KEY POINTS:
Wellington Phoenix regulars Shane Smeltz and Tony Lochhead are among the players named by Stu Jacobs in his extended 25-player Olympic squad but whether they have the chance to play in Beijing will depend on the availability of British-based Ryan Nelsen, Simon Elliott and Chris Killen.
If this
trio are confirmed as the "over-age" players in the final 18 for the Olympic football tournament, Smeltz and Lochhead will be left behind.
Jacobs said he is not putting any pressure on Nelsen (Blackburn Rovers), Elliott (Fulham) or Killen (Celtic) but says he hopes to know by the end of June if they will be available.
"I haven't spoken to them recently," said Jacobs last night. "I'm just leaving it up to them to work things through with their clubs."
In the changes from the squad who won last month's Oceania Olympic qualifying tournament in Fiji, Waitakere United's Jason Hayne has not been selected and Dan Keat is out through injury. Jack Pelter and his national under-20 teammates Ian Hogg and Sam Jenkins have been added.
The inclusion of the five over-age players boosts the total of All Whites in the squad to nine with goalkeeper Jacob Spoonley who has recently been released by the Phoenix joined by Nelsen, Elliott, Killen, Smeltz, Lochhead, Jeremy Brockie, Steven Old and Daniel Ellensohn.
While many countries often include a goalkeeper as one of their over-23 players, Jacobs is happy to have Spoonley as his first choice with Roy Bell and Liam Little - who played in the final match of the qualifying tournament in Fiji - as back-ups.
"I'm happy with all the goalkeepers," said Jacobs. "I felt it was better to have the experience the outfield players can bring."
New Zealand, drawn to play China, Brazil and Belgium in the Shenyang-based group three at the Olympics, will need to call on all the experience they can muster in their first outing at this level.
"The experience Ryan, Simon and Chris have from playing in their premierships is a huge bonus," said Jacobs. "But we need to provide cover so we can still take our full quota if any players are unavailable."
No decision has been made on who would captain the squad. Waikato FC defender Aaron Scott led the under-23 team to their wins over Fiji (2-1), Vanuatu (2-0), Papua New Guinea (5-2), the Solomon Islands (2-0) and the Cook Islands (8-0) in Fiji but may not lead the team in China.
"We will make a decision on that further down the track," said Jacobs. "Obviously, if Ryan Nelsen does play we would have to consider him."
The UK-based players would probably not be available for warm-up matches.
SQUAD
NZ men's Olympic squad (to be trimmed to 18 players plus four non-travelling reserves early in July):
GOALKEEPERS
Liam Little (Otago United), Jacob Spoonley (unattached), Roy Bell (Macarthur Rams, Australia)
DEFENDERS
Michael Boxall (University of Santa Barbara), Hone Fowler (Waikato FC), Ian Hogg (Hawke's Bay United), Sam Jenkins (Hawke's Bay United), Tony Lochhead (Wellington Phoenix), Joel Mathews (Auckland City), Ryan Nelsen (Blackburn Rovers), Steven Old (Macarthur Rams), Jack Pelter (Sunderland Athletic FC), Aaron Scott (Waikato FC).
MIDFIELDERS
Jeremy Brockie (Hawke's Bay United), Simon Elliott (Fulham FC), Craig Henderson (Dartmouth College), Cole Peverley (Hawke's Bay United), Cole Tinkler (Team Wellington), Shaun van Rooyen (Waikato FC).
FORWARDS
Costa Barbarouses (Wellington Phoenix), Greg Draper (Wellington Phoenix), Daniel Ellensohn (Team Wellington), Chris Killen (Glasgow Celtic), Sam Messam (Hawke's Bay United), Shane Smeltz (Wellington Phoenix).
