All Whites coach gets reaction he wanted
At a glance
All Whites coach Anthony Hudson is pleased with the response of the players he dropped because of fitness issues.
Midfielders Clayton Lewis and Bill Tuiloma were left out of Hudson’s squad for the Oceania World Cup qualifying final against the Solomon Islands earlier this month, while wingback Dane Ingham was sent home after one day of the week-long camp.
Tuiloma and Ingham were recalled yesterday for next Friday’s friendly against Japan at Toyota Stadium in Nagoya, while Lewis would have been selected had he not been about to start work with English League One club Scunthorpe United.
Tuiloma has proved his fitness by starting eight games for Portland Timbers’ second team since August 6.
‘‘I wanted a reaction and he needed to do more, either doing more on his own or playing games,’’ Hudson said.
‘‘Those games over there with the Timbers in the USL [United States second division], those games are actually real games. When he was at Marseilles and playing reserve games, they were just different. There’s not an edge on the game because they’re reserve games.’’
As for Ingham, Hudson said all the reports from his club, Brisbane Roar, had been positive.
‘‘The club have been very good at communicating with our sports scientists about where he’s at physically, we’ve had some stats and that type of thing. He’s responded well and that’s what I was after, a reaction.’’
All Whites captain Winston Reid was named in the squad. He hasn’t played for the national team since October last year, with his most recent absence due to an ankle injury, but he has been playing for West Ham the last few weeks and should be on the plane to Japan, provided he comes through this weekend unscathed.
New Zealand under-20s and Sunderland goalkeeper Michael Woud was the surprise selection to back up Stefan Marinovic, with recent callups Glen Moss, Tamati Williams and Oliver Sail not included in the 22-man squad.
He is in a battle with Jack Duncan for Newcastle Jets starting goalkeeper spot this year, although Duncan is under an injury cloud heading into the first week of the A-League season. That meant the Jets requested that Moss stay in Australia, rather than sit on the bench in Japan.
‘‘To bring Mossy over and not play and then miss his club’s first game and then potentially be sat on the bench for three, four, five weeks, if he’s called upon in November then he’s not going to be as ready as we need him,’’ Hudson said.
Playing time also hindered Williams, as he sits on the bench for Danish Superliga club Aalborg.
Another slight surprise was the inclusion of Moses Dyer in midfield, despite not playing much football lately, although he has long be a favourite of Hudson’s.
Former Wellington Phoenix midfielder Tyler Boyd’s name often pops up when Dyer is selected given he plays for a Portuguese Primeira Liga club, but Hudson said the onus was on Boyd.
‘‘Everyone always talks about Tyler Boyd, but the last time I spoke to Tyler he didn’t want to play for the national team. I’ve said many times I’m not going to go chasing players who don’t want to play for the national team.’’
The rest of the squad was as expected. Centreback Tommy Smith remains out injured. Burnley striker Chris Wood will lead the line, while Marco Rojas and Shane Smeltz return to the squad after missing the Solomon Islands games through injury.
The Japan match will serve as the All Whites’ final leadup to their World Cup qualifying intercontinental playoff in November against a yet-to-be-determined South American nation.
‘‘They’re a team that are similar to the South Americans, probably a little bit more structured and rigid,’’ Hudson said.
‘‘So, this will be a good test for us.’’