All Whites great heartbroken for players

All Whites great Steve Sumner.

All Whites great Steve Sumner said he is heartbroken for the players who have been robbed of their Olympic Games dreams by the eligibility disaster involving defender Deklan Wynne.

Sumner said the decision by FIFA's Oceania federation to disqualify the Oly Whites from contesting the qualification final against Fiji in Papua New Guinea was a "bad look" for New Zealand football that could have further ramifications. He also suggested the All Whites should moderate any hunt to find overseas prospects who did not already have genuine Kiwi connections.

His immediate concern however was for the players and supporters. He hopes that NZF went the extra mile to ensure the players selected were eligible and that fielding the Wynne was a genuine mistake.

Sumner said: "I'm disappointed when I read all of this and on the face of it things don't look good - I'd be shocked if they've wilfully, intentionally done something wrong and let's sit down and wait to see what comes from the appeal process. Let's find out the end result, either way.

"I'm looking from the outside and I'm not sure of the rights and wrongs and I don't want to take a shot at anyone. I'm just hoping that they did seek proper advice, whether that advice turned out to be right or incorrect. I'm seriously hoping that it is just a misinterpretation."

Sumner led this country's most glorious and fondly remembered football crusade, when he captained the All Whites on the long and successful qualification campaign to make the 1982 World Cup finals in Spain. He said the Olympics would have provided career highlights for some of the current under-23 squad.

"I'm terribly sad for the young football players and all the football people who have followed them" he said.

"Fancy playing in Brazil, at the Olympics. I would have loved in my time to have been part of an Olympic Games village - it would have capped everything off for me.

"It is that important to play (in the Olympics) that Ryan Nelsen said yes twice and skippered the team while at the peak of his professional career.

"It is a very sad time for New Zealand football...the Olympic Games could have been the absolute peak for some of these players and they will miss out through no fault of their own."

Sumner would not speculate on funding implications, but said: "Who knows what else (FIFA) might come up with - a fine, or international ban."

He added: "A lot of people down the years deserve so much credit for the time and effort they have put in to develop players, to get New Zealand to the stage it is at now.

"(coach) Anthony Hudson is supposedly looking for players worldwide, he even said so on UK radio stations, but it is a pointless exercise if you are not armed with complete knowledge of the rules.

"Personally I wouldn't look too far (for players). I'd keep looking out but not desperately because there are new players coming through the game here every year, knocking on the door. yes, Winston Reid was a fantastic (overseas) find, but he is a Kiwi."