AUCKLAND – Wellington Phoenix duo Shane Smeltz and Tony Lochhead have been included as over-age players in an extended Thai Airways Oly-Whites squad announced by coach Stu Jacobs today.

Jacobs has predictably named the ‘big three’ British based players – Celtic’s Chris Killen, Fulham’s Simon Elliot and Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen – in his 25 man squad but is keeping his options open with the inclusion of Lochhead and New Zealand’s International Player of the Year Smeltz.

Jacobs can field just three over-age players in the otherwise U-23 tournament, and plans to whittle down the squad in July to a final list of 18 – plus four non-travelling reserves – for the XXVIII Olympiad in August.

“The experience of Ryan and Simon in the English Premiership and Chris in the Scottish Premiership is a huge bonus,” Jacobs said, “but we need to provide cover so we can still take our full quota if any of those five are unavailable.”

“Shane gives you something a little different up front – he’s physically strong but he also has the pace to get in behind defences, while Tony is left-sided, an exceptional athlete and a top fullback plus has the versatility to play in midfield if needed.”

The inclusion of the five over-age players boosts the number of All Whites in the squad to nine, with Jeremy Brockie, Daniel Ellensohn and former Phoenix pair Steven Old and Jacob Spoonley having already played key roles for the U-23s during March’s Olympic qualifying tournament in Fiji.

However, due to injury, non-selection and other commitments only Ellensohn, Killen, Lochhhead and Smeltz have seen game time for Ricki Herbert’s All Whites in recent FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Blackburn Rovers captain Ryan Nelsen is one of five over-age pplayers included in the extended 25 man squad. Photo: Geoff DickinsonNo fewer than a dozen NZFC players have made the extended squad with Hawke’s Bay United contributing five players and Waikato FC three.

Hawke’s Bay United fullbacks Ian Hogg and Sam Jenkins, along with Sunderland’s promising defender Jack Pelter – absent from March’s Olympic qualifying due to an ankle injury – are the only other new faces to the side that secured New Zealand’s first berth at an Men’s Olympic football tournament.

All three played under Jacobs for the Junior All Whites at last year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada with captain Pelter scoring the side’s only goal in their final game against Mexico.

But injury has dealt a cruel blow to their U-20 team mate Dan Keat. The livewire Dartmouth College midfielder tore an anterior cruciate ligament in training for his Ivy League school, ending the chance to chase his Olympic dream.

Jacobs had been waiting on results on an MRI scan on Keat’s injury before naming his squad and said the American-based Wellingtonian was “devastated” by the blow.

“He’s been a pretty consistent performer for the U-20s and the U-23s and now he’s had that opportunity of playing on the Olympic stage taken away from him.”

The Thai Airways Oly-Whites face a high profile Olympic debut against hosts China on the eve of the opening ceremony, followed by tough assignments against glamour boys Brazil on August 10 and one-time gold medallists Belgium three days later.

Oly-Whites extended squad for the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament, China, August 7-23.

*Over-age players

Goalkeepers: Liam Little (Otago United), Jacob Spoonley (unattached), Roy Bell (Macarthur Rams)

Defenders: Michael Boxall (University of Santa Barbara), Hone Fowler (Waikato FC), Ian Hogg (Hawke’s Bay United), Sam Jenkins (Hawke’s Bay United), Tony Lochhead* (Wellington Phoenix), Joel Mathews (Auckland City), Ryan Nelsen* (Blackburn Rovers), Steven Old (Macarthur Rams), Jack Pelter (Sunderland Athletic FC), Aaron Scott (Waikato FC).

Midfielders: Jeremy Brockie (Hawke’s Bay United), Simon Elliott* (Fulham FC), Craig Henderson (Dartmouth College), Cole Peverley (Hawke’s Bay United), Cole Tinkler (Team Wellington), Shaun van Rooyen (Waikato FC).

Forwards: Costa Barbarouses (Wellington Phoenix), Greg Draper (Wellington Phoenix), Daniel Ellensohn (Team Wellington), Chris Killen* (Glasgow Celtic), Sam Messam (Hawke’s Bay United), Shane Smeltz* (Wellington Phoenix).

Management team – Coach: Stu Jacobs (Team Wellington); Assistant/Goalkeeping coach: Jonathan Gould (Hawke’s Bay United); Trainer: Andy Smith (Team Wellington); Manager: Jim Hogg; Doctor: Celeste Geerstema.