All Whites in need of ‘serious support’
All Whites coach Anthony Hudson believes his future needs to be settled quickly, but has called for more support for the team, irrespective of whether he stays.
Before anything else, Hudson needs to meet with New Zealand Football boss Andy Martin, who had expressed a desire to keep him on, even before the World Cup playoff loss to Peru.
‘‘For everyone’s sake it needs to be tidied up quickly, for the players and the team,’’ he said yesterday, upon returning to Auckland from Lima.
‘‘I think it needs to be done as soon as possible,’’ Hudson said of contract negotiations with NZ Football.
Earlier this month, Hudson revealed that his agent had fielded interest in his services from several parties, and that he had put any talks on hold until after the matches against Peru.
The 16th All Whites coach has had more resources than any of his predecessors, but he believes even more support is needed.
Martin pegged the cost of the All Whites programme over the past four years at $8-9 million in an interview with NZME on Saturday, and whether NZ Football can even maintain that level of funding is unclear.
At this stage in the past two World Cup cycles, the game received a big cash injection – by qualifying in 2009, and by selling TV rights to Mexico in 2013 – but that is not expected this time.
The issue of future support is sure to be a big factor in any talks between Martin and Hudson.
‘‘We’ve got a competitive team now, a team that is building in the right direction, and it needs to stay together, it needs to be resourced and prepared properly,’’ said Hudson.
‘‘It needs games, and it needs support – not just financially – it needs to be really embraced, because at times our players can feel a little bit left out.
‘‘To jump on four flights for such an important game [the away leg of the playoff in Lima], I think it’s a credit to the players that they reacted the way they did, and that’s why this team needs serious support now, because it can do something if it has that.’’
Hudson identified the number playing regular first-team football – nine of the 23-man squad selected to play Peru weren’t – and their level of preparation as key areas.
‘‘If you look at Australia for example and how they travelled back from Honduras [on a charter flight], that signifies a team that’s serious about getting to the World Cup.
‘‘We’re probably three or four players playing first-team football away, and the level of resource and preparation has to go up, or we’ll keep falling short.’’