Soccer: Older, wiser and up for challenge

Simon Elliott says he is 'looking forward to putting in a good performance and getting the job done.' Photo / Dean Purcell

In the 65 games Simon Elliott has played for the All Whites it would be fair to say there have been plenty in which he has not had a lot of confidence in the strikers doing their job.

Not this time.

Two days out from the first leg of what he hopes will bring the reward of a trip to his sport's biggest arena, Elliott is talking enthusiastically of the scoring ability of the attackers.

"We now have a striking department capable of scoring goals. There are four guys - Shane Smeltz, Chris Killen, Rory Fallon and Chris Wood - who are doing really well for their clubs," said Elliott from the team's base near Dubai. "We have had not always had that luxury."

He further points to the ability of scoring from set play as being crucial in the two-leg play-off against Bahrain.

"In set pieces I think we have players who can do a lot of damage. It is up to the guys delivering the ball to put it in the danger areas.

"With the tall timber we have in guys like Ryan [Nelsen] and Rory [Fallon] we must look to exploit that to our advantage."

Elliott, 35, provides much-needed experience to this team.

He has constantly been on the soccer merry-go-round from the time he made his debut against a Southern Region side almost 15 years ago. There have been highs and lows but he has never felt more comfortable than he is in the present environment.

"The first game you play for your national side is always special but now we are getting close to the pinnacle," said Elliott.

"I'm a little older, a little wiser and a more experienced pro with, I hope, a decent idea of how things work. I'm looking forward to putting in a good performance and getting the job done.

"As a challenge it is right up there. Especially if we qualify. At that point you can look back and think that yes, it was special but right now my focus is on what needs to be done."

Asked whether this is his last shot at reaching a World Cup, Elliott said he was not even thinking about that.

"It is more about getting the side prepared and [being] focused and making sure we have a really good result away from home.

"There is a big difference in the mood of this current team than what we had last time when we went out early in Adelaide," said Elliott.

"The environment is great and the last few years have been really enjoyable. Some of the results have proven that. You only have to look at the quality of the squad to see the reasons why.

"It has been a real pleasure. Everything has been fine."

Even newcomers like Fallon and Michael McGlinchey - who got their chance after first playing their international football at age group level for England and Scotland respectively - have quickly found acceptance.

"They have been great," said Elliott. "They are both good guys, good characters and have brought another element both on and off the pitch."

Of the need to ride out the anticipated initial storm from Bahrain, Elliott said there had been no discussion on how to approach the opening minutes of Sunday's game.

"It is a good point but we haven't focused on the first 20 minutes specifically, rather we have talked more about the way we need to be tight and disciplined for the whole 90 minutes," he said.

Elliott said that while it had been oppressively hot when they had trained in the morning, he did not have the same concerns because the game would kick-off at 6.30pm (local time).

And, with Sunday's game out of the way, Elliott will turn his attention to the return leg and a rare chance to play internationally in his home town of Wellington - something he has done "less than a handful of times."

"It will be nice to go back there and fantastic if we can qualify. That would be something to look back on."