Emblen grabs golden opportunity
NEIL EMBLEN may have the word ‘‘interim’’ in front of his title as All Whites coach, but that hasn’t stopped him making sweeping changes.
Putting his faith in a squad that has a huge focus on the future ahead of next month’s game against Japan, common sense has prevailed in that respect, with a phase of rebuilding towards the 2018 World Cup under way – something that failed to occur after the success of 2010.
Then, too many players were encouraged to hang on to dissipating glory, which in effect, wasted four, crucial years of All Whites development – right when they had the country’s attention firmly in their grasp.
Playing the might of Japan in their spiritual home of football, with such an inexperienced side, may appear a cavalier approach from the temporary man in charge. Especially so when considering the All Whites’ need to re-establish the public’s trust and respect after the debacle of the 2014 World Cup playoff games against Mexico.
But, this is anything but a gamble. It’s a calculated and smart decision from a man who will rightly have half an eye on the fulltime job.
This game is a win-win scenario. Lose, albeit with dignity, and the future of the All Whites has been blooded in a hostile international football environment. The lessons learned will be seen to serve well those involved for the future.
Draw, or pull off the unthinkable and win, and Emblen’s stock rises considerably by having the foresight to recognise and unite the considerable pool of talent currently sitting within our ranks.
New Zealand Football will also be hoping for the latter.
Their hunt for a permanent coach could have a quick fix – if the All Whites perform well under Emblen they’ll see him as the easy option to move forward with. Easy, only because as an organisation, NZF prioritise money above all else, and Emblen’s wages would be minimal due to his relative inexperience as an international coach.
The national body would also see it as a massive bonus if they didn’t have to go through the process of looking abroad for the coaching solution.
Success on March 5 in Tokyo will largely hinge on how quickly the senior players who survived the cull adapt to a new style of leadership. It’s a smart move from Emblen to include a number of experienced players from the Phoenix. Outside of the obvious fact they are playing well, Andrew Durante, Ben Sigmund and Jeremy Brockie have all been through a complete change in style and philosophy at the club since Ernie Merrick’s arrival.
The key is that they haven’t just adapted, but have thrived in the new environment. I’m certain Emblen has a similar philosophy and approach to Merrick, so the transition for the senior players should be seamless and exciting to be part of.
On the pitch, the one area of concern appears to be in defensive positions. No Winston Reid again who is still out injured and no Tommy Smith, who has elected to remain in England with his club Ipswich, means Emblen is not just without his centre-back pairing, but also his natural choices for captain and vice-captain.
Glen Moss wearing the armband will deputise admirably, but it’s going to be a big ask for Durante and Sigmund to step up from A-League level to facing the skill and guile of the Samurai Blue.
While both central defenders are performing incredibly well for their club, the extra responsibility of having to marshal youth around them as well as ensure their own roles are fulfilled could prove a stretch.
If credibility is secured from the game, the fractured All Whites brand will be on the road to recovery. If nothing else, this is a golden opportunity for Emblen to introduce some names that could be a big part of the future of the All Whites landscape for years to come.