Soccer: All Whites put cash into future teams

Ryan Nelsen. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Today's All Whites are funding a programme to find tomorrow's team by placing more young New Zealand footballers in US colleges.

The Professional Footballers Association, the union representing New Zealand's top players, is putting about $75,000 into a programme called Tomorrow's All Whites.

The first group, drawn mainly from the national under-20s wider training squad, is in the US essentially playing trial games. The team is coached by former All Whites striker Vaughan Coveny and takes in seven games in the space of 14 days against college teams and MLS academy sides. They won their first two games.

Already it has piqued the interest of coaches and scouts in the US and six of the 15 on tour are in talks with colleges.

It's something the PFA have talked about for some time but received impetus from All Whites midfielder Tim Brown, who attended the University of Cincinnati before forging a professional career. He is also on the New Zealand PFA board alongside Ryan Nelsen, Simon Elliott and Ivan Vicelich.

"A lot of the All Whites get phone calls from their neighbour's best friend's cousin saying they know a promising footballer who wants a chance," Brown says. "We felt we could help them get that chance, bearing in mind about one-third of the World Cup squad went through US universities.

"There's a bit of a gap in the programme when they come out of the juniors so we wanted to help fill that.

"Going to the US played a pretty big part in my career."

New Zealand Football has lent its support but the initiative is driven and largely funded by the PFA - though aspiring players have to stump up for airfares.

New Zealand professional players receive money from the PFA through membership with world players' association Fifpro. They receive an annual payout from endorsements from things such as PlayStation. Part of their mandate is to put money back into the game.

In 2009, they funded the One Shot For Glory campaign ahead of the All Whites' World Cup playoffs with Bahrain.

The current tour was put together quite quickly and has seen Elliott help facilitate things on the ground in the US, Tony Lochhead ring his old coach from university days to get on board and former All Whites goalkeeper James Bannatyne organise the travel - he now works for a travel company.

"It's about keeping it in the family," Brown says.

The PFA is keen to make the tour to the US an annual one in the hope more youngsters will win college scholarships. There are also plans to invite college coaches to New Zealand to scan their eye over talent.

The US college system is increasingly seen as a good pathway to the professional ranks - Brown, Nelsen, Elliott and Lochhead, among others, all came through that system - and has the added bonus of a university education.

New Zealand's players have a good reputation in the US and Kiwis are also now holding influential positions.

Former All Whites defender Gavin Wilkinson is general manager/technical director of new MLS side Portland Timbers, Jason Batty is goalkeeping coach for San Jose Earthquakes and the recently retired Duncan Oughton is Columbus Crew assistant technical director.

The initiative comes on the back of a company set up to gain scholarships for young New Zealand footballers.

Malcolm McPherson, who played professionally for West Ham, Yeovil Town and Brentford in the UK and now coaches Waitakere United's youth team and Waitakere City's senior side, recently set up US Scholarships Ltd with the sole aim of placing talented players in US colleges.

McPherson hopes eventually to extend it to other sports but for now is concentrating on getting the football model right. He has 12 players on his books and 80 per cent have offers of scholarships. In some cases, there are multiple offers.

"By the end of next year, the goal is to send away at least 60 or 70 kids," says McPherson, who estimates there are 15-20 Kiwis on scholarships.

"We will give ourselves 12-18 months to make sure the football side of the business is a really slick model before looking at other sports."