Soccer: Coach keen on European officials for Bahrain clash

Ricki Herbert has welcomed the appointment of European match officials for next month's away leg of the All Whites World Cup qualifier with Bahrain.

There was a suggestion Asian officials might control the match in Manama on October 11 but Fifa yesterday announced the appointment of a Hungarian referee and other Europeans as his assistants.

Herbert and assistant coach Brian Turner had hoped Europeans would be in charge of the game. "I think it is a good thing," said Turner yesterday. "That is nothing against Asian officials as I don't think physicality will be such a big deal against a team like Bahrain."

Turner spent time in Wellington with Herbert and technical director Raul Blanco yesterday and will return to watch the Wellington Phoenix play Central Coast Mariners on Sunday by which time the squad to travel to the Middle East will have been named.

Turner said it was not clear whether they could name 16 or 18 players for the match but he and Herbert were hopeful of taking at least 18 to Bahrain.

It seems certain Rory Fallon and Michael McGlinchey will be rewarded for their bold debut efforts against Jordan in this month's friendly by selection for the away leg of the World Cup play-offs.

The players most likely under threat to allow Chris Killen and Chris Wood to return - after missing the Jordan clash through injury - are Phoenix defender David Mulligan and Wellington midfielder Andy Barron.

Should a full complement of 18 players be selected they would retain their places. There is also some suggestion a third goalkeeper could be added as cover for Mark Paston and James Bannatyne.

The team will prepare for the game in Bahrain at the swank Jebel Ali academy near Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates before flying to Bahrain the day before the match.

Herbert, the Phoenix players in the All Whites squad, Gold Coast-based striker Shane Smeltz and the medical staff are set to fly from Brisbane to Dubai on October 3 after the Phoenix have played their A-League game against Gold Coast.

The UK and US-based All Whites are due in Dubai on October 5 with the New Zealand-based players with Turner and the remaining staff members due a day later.

New Zealand Football are sparing little in preparing for this crucial tie to the extent of allowing all players to fly business class.

"We are leaving nothing to chance," said Turner. "There are no injury concerns. All the players are fit and raring to go."