SYDNEY – All Whites coach Ricki Herbert admits he is as worried about the temperature in Port Vila as he is about Vanuatu ahead of Saturday’s FIFA World Cup qualifier.
The mercury tipped a toasty 27 degrees Celsius in Sydney on Thursday as the All Whites put the final touches on their preparation at St Gregory’s College where the pesky flies far
out-numbered the pupils at the massive private school.
But it is expected to be up to 10 degrees warmer come Saturday’s 2pm kickoff (4pm NZT) – conditions that will obviously play in Vanuatu’s hands.
“The heat and the condition of the ground are things that are not going to change, we just need to deal with them,” Herbert said on the eve of the All Whites flight to Port
Vila.
“But I think what it does do though is dictate the intensity and periods of intensity we can play at. We need to be sensible and protect the ball when we do have possession and
ensure we maximise any opportunities that do fall our way.
“It’s going to be all hands to the pump…it won’t be easy.”
Herbert is not due to name his starting XI until late Friday but it will be as interesting as the makeup of his bench is crucial given the testing conditions expected.
Vanuatu lost 3-0 to Fiji in the semifinals at July’s South Pacific Games in Samoa, the first phase of Oceania qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
New Zealand beat Fiji 2-0 in their first qualifier last month but Herbert and nine of his current squad only have to rewind to the last World Cup qualifiers – when the All Whites
were upset 4-2 by Vanuatu in Adelaide in 2004 – for a reminder that no opponent can be taken for granted – and particularly not in their own conditions.
“History tells us to be wary of them,” Herbert said of Vanuatu.
“There seems to be a theory in New Zealand that these games are easy but they thought that about Fiji as well and that wasn’t easy. We’ll always be subjected to uninformed
expectations but as a group we understand it will be difficult.
“Having said that, we remain confident and positive. This is group very keen to do well despite the absence of some key personnel…it’s fantastic in anybody’s career to have the
opportunity to play in a World Cup qualifying tournament.”
All Whites assistant coach Brian Turner scouted Vanuatu at the South Pacific Games where they were able to reverse a 2-0 loss to the Solomon Islands in pool play to win the bronze
medal playoff by the same score.
Vanuatu will be without Philip Tom Tomke and Francois Sakama who carry automatic suspensions from the South Pacific Games into the second phase of qualifying.
“Individually they’re technically of a very good quality and they’re a side that likes to get forward,” Herbert said.
“But what that might give us is an opportunity to develop our own attacking strategies quickly.”
Visit www.nzfootball.co.nz for full coverage of Saturday’s match which will not be broadcast on
television.
Thai Airways All Whites (from): Mark Paston (GK), Jacob Spoonley (GK), Tony Lochhead, James Pritchett, Andy Boyens, Ben Sigmund, Ivan Vicelich, Jeremy Christie, Leo Bertos, Tim
Brown, Duncan Oughton, Jeff Campbell, David Mulligan, Chris James, Shane Smeltz, Jarrod Smith, Daniel Ellensohn. Coach: Ricki Herbert.
Vanuatu (from): 1-David Chilia (GK), 20-Chikau Mansale (GK), 6-Ken Masauvakalo (vice-captain), 2-Andrew Chichirua, 5-Fedy Vava (captain), 3-Jacques Yaput Mafil Nawan,
17-Geoffrey Lego Gete, 18-Hubert Nake, 4-Ephraim Kalorib, 15-Jeffrey Nimanian, 7-Moise Poida, 12-Fenedy Masauvakalo, 19-Derek Malas, 16-Alphonse Wellin Qorig, 24-Rexly Tarivuti, 14-Pita Maki,
21-Robert Yelou Jean, 9-Jean Nako Naprapol, 10-Seule Soromon, 11-Rexon Tari. Coach: Robert Calvo.
Story courtesy NZF Media