The week will culminate in a trial match at Crown Park on September 3 at 2pm.
The players, drawn from ASB Premiership sides, recent U-20 and U-17 New Zealand teams and winter clubs, will be chasing spots in an 18-man squad to compete in a two-week long Oceania qualification tournament in Fiji provisionally scheduled for March.
The men’s football tournament at the Olympic Games is an U-23 competition with three over-age players per squad allowed for the finals in London. Oceania has one spot in the 16-nation tournament.
All Whites Chris Wood, Tommy Smith, Kosta Barbarouses, Marco Rojas and Jake Gleeson all fall into the U-23 bracket but their clubs are not required to release them for the qualifying tournament.
Five coaches, namely All Whites technical advisor Raul Blanco, Waitakere United’s Neil Emblen, New Zealand U-20 coach Chris Milicich and former All Whites Michael McGarry and Chris Zorocich will run the rule over players during the week with All Whites coach Ricki Herbert also attending.
New Zealand Football chief executive Grant McKavanagh says the camp is a vital step towards London 2012.
“We have a potentially strong group for London when you look at our young overseas pros and collegiate players with three senior All Whites added to that mix,” McKavanagh says.
“But we have to qualify first and the size of that task should not be underestimated. The camp is about making sure no stone is left unturned in our own backyard.
“Some of these players haven’t been on the national radar since 2009 or might be late developers who weren’t in the frame for age-group sides but may well be good enough now to help New Zealand qualify for an Olympic Games.
“We want to extend our thanks to the Taupo District Council for their efforts in making this camp a reality.”
The Football Ferns women’s side also faces Olympic qualifiers in March but has already reached the final stage as winners of the OFC Women’s Nations Cup. They will meet the winner of an Olympic preliminary tournament home and away on dates yet to be confirmed.
New Zealand U-23 training camp and trial
August 29 – September 3, 2011
Taupo
Trial match
Crown Park, Taupo
September 3, 2011
Kick-off: 2pm
OFC Olympic Qualifiers
Fiji
March 12-23, 2012
Winner qualifies for 2012 Olympics
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
For more on New Zealand football go to www.nzfootball.co.nz