Herbert to concentrate on the All Whites and, more importantly at this time, recruitment for the Wellington Phoenix.
Hopes that the captain of his under-20 side Jack Pelter, now with English Premier League club Sunderland, would play have been dashed.
He, like his Junior All Whites team-mate Nick Roydhouse, is sidelined through injury. Roydhouse broke a leg playing for YoungHeart Manawatu in last week's New Zealand Football Championship game against Waikato FC.
Pelter injured his ankle in his first training session back with the Sunderland reserves after being out for a lengthy spell with a broken foot.
US-based Phil Edginton replaces Pelter while Waikato's Shaun Van Rooyen comes in for Roydhouse.
Should New Zealand qualify for the Olympics, they will, like all teams, be able to include three over-age players in their squad.
Meanwhile, without kicking a ball, the All Whites have climbed four places in the Fifa world rankings.
The national side is up to 90th on the latest list.
While still a long way off their best - 47th in August 2002 - it is a major improvement from the 156th spot they occupied last September.
NZ SQUAD FOR FIJI
Goalkeepers: Jacob Spoonley (Wellington Phoenix), Liam Little (Otago United), Michael O'Keeffe (Canterbury United).
Defenders: Aaron Scott (Waikato FC), Steven Old (Wellington Phoenix), Michael Boxall (University of Santa Barbara), Phil Edginton (University of Louisville), Cole Tinkler (Team Wellington), Joel Mathews (Auckland City), Hone Fowler (Waikato FC).
Midfielders: Jason Hayne (Waitakere United), Jeremy Brockie (Hawke's Bay United), Cole Peverley (Hawke's Bay United), Craig Henderson (Dartmouth College), Shaun Van Rooyen (Waikato FC), Dan Keat (Dartmouth College).
Strikers: Greg Draper (Wellington Phoenix), Costa Barbarouses (Wellington Phoenix), Daniel Ellensohn (Team Wellington), Sam Messam (Hawke's Bay United).
