New All Whites era takes shape
AP OPINION: Forget the players for a moment, forget the opposition, forget that they were in Mumbai, hardly a football hotbed, and focus on the structure. That’s where you will find the biggest takeaway from the All Whites’ Indian tour, which ended at three games, after Kenya pipped them to a place in the Intercontinental Cup final on goal difference.
With four games in the books – three in India and one against Canada in March – it is already clear how new coach Fritz Schmid wants the All Whites to play. He has set them up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with the four defenders and two holding midfielders providing a solid base, and the three attacking midfielders and the striker given freedom in the final third to combine and express themselves in search of goals.
After a World Cup cycle under former coach Anthony Hudson, who tried to instil a high-pressing game with plenty of moving parts that only worked properly on a handful of occasions and often deteriorated into old-fashioned kick and chase, the three games in India – wins over Chinese Taipei and the hosts and a narrow loss to Kenya – have been a breath of fresh air.
Two things stood out about the way Schmid had the All Whites playing – his system’s simplicity and its adaptability. The team now has a good base from which to to grow, one where goalscoring chances aren’t likely to be as rare as they have been in recent times, even when they move on and play tougher opponents.
With a goal and three assists, Sarpreet Singh was the standout, continuing a strong start to a year where he has become the most promising New Zealand player to emerge since Ryan Thomas in 2014.
Myer Bevan, Andre de Jong and Moses Dyer scored goals, which always helps, while Nikko Boxall, Sam Brotherton, Tom Doyle and Adam Mitchell were solid as centre backs, and wouldn’t look out of place if Schmid wants younger options in that position with an eye to the 2022 World Cup.