After sustaining the injury as his club side prepared for this weekend’s clash with Norwich City, Reid – a 17-cap All White – travelled immediately to see a specialist in Holland to discover the full extent of the damage.
Scans revealed the All Whites captain, who rose to prominence after scoring New Zealand’s goal in the 1-1 draw with Slovakia in the team’s opening game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, will be out of action for the play-off starting on Thursday 14 November (NZ time).
All Whites coach Ricki Herbert acknowledged losing his skipper was a blow to the side’s preparations for the two-leg intercontinental play-off but his team would remain focussed on the task at hand.
“Losing your captain a week before a match of this magnitude is difficult but this is the nature of football,” Herbert said.
“With Winston now sidelined, it presents an opportunity for other players to grasp and we will now move forward with the same levels of determination and commitment our group prides itself on.”
“Every player in our squad is relishing the challenge lying ahead and, with or without Winston, the end goal remains the same.”
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