All Whites without host of big names for Oceania Nations Cup

Wednesday, 5 June 2024

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley discusses the challenges of selecting his OFC Nations Cup squad.

Nine frontline players are missing from the All Whites squad to contest the Oceania Nations Cup this month.

Chris Wood was already ruled out due to a clash with his wedding and he has been joined by eight starters from the All Whites’ last tour.

The All Whites’ Nations Cup campaign begins on June 15 against New Caledonia.

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley is set to lean heavily on a core group of players from the Wellington Phoenix at the Oceania Nations Cup in Vanuatu this month.

Only seven of the 15 players who started for the New Zealand men’s national team in their last two matches, against Egypt and Tunisia in mid-March, were included in the 21-man squad named on Wednesday.

Also absent is star English Premier League striker Chris Wood, who was injured then and won’t take part in the Nations Cup as it clashes with his wedding on June 17.

Veteran centre back Tommy Smith will be Wood’s best man and will only head to Vanuatu after the ceremony, arriving in time for the All Whites’ third group A match, against the hosts on June 21.

One of the eight frontline players not backing up from March is midfielder Clayton Lewis, who was arrested last month in Sydney following his alleged involvement in an A-League Men spot-fixing scheme.

Lewis’ first court appearance falls on June 27, the day of the Nations Cup semifinals, and his bail conditions prevent him from leaving Australia.

Midfielder Sarpreet Singh is one of nine frontline All Whites missing from their squad for the Oceania Nations Cup.

Bazeley confirmed he had been in contact with Lewis since his arrest on May 17, but otherwise declined to comment on the 27-year-old’s situation, except to say he had been deemed unavailable for selection.

The other seven frontline players absent, for a range of reasons, mostly relating to workload management and clashes with club commitments are defenders Michael Boxall and Nando Pijnaker, midfielders Joe Bell, Matt Garbett, Sarpreet Singh and Marko Stamenic and forward Callum McCowatt.

Pijnaker is unable to fly at the moment as he recovers from a rib injury sustained in early April. Garbett has been rested to allow him to recover from niggles he has been managing all season, but is expected to be available to play for the Oly Whites at the Paris Olympics. Marco Rojas was said by Bazeley to be recovering from injury, while Bill Tuiloma was lacking match fitness and right back Storm Roux was unable to accept a call-up for personal reasons.

The 21-man All Whites squad is two players short of the maximum allowed, a decision Bazeley put down to not wanting to carry players who were unlikely to take the field. A small, unnamed group of players are on standby in case of injury.

It includes 10 players who were part of the Phoenix’s run to the semifinals during the 2023-24 A-League Men season and four who have signed for New Zealand’s new A-Leagues club Auckland FC, ahead of their inaugural campaign in the 2024-25 season.

There are six uncapped players. Five from the Phoenix – goalkeeper Alex Pauslen, who has just been sold to English Premier League club AFC Bournemouth, defenders Lukas Kelly-Heald and Sam Sutton, midfielder Fin Conchie and forward Oskar Van Hattum – and Jesse Randall, an Auckland signing.

The All Whites assemble in Vanuatu from June 11 and begin their Nations Cup campaign on June 15 against New Caledonia, with the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu the other teams in their group.

After the semifinals on June 27, the decider will take place on June 30, with the Oly Whites squad for Paris set to be named two days later in Auckland.

All Whites – Oceania Nations Cup

Squad

Goalkeepers: Max Crocombe, Alex Paulsen, Oli Sail

Defenders: Tyler Bindon, Liberato Cacace, Lukas Kelly-Heald, Tim Payne, Tommy Smith, Finn Surman, Sam Sutton

Midfielders: Fin Conchie, Cam Howieson, Eli Just, Ben Old, Alex Rufer

Forwards: Kosta Barbarouses, Alex Greive, Max Mata, Jesse Randall, Oskar van Hattum, Ben Waine

Fixtures (NZ time)

All matches at VFF Freshwater Stadium in Port Vila.

June 15, 1pm: v New Caledonia

June 18, 1pm: v Solomon Islands

June 21, 4pm: v Vanuatu

June 27, 12pm or 4pm: Semifinals (if qualified)

June 30, 4pm: Final (if qualified)