New Zealand open their campaign in Noumea on September 7 with the chance of exacting a modicum of revenge against a New Caledonia side that upset them in the semi-finals of June’s OFC Nations Cup, then head to Auckland four days later to meet Solomon Islands in the first home qualifier of the 2014 campaign.
Herbert is predictably calling on his full range of overseas professionals for the two matches and, while he largely has a full squad to choose from, he has kept five players on standby to cover for injury with the A-League in pre-season and European competitions due to start.
The squad sees the return of new Queens Park Rangers signing Ryan Nelsen, West Ham’s Winston Reid and Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Dan Keat, who all missed the OFC Nations Cup through injury. Nelsen, who will captain the side, is on course to play his 50th ‘A’ international in front of a home crowd in the fourth qualifier in Christchurch on October 16.
Otherwise, the core of the squad is retained from the Nations Cup with teenager Tim Payne keeping a spot in the travelling party after an impressive Olympic Games showing in the holding midfield role.
Herbert says missing out on the Confederations Cup has only steeled the team’s resolve to qualify for Brazil 2014.
“There are no easy games in international football, we’ve proved that in recent years and also had a timely reminder of it in Honiara,” Herbert says.
“We need to be ruthless at home and clinical away during this campaign if we are serious about reaching a consecutive World Cup. A winning start to the campaign is vital as we don’t want to open the door for anyone else to build momentum.”
Following September’s matches, the All Whites play Tahiti twice in October, then take on New Caledonia and Solomon Islands again in March with the winner of the four-team round robin progressing to a two-legged intercontinental playoff against a North and Central American nation for a place at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
For the full match schedule of the Oceanian Zone Stage 3 Qualifiers 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ click here
All Whites squad for FIFA World Cup qualifiers
Goalkeepers
Glen MOSS (Wellington Phoenix – 19/0)
Mark PASTON (Wellington Phoenix – 32/0)
Defenders
Michael BOXALL (Wellington Phoenix – 7/0)
Tony LOCHHEAD (Wellington Phoenix – 38/0)
Ryan NELSEN (Captain / Queen’s Park Rangers, ENG – 46/6)
Winston REID (West Ham United, ENG – 10/1)
Ben SIGMUND (Wellington Phoenix – 24/1)
Tommy SMITH (Ipswich Town, ENG – 16/1)
Ivan VICELICH (Auckland City – 80/6)
Midfielders
Kosta BARBAROUSES (Panathinaikos, GRE – 12/1)
Leo BERTOS (Wellington Phoenix – 45/0)
Jeremy BROCKIE (Wellington Phoenix – 31/0)
Dan KEAT (Los Angeles Galaxy, USA – 1/0)
Michael McGLINCHEY (Central Coast Mariners, AUS – 16/1)
Tim PAYNE (Blackburn Rovers, ENG – 4/0
Marco ROJAS (Melbourne Victory, AUS – 9/0)
Forwards
Rory FALLON (Aberdeen, SCO – 14/3)
Chris KILLEN (Chongqing, CHN – 43/12)
Shane SMELTZ (Perth Glory, AUS – 43/20)
Chris WOOD (West Bromwich Albion, ENG – 25/7)
Standby
Aaron CLAPHAM (Canterbury United – 9/0)
Jake GLEESON (Portland Timbers, USA – 6/0)
Ian HOGG (Portland Timbers, USA – 4/1)
Cameron HOWIESON (Burnley, ENG – 3/0)
Michael O’KEEFFE (Fairfield University, USA – 0/0)
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
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