No-one is more excited about the Fifa Under-20 World Cup than New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley. He talks to Hayden Meikle.
Hayden Meikle: How are things up in Auckland, Darren?
Darren Bazeley: It's going from sun to rain every five minutes at the moment. Typical Auckland weather.
HM: How are your excitement levels building ahead of the Fifa Under-20 World Cup?
DB: It's been a long time coming. We've been preparing for 18 months or longer. Now it's around the corner and we're getting more excited every day. We're amping up the team's preparation and everyone's looking forward to the opening game.
HM: Is there pressure, as the host team, to perform well?
DB: I think there's pressure every time you play an international game. Being at home could add a little bit of extra pressure but it could also make it easier. There'll be a lot more support around, and the players will be in familiar surroundings. Some players will deal with it and some will find it hard.
HM: How ambitious are you in terms of results?
DB: Well, no New Zealand team has ever won a game at this tournament, and no New Zealand team has qualified out of the group stage. That's our aim - to make some history. It's going to be hard, but if we can get into the knockout stages, anything can happen. We want to go as far as we can.
HM: What are your strengths, and what sort of football are you hoping to play?
DB: One of our main strengths is our alignment with Anthony Hudson and the All Whites, with their style of play and their culture. We're going to be coming up against some great players who are going to be in advance of some of our players technically, physically and in terms of game understanding. Our squad culture is massively important. If we get that right, we can compete. Hopefully, we can get our creative players to shine through on the day.
HM: When is your final squad named?
DB: We're down to about 27 players now. We have to name a squad of 21 on May 15. We've gone from having 80-90 eligible players on our database. That went down to 50-60, then to 35. The final selection will be the hardest. It's going to be heart-breaking for some.
HM: Are you looking to the players who have had time with the All Whites to lead the way?
DB: In the last All Whites squad, there were seven under-20 players, which was awesome. Bill Tuiloma is an established All White now, and he will be our captain. Deklan Wynne has started the last three All Whites games. Clayton Lewis started in Korea, Joel Stevens came on, Moses Dyer came on. Sam Brotherton, Adam Mitchell, Jesse Edge, Oli Sail - they've all been involved in squads. Matt Ridenton played against South Africa last year. That's a massive advantage for us to have those guys with experience at a higher level.
HM: How is our man Joel Stevens?
DB: He's a great lad and he's a tough little bugger. He's a proud southerner. He went on in Korea and took a heavy hit and landed quite badly on his shoulder. Dislocation. I was worried for him but he started rehabbing and doing some strengthening work. He's in non-contact training at the moment. I don't think he'll get any game time in the next week or two, but the early signs are he'll be fine for the tournament. He's telling me not to worry. He's a good player, and he's a little bit different to anyone else we've got.
HM: Much tinkering planned in the build-up games?
DB: I think we'll definitely use these games to have a look at a few players. You can plan for a starting XI but you can pick up injuries, so we need to look at our options and our depth.
HM: Have you scouted the other teams in your group?
DB: It's actually quite easy now. We've got three or four games of all of our opponents on a database, so we can analyse them. It's helping us identify how teams play, and strengths of certain individuals. We've got someone constantly scouring the internet for information on our opponents.
HM: The football at this tournament is going to be fantastic, isn't it?
DB: Oh, unbelievable. I'm not sure people know what's coming. The best players in the world come from tournaments like these. We could be looking at the next massive star. It's going to be amazing.
HM: When did you move from England to New Zealand?
DB: I've been here 11 years now. Played for the New Zealand Knights for two years then realised it was time to hang the boots up. Got straight into coaching. I've done all my badges and got involved with New Zealand for the first time at under-17 level.
I've recently gained my Uefa A licence and there's not many people who have that. I had to go back to England twice, and it took 2 years. I'm a New Zealand citizen now. My wife and my two girls - we're all New Zealanders.
HM: You played nearly 250 games for Watford - happy to see the club back in the Premier League next year?
DB: Yeah, great. That's a great club. I spent 10 years there. It'll be great to see how they go back in the top level.
