Mindset the key for under-17s

When the New Zealand under-17 men’s football team begin their World Cup campaign tomorrow, they will be hoping to avoid the same fate as their under-20 and senior counterparts.

Both those teams came up short in their tournament openers, at the World Cup in May and the Confederations Cup in June, respectively, and it was plain to see that they both found the step up to the word stage to be a big one.

That’s just a fact of life, of course, as far as New Zealand footballers go, especially those at age-group level, but it’s one that coach Danny Hay has tried to tackle as best he can, ahead of this month’s event in India.

‘‘It’s very, very difficult and it’s probably the most difficult thing that any New Zealand international coach has to do,’’ he said.

‘‘Two years ago, at the last World Cup, we started well in the first 15 minutes against France, and then as soon as we conceded, the boys just panicked and were deers caught in

the headlights and we went on to lose 6-1. It’s extremely difficult to prepare a group of players who have never experienced this before.

‘‘For me it all comes down to one thing, and it’s one word, and that’s mindset - preparing the players mentally more than anything else, for what they’re going to experience, particularly in that first game.’’

That first game is against Turkey (kickoff 12.30am tomorrow), and it won’t be until the team takes the field that anyone, including Hay, will have a proper idea how they’re travelling, and whether they have the right mindset or not.

The group has been in Mumbai for the past two weeks, playing

games against Brazil (a 2-1 loss) and England (a 3-2 loss) that were made possible with financial support from the Football Foundation, so they have had a decent chance to acclimatise, and to get a taste of what the international game is like.

After Turkey, New Zealand play Paraguay - who they beat two years ago - then Mali, who are the African champions.

They will likely need at least a win and a draw from their three matches if they are to advance from group B to the knockout stages, something the country has managed three times in seven attempts previously, without advancing any further.