Kevin Fallon. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Kevin Fallon has taken a crack at All Whites coach Ricki Herbert's selections on the eve of their opening World Cup match against Slovakia, saying some of the non-professionals in the squad of 23 didn't deserve to be there.
Fallon singled out the likes of Aaron Clapham and James Bannatyne,
saying only fully professional players should be at the World Cup.
There are four amateur players in the squad - Clapham, Bannatyne, Andy Barron and Ivan Vicelich, as well as Team Wellington midfielder Cole Peverley who was brought in as cover for Tim Brown.
"I don't think any of them are good enough," Fallon said in AUT journalism school newspaper Te Waha Nui, talking about players selected from the New Zealand Football Championship.
Former All Whites captain Danny Hay agreed saying: "Some players probably just aren't up to it."
However, it's difficult to know who they think should be there instead. New Zealand's player resources are such that there was no one who could be said to be unlucky to miss out on a World Cup spot.
Kris Bright and Jarrod Smith play professionally in England and the US respectively but, like striker Costa Barbarouses, would have struggled to unseat Rory Fallon, Shane Smeltz and Chris Killen.
A case could be made for experienced US-based midfielder Duncan Oughton but he is very much a squad player and Herbert wanted new blood.
Auckland City utility Chad Coombes was another possibility but he's amateur and would therefore not qualify in Fallon's criteria that only full professionals should play at the World Cup. Goalkeeper Jacob Spoonley? Ditto.
Midfielder Chris James was out of shape at last year's Confederations Cup and is now playing in the lower leagues in England so you could hardly say he had a compelling case.
The cupboard is, unfortunately bare in New Zealand.
There are 15 or 16 who can compete at international level but few others.
That is slowly changing but it will take time.
All Whites' coach Ricki Herbert declined to respond to Fallon's comments.
