All Whites’ chance to bury demons of Costa Rica

Danny Hay believes the All Whites’ centenary matches against Australia in Auckland and Brisbane next week will be a chance for them to put the disappointment of missing out on a place at the World Cup behind them.

The national men’s football team is set to play its first transTasman matches in more than a decade at Suncorp Stadium next Thursday and Eden Park next Sunday but where they go after that is less clear.

Speaking after naming a 24-strong squad for those matches that featured two uncapped players, Hay confirmed his contract was set to expire at the end of next month and expressed frustration with regard to the lack of any plans on NZ Football’s part to seek matches in November, on the eve of the World Cup.

‘‘As a fan of the All Whites and a fan of the game, I think 100% the All Whites need to be playing,’’ Hay said. ‘‘That’s a big thing.

‘‘The opportunity to play against more teams from outside of [Oceania], which November potentially would have given the side, is vitally important for their continued development.’’

The friendly matches against Australia are set to be the team’s last this year and will bring to an end a couple of long waits – more than 11 years for a resumption of the trans-tasman rivalry and almost five years for an All Whites match on New Zealand soil.

Hay said when it was New Zealand against Australia it would be ‘‘all on, whether you put the tag friendly next to it or not’’.

‘‘I think we all know when you’re battling against the old foe, that it’s going to be anything but.

‘‘It’s going to be an exciting war, for want of a better phrase, and it’s probably a chance for us to bury the demons of Costa Rica.

‘‘It’s not going to fully bury them – we’re still hurting from that, we know we should be at the World Cup and we feel a little bit hard done by still on that and it does hurt.’’

Captain Winston Reid and leading goalscorer Chris Wood were both included in the squad of 24 named yesterday, which featured first callups for goalkeeper Alex Paulsen and defender Kyle Adams.

Hay said Wood was keen to feature in both matches, having been used largely off the bench by Newcastle United in the early weeks of the English season.

Reid suffered an injury in the All Whites’ loss to Costa Rica and is without a club for the second season in a row – a sign that the matches against Australia could potentially be his last for his country.

Australia qualified for this year’s World Cup after beating Peru in a penalty shootout in a playoff in June and are set to take part for the fifth cycle in a row.