All Whites player Chris Wood meets fans and supporters after the match during the New Zealand All Whites v Australia Socceroos. Photo / Getty Images.
All Whites player Chris Wood meets fans and supporters after the match during the New Zealand All Whites v Australia Socceroos. Photo / Getty Images.
The All Whites look set to return to New Zealand in March.
After their blockbuster homecoming match against Australia in September, which attracted almost 35,000 fans to Eden Park, the Herald understands that the team could be back here in four months.
It’s believed New Zealand Football are close toconfirming two matches in this country in the first Fifa international window of next year (March 20-March 28).
That would underline NZF’s commitment to get both senior national teams playing more in front of their fans, with the Football Ferns impending smorgasbord of games here (five matches across January and February in Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington).
The clash with the Socceroos in September was the first All Whites game in New Zealand in almost five years, dating back to the World Cup playoff against Peru in November 2017.
Having two All Whites matches in a single window here has tended to be a once in a playing generation event.
The last time was in October 2010, when New Zealand played Honduras in Auckland (1-1) and Paraguay in Wellington (0-2), off the back of the World Cup in South Africa.
Chris Wood scored his first senior international goal against Honduras, in a game that featured Ryan Nelsen, Simon Elliott, Shane Smeltz and Ivan Vicelich. Defender Tommy Smith is the only other survivor from the current squad. Before that it was February 2006, when Malaysia played in Christchurch (1-0) and Auckland (2-1), at the start of coach Ricki Herbert’s reign.
Aside from the logistics of assembling an All Whites squad here – which is harder than ever given the amount of players based in Europe – cost has also been a major factor in staging games in New Zealand, with the extra investment involved in hosting an opposition team down under.
But NZF must be confident that the financial equation stacks up, helped by the bumper turnout at Eden Park, which generated a considerable six-figure profit for the governing body.
They are aware of the need for visibility and connection to the fanbase and know this generation of All Whites are an exciting drawcard.
It’s not yet known who the opposition will be. An Asian nation appears the most likely, given the proximity and the tight time frame required for two games.
Chris Wood and the All Whites are back in action. Photo / photosport.nz
A South American team could also be possible – given the direct flight connection to New Zealand through Chile – but most Conmebol nations charge significant appearance fees which makes the financial side less viable.
The other option is a team from Concacaf (North and Central America), though travel distances would be further.
If the matches go ahead, they will be the first under the new All Whites coach, after Danny Hay’s departure last month.
NZF has received more than 100 expressions of interest in the position, with applications closing last week.
Going on previous precedent, they will trim potential candidates to a long list, before settling on a short list of up to five, where interviews will commence.
NZF intend to make an appointment before Christmas.
NZF also remain hopeful of securing fixtures for the All Whites in the June, October and November windows next year, most likely in Europe or the Middle East.
There are European nations available in each of those windows, as the qualifying rounds for the 2024 European Championships has byes for several teams in each window.
It’s the kind of scenario that saw the All Whites play Republic of Ireland and Lithuania in November 2019.
The possibility of games in September appear less likely, given the need to assemble a Junior All Whites team to contest Oceania Olympic qualifying games at the same time.
