Soccer: All Whites find likely base in Johannesburg resort

The All Whites are set to use a six-star gated community near Johannesburg as their base for next year's World Cup in South Africa.

Final details have yet to be confirmed but it is likely the venue, checked out by New Zealand Football chairman Frank van Hattum, assistant All Whites coach Brian Turner and new high performance manager Alex Chiet immediately after the World Cup draw was made this month, will be home for the New Zealand team.

While the contract has yet to be signed, it appears the resort will become home for the party who will then fly to their matches against Slovakia, in Rustenburg, Italy, in Nelspruit, and Paraguay, in Polokwane, the night before the games and return immediately after each match.

No flight will be more than 45 minutes and Johannesburg Airport is nearby.

Up to nine houses, each with its own swimming pool and sleeping up to six, have been set aside for the New Zealand party in the complex which also has a game park and golf course.

While there is no training ground within the complex, it is understood arrangements are being made for a suitable venue no more than 10 minutes away.

The All Whites were housed in a similar gated complex when in South Africa for the Confederations Cup this year.

The New Zealand party, including media manager Jamie Scott, have inspected the facility and given it their tick of approval.

With matches spread far and wide and with few teams playing more than one match at the same venue, some teams are expected to pitch camp in a number of places.

The New Zealand preference, as they did at the 1982 World Cup in Spain, is stay in one place and travel to the matches.

After inspecting a number of venues immediately after the draw, this resort-type facility was deemed most suitable, especially with the airport just 10 minutes away.

While some teams are contemplating using a different base for each game, it is felt having a "base camp" is a better option.

While not prepared to confirm the arrangement until the contract is signed "in a few days", van Hattum said his preference was to house the team in one place and fly to the venues.

When the All Whites, including van Hattum, were in Spain in 1982 they stayed at the Don Carlos Hotel near Marbella and travelled by bus to two games in Malaga and the longer haul to Seville for their final match against Brazil.