Soccer: All Whites need matches

New Zealand All Whites striker Rory Fallon. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The All Whites' calendar is looking decidedly empty following the decision to cancel the friendly against Japan.

It's an unfortunate offshoot of what was seen as a sensible decision - but the stark reality is the All Whites don't have any matches scheduled beyond next weekend's international against China in Wuhan until they begin their World Cup qualifiers in June 2012.

A number of things have been beyond New Zealand Football's control, not least the (nuclear) fallout from the recent earthquake in Japan.

Their World Cup qualifying campaign, which was due to begin in October, has also been delayed until June 2012 because Oceania deemed it unfair to ask island players to take six weeks off work in a short space of time. They are also involved in the Pacific Games to find the last three teams to join New Zealand in the final stage of Oceania qualifying.

Quite quickly, four games for New Zealand have disappeared or been delayed and a proposed match against a world All Stars side to raise funds for the Christchurch earthquake is also looking unlikely, as focus naturally switches to Japan.

NZF know they need to find games to keep the All Whites active and visible. Ricki Herbert's side are the national body's best marketing tool and a dormant side means football is losing some of the momentum created from last year's World Cup. One of the biggest criticisms following the 1982 World Cup was that the national body didn't take advantage of what happened and the present administration don't want to let the same thing happen.

They are also mindful, however, they don't want to play games that leak money. It wasn't that long ago they were nearly bankrupt and needed a loan to keep them solvent.

The internationals against China and Japan would have made them about $200,000 but NZF will now hope to break even with just the one game against China. A lot of proposed games carry financial risks but the risk of not playing might be even greater.

"In the last few years we have delivered, finding some quality games, and we will do it again," NZF chairman Frank van Hattum said. "It's logistically and financially difficult but we have every confidence we will find games. We have relationships around the world and in the last six months we arranged games with Paraguay, Honduras, China and Japan. They are good games."

Herbert intends holding a camp for domestic players in June and NZF have approached match agents to help them secure an away game in September and a home game in November. The Rugby World Cup makes it extremely difficult to play at home in September and October.

The final decision not to travel to Japan was made by the board, but they were influenced by players, management and government agencies who had concerns about the nuclear situation escalating.

NZF shared Japan's enthusiasm for the match to go ahead because it was a quality fixture against the Asian champions and world's 15th-ranked side, would have been symbolic given the earthquakes in both countries, would have been moved to Osaka away from the trouble spots and would have made money.

But players and management were understandably nervous about the volatile situation and felt it was pertinent to cancel now rather than hold off and potentially cancel at the last minute. They also felt it was too soon to play a game of football, given the disaster is still unfolding, and NZF agreed a decision brought certainty both in New Zealand and Japan.

When it was made, however, NZF then had little option but to withdraw their under-17 side who were due to play in the Sanix Cup in Fukuoka, thousands of kilometres away from the dangers. It would have been odd if they pulled their senior side out but left the juniors to play.

There's a hope the friendly with Japan will be rescheduled and talks will begin once Japan get back on their feet. Van Hattum was hopeful it would be a charity match organised with Fifa's help and it would happen in the next three months.

Some clarity will emerge in July when a draw is made to determine the qualifying path for those countries from Oceania, Asia, North America and South America involved in World Cup playoffs.

NZF had targeted games against Asian countries, believing Oceania's World Cup pathway would remain the same as for 2010 but that could change if they are drawn to play North or South America.

But there is plenty of time to customise games against the sort of countries they expect to play in a play-off. Right now, they just need games.