McGlinchey prepared for big challenge
‘‘I wouldn’ a thought so’’.
In his thick Glaswegian accent, it’s Michael McGlinchey’s polite way of getting across a firm no.
In the past, facing a top-30 team may well have been a daunting prospect for an All Whites team with just three trainings sessions to prepare as a full squad.
According to experienced midfielder McGlinchey, though, this New Zealand side has no such concerns.
To be revealed tomorrow, the 23-strong All Whites group will have less than a week together before the first of their three matches in the buildup to the Confederations Cup, a clash with world No 26 Northern Ireland in Belfast on June 2 (June 3 NZ time).
A section of the squad will get longer, with mostly Australasianbased group getting a head-start in their preparations with a five-day camp in Auckland this week.
Asked if the catchup required by the other overseas-based players when the two groups lined up in Belfast would be significant, McGlinchey was confident in his answer.
‘‘I wouldn’ a thought so,’’ the 30-year-old Phoenix squad member said yesterday.
‘‘The manager [Anthony Hudson] has been sending out clips of Northern Ireland, and also of Belarus and obviously the teams we play in the Confederations Cup.
‘‘We are all fully aware of what we need to do, [this week] is just touching a couple of things up on the training pitch. All the boys have been keeping themselves fit so I don’t think it will be an issue.’’
Those involved this week will no doubt be getting reminders about the tactics the team wants to employ during the next month.
Hudson is also using the minicamp to assess the physical and mental state of the players in the mix for the ‘‘one or two’’ spots he is yet to decide on. But the major aim of the mini-camp is to help sharpen up those players, like McGlinchey, whose season ended several weeks ago.
With the players based outside Australasia still finishing or only recently completed their club seasons, McGlinchey said this week was the perfect way to ensure the whole squad was at a high level when they linked up in Belfast.
‘‘It’s great to be back into it ... although we’ve obviously kept ourselves fit, it’s not the same as being on the training pitch.
‘‘It’s important that we appreciate we’ve got an extra five days with the gaffer and not take it for granted.
‘‘It helps us getting ourselves sharp to the level we need to be when we go over to Ireland.’’
As for where he was at personally, McGlinchey was also optimistic on that front.
The Wellington-born player, with 42 All Whites caps, battled a knee injury for a decent part of the A-League season but proved a standout performer for the national team in a pair of 2-0 World Cup qualifying wins against Fiji in March.
Those performances had been key to a return to his normally consistent ways, he said.
‘‘[After that] I manage to play some minutes with the Phoenix before the season ended. I’ve had a bit of rest and kept myself fit, so I’m all good now.
‘‘Everybody is just desperate to get going now, get over there and test ourselves against Northern Ireland and take it from there.’’