Emblen wants to stay with All Whites

Interim All Whites coach Neil Emblen would like to remain part of the All Whites’ coaching setup if he is overlooked for the top job.

London Olympic men’s coach and All Whites assistant Emblen, 42, has been in charge of the senior national men’s team since February, albeit in a caretaker capacity, while New Zealand Football appoints a long-term successor for Ricki Herbert.

While joking he is yet to formally submit an application for the national job to NZ Football, Emblen makes no bones about being interested in the top job – and, if he misses out, would like to remain an assistant with a view to his long-term coaching development.

‘‘I actually haven’t put a CV in to them [NZF] yet. I think it closes midnight Friday, so maybe we’ll see after about 10 o’clock that night, after the South Africa game,’’ Emblen said. ‘‘The organisation pretty much knows how I feel about the whole thing. I’m happy to retain the role I was in. It was a great role to be assistant coach at this stage of my career, anyway.

‘‘If they go for a local candidate, then maybe there’s more of a chance. If it’s someone from overseas that’s wanting to do it, and within budget . . . I’m really just dictated by what the organisation is thinking.

‘‘I’ve done three years as an assistant, I’ve done an Olympic campaign and been involved with the All Whites for quite a while. They are working out what they want – hopefully, I can fit in some way.’’

After being at the helm for March’s 4-2 loss to Japan, in which the players recovered from some simple mistakes early on, Emblen acknowledges he has another, possibly influential, opportunity this week.

And with virtually none of the senior names available, it will be interesting to see what he can do with an 18-man squad, carrying an average of just nine caps apiece, against a South African side that set back Australia’s World Cup preparations by holding the Socceroos to a 1-1 draw on Monday.

Many of Emblen’s domestic and Australian-based players are also firmly into their closed seasons, possibly raising match fitness as another potential problem for him to manage. But, refreshingly, Em- blen refuses to shy away from attempting to deploy an attractive, ball-on-the-floor brand of football.

‘‘If we do that right, then we won’t give goals away like we did against Japan, and we can get a positive scoreline. That’s got to be everyone’s aim, to go out and win,’’ he said. ‘‘But, we’re not playing at all costs. We’re playing to play the right way and we don’t want to give away goals.

‘‘With players like this, it is more direction than how-to, and little things that you try to add in. They’re exciting players and I just want them to play to their potential. I think the key is, there’s no point setting out a team that’s got young, skilful players and playing a way that doesn’t suit them.

‘‘It’s a bit diverse to go from 10-year-olds at Western Springs to the country’s elite, but it’s all about keeping the same routines and principles – you need those to work with anyone in the game. I’m loving it.’’