Soccer: Waitakere boast subs bench brimming with internationals

There could be a surprise face or two on the Waitakere United bench when they face Canterbury United in the NZ Football Championship at Trusts Stadium tomorrow.

Former All Whites Chris Jackson and Sean Douglas are poised to join the substitutes as United seek to return to their pre-Christmas winning form in Dunedin.

Jackson has not played this season while Douglas has missed all but a little early-season action.

"For the first time we almost have a selection problem," said coach Steve Cain, who has worked with his side a couple of times this week since returning from a Hawaiian holiday.

And that is without the Cardozo brothers.

Marquee player Pablo is still in Australia receiving treatment for tendonitis and his brother Richie, who returned to Auckland yesterday, must sit out the second game of a two-match suspension.

Cain is keen to press another Australian, Shannon Cole, back into action but will take a cautious approach as he too returns from a long injury break.

Cain will settle on his line-up after training this morning.

Cain must do without Marcus Phillips (in England) and Daniel Ellensohn (in Europe) but has goalkeeper Simon Eaddy back from the US and Craig Wylie back from holiday.

"In the 1-0 win against Otago before Christmas they showed they can roll their sleeves up and get stuck in," said Cain. "We will be looking for more of the same."

Cain does have other concerns, however.

He has a couple of players on four yellow cards and "a few on three". A fifth earns an automatic one-match ban.

That disciplinary problem has dogged Waitakere all season.

"It is a worry," said Cain. "Discipline is an issue for sure. There has been too much petulance and signs of immaturity.

"They have got to grow up. With the number of players we should have available they could find it a struggle to get back in once they are suspended."

With Sam Jasper set to join the NZ Knights, Waitakere will be able to call in another player.

Cain is likely to take that search offshore.

United will be keen to avenge their earlier 2-1 - all penalties - loss to Danny Halligan's side tomorrow.

"We know we can beat them but it won't be easy," said Cain. "They are a very solid team. Brent Fisher can be a handful, although big George [Suri] looked after him in the game down there."

Auckland City travel to Newtown Park to play Team Wellington, who were publicly slated by coach Mick Waitt after their 6-0 loss to Waikato FC last time out.

"Make no mistake, they will be fired up," said City coach Allen Jones. "But I'm more worried about what we do."

He has Nick Hyde (in Thailand) and Luis del Monte (in Brazil) missing, Neil Sykes, Jonathan Perry and Greg Uhlmann out with injury and Sykes and Matt Cunneen under a cloud.

While the initial team list suggested Jones might go with his three-pronged strikeforce of Keryn Jordan, Grant Young and Paul Urlovic, reality might prove different.

"That's not necessarily what will happen," said Jones. "I'll be looking at the shape which best suits us with the players we have got.

"I will be looking to get all the senior players on the park."

City beat the Wellingtonians 5-3 in their last meeting - the same scoreline they managed in their pre-Christmas outing against Canterbury.

Waikato FC will be out to continue their resurgence when they meet leaders YoungHeart Manawatu at Waikato Stadium

The odds suggest home advantage will not get Waikato across the line, but taking the confidence of the thrashing of Team Wellington into the equation could help as they attempt to inflict only the second loss of the season on Colin Tuaa's Manawatu.

In the other game - also to be played tomorrow - Otago are home to Hawkes Bay United.