All Whites light on experience for India
THE All Whites are set to be without a host of experienced players for next month’s Intercontinental Cup in India.
Coach Fritz Schmid will name his squad this week. A developmental selection much like the one named for Canada in March has been expected since the All Whites’ involvement in the friendly tournament was revealed.
Sources have told Stuff Chris Wood won’t feature, having just completed his first full season in the English Premier League with Burnley. Winston Reid won’t be there either, though he suffered a season-ending knee injury in March.
None of the All Whites in Major League Soccer will be there, which is understandable as they would miss at least two games for their clubs if they took part. Kip Colvey, Jake Gleeson, Stefan Marinovic (currently injured), Tommy Smith, Bill Tuiloma and Deklan Wynne weren’t present in March, with Michael Boxall joining them this time around.
Jeremy Brockie, Marco Rojas, Michael McGlinchey, Ryan Thomas (another recently injured) and Themi Tzimopoulos are the other experienced players present in March who are set to miss the trip.
With so many familiar faces absent, there will be plenty of intrigue ahead of Schmid’s squad announcement on Friday, which will come at the end of a training camp in Auckland. PHOTOSPORT
He is expected to take 23 players to India, where the All Whites will face the hosts, Chinese Taipei, and Kenya in a round robin beginning on June 1, with the top two teams meeting in the final on June 10.
A source familiar with Schmid’s selection has told Stuff: ‘‘You’ll be surprised’’.
The All Whites’ next competitive assignment, the 2020 Oceania Nations Cup, is still two years away, and the intercontinental qualifying playoff for the 2022 World Cup will be almost two years after that, so it figures that Schmid is eager to explore his options.
In addition to coaching the All Whites, Schmid has been tasked with taking the national under23 team – consisting of players born in 1997 or later – who will have an Oceania qualifying tournament next year ahead of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Five eligible players – Myer Bevan, Dane Ingham, Clayton Lewis, Sarpreet Singh and Michael Woud – were in the All Whites squad in March, and it is likely there will be more this time around.
Lewis started against Canada, as did Sam Brotherton, Max Crocombe, Cam Howieson, Adam Mitchell and Tim Payne, all of whom are expected to be involved, so Schmid will have some continuity.
Wellington Phoenix teenager Sarpreet Singh was called up to the All Whites for the first time in March, and if there is to be a bolter this time around, another Phoenix teenager, Liberato Cacace, could be it.