Ricki Herbert coached both the All Whites and the Wellington Phoenix between 2007-2013. Photo / Photosport
Ricki Herbert coached both the All Whites and the Wellington Phoenix between 2007-2013. Photo / Photosport
Ricki Herbert believes another hybrid All Whites/Wellington Phoenix coaching role could work — but admits it is a complicated scenario.
Current Phoenix mentor Ufuk Talay is a high profile applicant for the vacant national team job, since the departure of Danny Hay last month.
Both Talay and the club haveindicated that they see the jobs as complementary and there hasn’t been any suggestion that the Australian would step away from his A-League position to take on the All Whites role.
Herbert is uniquely placed to judge, having held the two positions simultaneously between 2007-2013.
As the foundation coach of the Wellington Phoenix, Herbert lasted five and a half seasons at the helm, overseeing 154 Phoenix games and 43 All Whites matches during that period.
He famously took New Zealand to the 2010 World Cup and also guided the Phoenix to the playoffs on three occasions, highlighted by the run to the A-League preliminary final in the 2009-10 season.
”It’s a different era,” Herbert told the Herald. “What is the right thing to do now? I couldn’t say 100 per cent this needs to happen, because 12 years ago it worked … that’s not the conversation. You would need to know what’s the staffing going to be like, what’s the travel requirements going to be like, what’s the time away, the windows? Maybe it could happen.”
Although it could be demanding, Herbert mostly saw his club commitments as beneficial when it came to the All Whites role.
”Do you want to be a national team coach that coaches every window, or [one] that’s on the grass every day, honing your skills, making mistakes … that needs to be considered,” said Herbert. ”I don’t know Ufuk personally but it stood me in good stead. Making decisions every day, selecting teams every week. I felt I went into a national team environment better prepared.”
Wellington Phoenix head coach Ufuk Talay. Photo / Photosport
It was also symbiotic, with a core of Phoenix players who were international starters.
More than half of Herbert’s 2010 World Cup squad were drawn from Australasia, with eight A-League players — including five from the Phoenix — and four from the domestic league. There were only six European based players.
It’s a very different picture now.
Hay’s 26-man selection for the intercontinental playoff against Costa Rica in June was comprised of 16 European professionals and two MLS players, with seven selected from the A-League.
Herbert used to fly to Europe at the end of every club season to spend time with players there but admits such trips would need to be lot more extensive.
”There are more players, more demands now,” said Herbert.
Herbert added that any future combined role would take a strong level of co-operation from New Zealand Football and the Phoenix.
”In my time everyone at the Phoenix, [former Phoenix owner] Terry [Serepisos], the board, sponsors were very agreeable and committed to making it work,” said Herbert. “You need the full backing, need a million per cent blessing from both entities.”
It’s expected the All Whites will play in four Fifa windows next year (March, June, October and November), with September set aside for Olympic qualifying.
Things will get busier from 2024 onwards, with the Paris Olympic Games, should New Zealand qualify, and increased activity as the qualification path for the 2026 Fifa World Cup in North America becomes clear.
The job share isn’t something that would be considered in most other countries around the world and would be a tough juggling act, with the fear that one or both of the teams could be compromised, given what it takes to succeed in either theatre.
Perhaps most importantly, the parameters of the sport have changed.
Where once a top A-League player would be a guaranteed starter in the New Zealand side, now being based in the northern hemisphere is almost a prerequisite for international selection.
”It’s been 12 years,” concluded Herbert. “It’s raised now because it worked. Nobody would be talking about it if we didn’t beat Bahrain and go to the World Cup. Clearly there are some positives but people need to understand it was a while ago.”
