Soccer: Overseas-based players lead challenge

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Seven overseas-based players have been named in a strong New Zealand soccer squad to prepare for February's Oceania under-20 championship in Noumea.

The team will be led by Manchester City professional and All Whites striker Chris Killen.

He will be joined at the February 8-16 tournament by fellow British-based players David Rayner (Newcastle United) and Barnsley's David Mulligan, Darren Young and Jeremy Christie.

Also in the 20-strong squad, from which a travelling party of 18 will be named by coach Ken Cresswell and assistant Ken Dugdale, are Tim Brown (formerly of Wellington) and Nathan Knox (ex-Christchurch) who are at American universities.

Rayner, Christie and Mulligan were all members of last year's New Zealand under-17 side while Ben Sigmund played in the same tournament in Egypt in 1997.

The surprise omissions are goalkeeper Sasha Nathu and Barnsley's Allan Pearce.

"This promises to be the strongest team we have put out at this level," said NZ Soccer chief executive Bill MacGowan. "But it will have to be as we face a tough draw in Noumea.

"It will be harder to qualify than it has been in the past as only the group winners will make the playoffs, which will be played home and away."

New Zealand are drawn in the same group as Tahiti, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, American Samoa and hosts New Caledonia.

Should New Zealand and Australia, who meet Samoa, Vanuatu, the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea and Tonga, win their respective groups, they have tentatively agreed to play the first home and away leg in Auckland on February 28 and the second in Sydney on March 3.

The Oceania winner will play in the world championships in Argentina in June.

Former All Whites boss Ian Marshall will return to international football as manager of the team.

The squad is:

Goalkeepers: Adam Highfield (Christchurch City), Luke Naughton (Miramar).

Defenders: Neil Jones (Dunedin Technical), Andy Levick (Central), Ben Sigmund (Christchurch City), David Rayner (Newcastle United), Terry Thou (University-Mt Wellington).

Midfield: Tim Brown (Cincinnati University), Jeremy Christie (Barnsley), Shaun Easthope (Western Suburbs), Jeremy Field (Melville), David Mulligan (Barnsley), Rhodri Payne (Christchurch City), Jonathan Rowe (Dunedin Technical), Darren Young (Barnsley).

Strikers: Leon Birnie (Napier), Tariq Imam (Western Suburbs), Chris Killen (capt, Manchester City), Nathan Knox (McCalister University, US), Wiremu Patrick (Miramar).