By TERRY MADDAFORD
Michael Utting's on-off international soccer career is back on hold. The All Whites goalkeeper has been sidelined for the Oceania Nations Cup in Tahiti next month.
The sometimes controversial Utting, who fought back from serious injuries sustained in a road accident in South Africa to capture the headlines at
last year's Confederations Cup in Mexico before being dropped for disciplinary reasons, has been left out of the team.
Coach Ken Dugdale has named Jason Batty and Ross Nicholson, who were also in Mexico, as goalkeepers for the Tahiti tournament. "The selections were made on form, and from what I saw of his play for the Kingz I was not impressed," said Dugdale from South Africa last night.
"He was picked on form for Mexico just as he has been left out on form this time."
Seven of the under-23 players with Dugdale in South Africa for the return Olympic qualifier (at 1am on Sunday NZ time) have been included in the senior side.
Manchester City striker Chris Killen and Gerard Davis, who is playing at Stanford University in the United States, are poised to make their full international debuts in Tahiti.
Other players from the Olympic side heading for Tahiti are Ryan Nelsen, Paul Urlovic, Kris Bouckenooghe, Jeff Campbell and Raf de Gregorio.
But Urlovic will miss the return Olympic game in South Africa after learning that the yellow card he received at North Harbour Stadium last Friday night would be added to the one he received at the Oceania tournament in January, thus earning a one-match suspension.
vp+4.0All Whites: Jason Batty (Kingz), Ross Nicholson (Central), Ryan Nelsen (US), Scott Smith (UK), Sean Douglas (Australia), Che Bunce (Kingz), Ivan Vicelich (Kingz), Chris Zoricich (Aust), Mark Atkinson (Aust), Simon Elliott (US), Chris Jackson (Kingz), Gavin Wilkinson (Singapore), Jonathan Perry (Kingz), Gerard Davis (US), Jeff Campbell (Kingz), Chris Killen (UK), Kris Bouckenooghe (Belgium), Harry Ngata (Kingz), Paul Urlovic (Aust), Raf de Gregorio (Holland).
