Ricki Herbert must be wondering what he has done to upset the footballing gods.
He is already without first-choice players Ryan Nelsen, Tony Lochhead and Duncan Oughton for next month's one-off match with Australia in London.
And yesterday he was dealt another blow with Dutch-based midfielder/defender Ivan Vicelich added tothe list of no-shows.
Herbert, the first New Zealand-born coach of the national side in at least 50 years, was keeping a brave face as his keenly awaited first assignment continued to collapse around him.
"Rather than see this as another negative, I want to look at it as positively as we [assistant coaches Brian Turner and Stu Jacobs] can," said Herbert.
"One door has closed but another has opened for a player who might not have ever got that chance."
Herbert had a long talk with Vicelich's new coach at first division Roda JC, but came away empty with the club keen for Vicelich to make the most of his break between seasons.
Vicelich, who has a season to run on his contract, had only two weeks off at the end of last season because of his All Whites commitments to the ill-fated Oceania Nations Cup tournament in Adelaide.
Had Vicelich and Nelsen been required to play Fifa-sanctioned matches - rather than a friendly - they would have been released.
Herbert hopes to name Vicelich's replacement today after considering options both in New Zealand and overseas.
