Soccer: Changes needed for Blackburn game

Player departures will force a changed line-up when the All Whites face English Premier League soccer side Blackburn Rovers next weekend.

But coach Ricki Herbert is also looking at what other switches in personnel to make as he looks to give all players in his squad game time on their three-match European tour.

The New Zealanders opened their tour yesterday with a notable 1-1 draw with another Premiership team, Charlton Athletic.

Manawatu striker Campbell Banks earned the visitors a share of the spoils at The Valley with a second-half goal that cancelled out a first-half effort from the Addicks' Marcus Bent.

After the Charlton match, the All Whites said farewell to stand-in skipper Ivan Vicelich and striker Shane Smeltz, who have had to return to their repective clubs.

Two other players, forwards Chris Killen and Brent Fisher, do not come on board until the final fixture against Spanish side Sevilla.

However, coach Ricki Herbert said he was confident of having captain Danny Hay back in the frame to face Rovers.

The central defender is being nursed through a calf muscle injury and didn't take the field against Charlton as a precaution.

"He's participated lightly in the sessions we've had so far," Herbert said.

"We haven't pushed it. The programme set was for him to play against Blackburn and then the Spanish side and we're working towards that. All the signs are very positive, so he should be fine."

Herbert planned to contact Blackburn manager Mark Hughes today or tomorrow to see if defender Ryan Nelsen will be available to turn out for his country against his club.

Hughes had indicated that he wanted to wait until the start of this week before discussing the issue.

A complicating factor is that Nelsen has been battling a niggling hamstring injury, which have led to doubts over whether he will right for the start of the new Premier League season in a fortnight.

Herbert said the latest news he had was that Nelsen was progressing well and there was a good chance he would be fit to play when the All Whites visited Ewood Park.

"I just hope it will be for us."

Herbert was rapt over his side's draw with a strong Charlton side, saying it was hard to fault any of the 11 that he kept on the pitch throughout.

With more than a dozen players unavailable to tour, the three-match itinerary is a chance for those on the fringe to put their hand up ahead of the start of World Cup qualifying next year.

Among them is Banks, a late call-up for the tour as a replacement, and the tall striker is likely to get another chance to impress against Blackburn.

Banks, 27, made his international debut against Malaysia in February and his goal against Charlton was his second in his four appearances for the All Whites.

Looking ahead to World Cup qualifying, Herbert said he wanted to find another frontline striker who could take and hold the ball and operate in around the box.

He said Banks did that role well against the strong Charlton central defensive pairing of Talal El Karkouri and Hermann Hreidarsson.

He had taken his goal well when set up by Jarrod Smith and could have scored another.

However, Banks would also help his cause if he was able to play week-in week-out in a different league.

- NZPA