Game plan exciting for midfielders
Danny Hay’s mission to make the All Whites more attractive began in earnest on Tuesday in Dublin, when he had his full squad together for the first time on the training pitch ahead of the friendly against the Republic of Ireland tomorrow morning (NZ time).
From the moment he was appointed at the end of August, Hay has pledged to get the national team playing a possession-based style of football, and he wants to start to see that this week, even if the team will only have had two sessions together by kickoff.
More than anyone, it’s the country’s midfielders who will notice the difference, as they are now being asked to hold on to the ball and to try to pick opposing teams apart, rather than fighting for scraps and getting in the way of the opposition.
That change of approach has been music to the ears of rookies and veterans alike.
‘‘In the 10 years I’ve been around the All Whites, I’ve not heard anyone talk about playing football the way he wants to play,’’ Michael McGlinchey said yesterday.
‘‘You’re going to have to be really brave to play this type of football, and I believe I can still do that and that we’ve got a lot of technical players that can do that as well.
‘‘It’s exciting to be in with Danny and listening to the way he wants to play football – it’s the way it should be played.’’
McGlinchey is by far the senior figure in the All Whites’ midfield ranks, with Ryan Thomas the only other player to full have amassed 10 or more caps, and Joe Bell, Matt Ridenton, Alex Rufer, and Sarpreet Singh the other options.
Bell is one of seven uncapped players in the squad for this week’s matches against Ireland and Lithuania, and as one of the old hands, McGlinchey has been keeping an eye on the new recruits.
‘‘I look to brave,’’ he said.
‘‘Danny talks about wanting to play football, and you can tell if someone wants the ball or not, and I think we’ll see that throughout the week.
‘‘I think the young boys do want the ball, they’re all brave on the ball, they’re all technical, and I think it’s an exciting time for New Zealand football to change from the way we’ve played in the past to the way Danny wants to play now.’’
Bell is in line to make his debut against Ireland, stepping up to senior international football after captaining New Zealand at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in May and June.
‘‘I’m extremely excited,’’ he said. ‘‘I was thinking about it just after training today – I’ve been watching Winston Reid on TV since I was 11, and now suddenly I’m asking for the ball from him, so it was kind of a weird moment, where I was like wow.
‘‘It could be a bit overwhelming, but to be honest I’m just really excited.
‘‘They’re all fantastic players [in the squad] and it’s given me a chance to learn a lot. If I was given the opportunity to play against Ireland on Thursday it would be fantastic,’’ he said.
Reid played a full part in training on Tuesday, while Chris Wood sat out towards the end as a precaution after feeling tightness in his leg. see if they are