While men’s football at the Olympics is restricted to players aged under 23 with just three over-age players per squad, New Zealand coach Neil Emblen has been able to name 13 players who have been capped in full internationals, including established All Whites Tommy Smith and Chris Wood along with Kosta Barbarouses, Marco Rojas and Jake Gleeson, who have been regular inclusions in squads over recent seasons.
England-based Cameron Howieson and Tim Payne, as well as ASB Premiership trio Ian Hogg, Adam McGeorge and Tim Myers, all recently made their senior debuts on the All Whites tour to the USA or the OFC Nations Cup in the Solomon Islands.
The squad is rounded out by US-based goalkeeper Michael O’Keeffe and some of the domestic scene’s most promising talent including James Musa and Dakota Lucas from Team Wellington, Alex Feneridis from Auckland City and Adam Thomas from Waikato FC. Hogg and captain Nelsen are the only returnees from the squad that travelled to Beijing in 2008.
Emblen says whittling down the squad was always going to cause headaches but feels he’s found the right balance.
“It’s a small squad for a tournament of this stature which means there were some very tough decisions to make but I feel the group selected gives us some tactical flexibility as well being pretty exciting,” Emblen says.
“The over-age players give us a good balance and experience down the spine of the team – we’ve been able to pick the All Whites premier defender, first choice midfielder and most prolific striker even though those players aren’t required to be released by their clubs. Ryan’s influence in particular will be massive for a group that includes players as young as 17 and any time you can include a player that was commonly regarded as one of the best at the World Cup in South Africa is a boost for your side’s chances.
“Then you throw in the likes of Smith, Barbarouses, Wood, Rojas and Gleeson and the core has got a good solid look to it. But we’ll need every single member of the squad to be at their best against some very tough teams.”
The Oly Whites leave for London on July 9 via Asia where they will play Olympic-bound Japan and Korea Republic on July 11 and 14 respectively before meeting fellow finalists UAE in Europe in their final warm-up on July 19.
New Zealand have been drawn with Belarus, Egypt and Brazil in Group C of the 16-nation finals, opening their campaign against the Belarusians in Coventry on July 26, one day before the Games’ opening ceremony.
The Football Ferns 18-player squad for the Olympics will be announced on June 29.
Oly Whites squad for Olympic Games
Goalkeepers
1-Jake GLEESON (Portland Timbers, USA)
18-Michael O’KEEFFE (Fairfield University, USA)
Defenders
3-Ian HOGG (Auckland City)
4-Tim MYERS (Waitakere United)
5-Tommy SMITH (Ipswich Town, ENG)
6-Ryan NELSEN (Queens Park Rangers, ENG)
12-Adam THOMAS (Waikato FC)
14-James MUSA (Team Wellington)
Midfielders
2-Tim PAYNE (Blackburn Rovers, ENG)
8-Michael McGLINCHEY (Central Coast Mariners, AUS)
13-Alex FENERIDIS (Auckland City)
15-Cameron HOWIESON (Burnley, ENG)
17-Adam McGEORGE (Auckland City)
Forwards
7-Kosta BARBAROUSES (Alania Vladikavkaz, RUS)
9-Shane SMELTZ (Perth Glory, AUS)
10-Chris WOOD (West Bromwich Albion, ENG)
11-Marco ROJAS (Melbourne Victory, AUS)
16-Dakota LUCAS (Sunshine Coast, AUS)
Standby
Michael EAGAR (Team Wellington)
Cameron LINDSAY (Wellington Phoenix)
Luke ROWE (Team Wellington)
Scott BASALAJ (Team Wellington)

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