Coach Ricki Herbert today included all his frontline players,
including striker Rory Fallon, for the All Whites' World Cup
soccer warm-up match against Mexico in Los Angeles next
month.
England-based Fallon, who scored the goal against Bahrain in
November that booked New Zealand's place in South Africa, has
been involved in a club-versus-country tug-of-war over his
availability for the March 3 fixture.
Fallon plays for English championship club Plymouth Argyle,
who are fighting relegation.
Herbert said he had a "good conversation" with Argyle coach
Paul Mariner last week and hadn't heard any more from him.
"I'm assuming they've understood and respected our position,
as we've understood and respected their position too," he
said.
"But there is only one Fifa window and the World Cup doesn't
come around every year." Missing from the 17-man squad
heading to California are defender Ivan Vicelich and
goalkeeper Mark Paston, both part of the defensive effort
that kept Bahrain scoreless over 180 minutes.
Vicelich is suspended for one friendly after picking up a red
card against Jordan in September, while Paston is out with
injury.
Goalkeeper Glen Moss, who missed the Bahrain tie through
suspension and will also be unavailable for the first two
World Cup pool games, returns as Paston's replacement.
Meanwhile, newcomers Tommy Smith and Olympic Games standout
Craig Henderson are given chances to push for a ticket to
South Africa.
Smith, 19, a left-sided central defender and former England
age-group player, last year declared his allegiance to New
Zealand, where he spent part of his childhood. He is on loan
to English League One side Brentford from Championship club
Ipwich Town, who are managed by Roy Keane.
"Tommy has been flagged for a wee while now," Herbert said.
"He's played a lot at Championship level and I think he will
be a fantastic acquisition to this group." As for attacking
midfielder Henderson, Herbert said the coaching staff felt
the time was right to bring him into the squad.
Henderson, 22, a recent graduate from Dartmouth University in
the United States, has signed for newly promoted Swedish
premier league side Mjallby.
The addition of Smith and Henderson means no place for Aaron
Scott and David Mulligan, who were both in the squad against
Bahrain, although neither came off the bench.
However, with 23 players to go to South Africa, Herbert said
both remained in World Cup reckoning.
The match against Mexico, who have also qualified for South
Africa, will be the All Whites' first since they completed
the 1-0 aggregate victory over Bahrain and Herbert wanted to
make the most of it.
"We haven't played for nearly four months now and we could be
a little rusty," he said.
"It's incredibly important that we get the players in now and
set the tone for the future, and hence the reason why we've
picked a very tough team to play against." Preparation time
will be limited, with the travel schedule allowing for just
one training session between the All Whites' assembling and
kick-off.
New Zealand Football have already confirmed games for the All
Whites against Serbia and Slovenia in Europe in late May. It
is looking at other options before then, although they would
not involve European-based players.
New Zealand squad to face Mexico (club, caps/goals in
brackets): Goalkeepers - Glen Moss (Melbourne Victory -
15/0), James Bannatyne (Team Wellington - 5/0); Defenders -
Tony Lochhead (Wellington Phoenix - 29/0), Ryan Nelsen
(Blackburn Rovers, captain - 41/9), Andrew Boyens (New York
Red Bulls - 15/0), Ben Sigmund (Wellington Phoenix - 12/1),
Tommy Smith (Brentford - 0/0); Midfielders - Andy Barron
(Team Wellington - 13/1), Leo Bertos (Wellington Phoenix -
30/0), Tim Brown (Wellington Phoenix - 27/0), Simon Elliott
(San Jose Earthquakes - 69/8), Michael McGlinchey (Motherwell
- 3/0), Craig Henderson (Mjallby - 0/0), Forwards - Shane
Smeltz (Gold Coast United - 32/17), Rory Fallon (Plymouth
Argyle - 3/2), Chris Killen (Middlesbrough - 35/17), Chris
Wood (West Bromwich Albion - 5/0).
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