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October 1, 2024 12 mins

The All Whites road to the 2026 World Cup starts next week - and most of their big names will be present.

The squad for New Zealand's opening Oceania qualifier against Tahiti in Vanuatu on October 11 includes skipper Chris Wood, along with European-based players Libby Cacace, Marko Stamenic and Matt Garbett.

Head coach Darren Bazeley joined D'Arcy to discuss his picks.

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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Duncy Wildergrave
from News Talk Z.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
It'd be all whites.

Speaker 3 (00:13):
Football is the flavor right here, right now. Chris Wood,
Liberato Katacchi, no, I haven't got these guys on here,
and Marco Staminik are among the squad that have been
named for the home game in October. We're joined by
what the man who picked them, the head coach, Darren Bazy. Darren,
welcome to the show. You've got to like the strength
of the squad there you've picked. There are some great names,

(00:34):
some great players, some consistency to you.

Speaker 4 (00:37):
Yeah, this is a strong squad, an exciting squad to
bring back to this part of the world. So yeah,
we know, World Cup qualifiers, it's the business end. The
players are all aware that we've got to get this
job done so that we can go back to the
World Cup. So yeah, it's a strong squad, pretty consistent
from the last group, you know, a couple of couple
of changes, but yeah, I think people will be excited

(00:57):
to see you know, Woodsy coming back, and Marc, o'
libby and Garbs and Oldie and you know numerous others
that are coming back to playing these games names.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
What do they call you, Darren? I'm just bes just
all on with that, just like the Felts on the
snooker table. Bas So, three changes from the US tour,
so tell us about those. Tyler Bend and Kem Howison
and Storm Roo returning too.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
That's got to work.

Speaker 4 (01:26):
Yeah, I mean, obviously Tyler. It was disappointing to lose
Tyler the last tour. You know, he got a concussion
injury the Saturday before.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
He was coming to America.

Speaker 4 (01:37):
So he got through that, did the ten days stand down,
and has played the last two against the readin so
he's back fully fit, which is great. You know, he's
he's a really good addition for the squad. You know,
we've added Storm Roots. The Storm's a player that I
know really well. We've been tracking him for a long time.
You know, We've tried to bring him in a couple
of times for for the tours, the Nation's Cup and
for the Egypt Tour, but you know, he had a

(01:59):
couple of injuries that sort of it just wasn't the
right time for him. So it's really pleasing to actually
finally better bring him back into the squad and he's
excited and that'll add to it. And then yeah, we
lost Joe Bell for this one. So Cam Howison is
a really good replacement. He did really well for us
at the Nation's Cup. He's obviously joined Auckland, so he's

(02:20):
now in a professional environment. You know, he's a great
lad and he'll add to the squad.

Speaker 3 (02:25):
No too, Loma either. A Cinnamon's not there. Do you
want to talk us through those two decisions.

Speaker 4 (02:31):
Yes, so so Bill obviously he's you know, he's in
a position where he hasn't played much football for his
club for about a year now. We brought him in
as a late replacement when we were in America when
we'd got an injury, and part of that was he
was very close. You know, we were in America. He
obviously lives in America, so it was easy and quick
for him to get to us. And we know him

(02:52):
and we know he's a good player, just lacking that
game fitness, so he's aware of, you know, what he's
got to do for Finn's a little bit different, you know.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
He he joined.

Speaker 4 (03:01):
Portland in July and then he came away to the
Olympics for three weeks and then went back to the
club for three weeks and then came to America, so
we sort of feel like we've we've taken him out
of his new environment quite a lot. Or he obviously
did the Nation's Cup with us as well, so he
actually hasn't played. I mean, he did very well against

(03:22):
America a couple of weeks ago, but before that he
hadn't played since the Olympics. So I think it's difficult.
He's gone to a new club, big club Portland, he's
been sub hasn't got on the pitch yet, and I
think part of that might be, you know, he just
hasn't spent much time at the club, you know, because
of the international commitment, so you know, he needs a
better fitness, he needs to sort of get his opportunity

(03:44):
at the club. So we felt like this opportunity, you know,
with the other players that we have in regards to Nando, Tyler,
Boxhell and Tommy Smith as center backs, we felt this
is a good opportunity for Finn to miss this one,
spend a lot of time at his club, do some
fitness work with the club, and hopefully put himself in
a position where Phil Neville puts him on the pitch

(04:05):
for Portland, which will be great for us.

Speaker 3 (04:07):
Darren basically head coach, the All Whites joining us. Is
it fair to say that the depth I won't say
it is unparallel at the moment, but you've got great depth.
If there's any position where you think you are still lacking,
where would that be?

Speaker 2 (04:21):
Where do you have to.

Speaker 3 (04:22):
Improve the backup?

Speaker 2 (04:23):
Goh, yeah, you're right, we've got good depth. You know.

Speaker 4 (04:26):
When we've put this squad out there, you know, and
we're missing Joe bell Sapri Sing, Callum Mcowart, fince Thurmon
Bill to I Looma, You're Marco Rohas, Joey Champnis Maximata
and numerous other players you know that could that could
get called up. Plus you know, plus there's a lot
of young kids that are knocking on the.

Speaker 2 (04:44):
Door as well. So we've got a deep squad.

Speaker 4 (04:47):
The challenges tracking them all and monitoring them all, and
you know, trying to stay in contact with everybody, and
you know, and then making these tough decisions and picking
the right squad for each each tournament, each sort of window,
and then picking a start and eleven from that squad.
So good challenges, but there, you know, that's what we
want competition for place it is, and we're definitely starting

(05:08):
to build that now.

Speaker 3 (05:10):
Is there any area though we think over the next
few years you might be a little on the skinny side,
so we maybe you need to work through.

Speaker 4 (05:19):
I think we've got good young players sort of pushing
in all those positions, you know, in four positions, defensive positions,
you know, the right back positions. One where you know,
we've played a lot of different players, you know, when
we look at we've had Callan Elliott, Daaningham, Nico Kerwin,
you know, Tim Payne, Tyler's played there, Bill Toulohm has
played there. Painey's settled there and he's the number one

(05:44):
there now, you know, and the challenge for him is
to keep that position. But yeah, I mean that's that's
probably the only position where we've had a lot of
rotation of other players that have played in that position.
Everywhere else there's good competition, but we've been pretty consistent.

Speaker 3 (06:00):
Now, these are games that are for the World Cup.
E see for the one at home up again now Asia,
that's a that's a friendly. But I suppose when you
were leading into comps like this, you need all the
exchanges you can get friendly.

Speaker 2 (06:13):
Or not definitely.

Speaker 4 (06:15):
You know, we when this window came out with you know,
the fief for an OFC, you know, we knew it
was a one game window or a one game confirm fixture,
so we were conscious of it. It's a long way
to come from Europe and America and everywhere to just
playing the one game, so we were really keen to
try and secure a second fixture.

Speaker 1 (06:36):
Now.

Speaker 4 (06:37):
We were lucky that we were able to move our
first game to the Friday, which has allowed us to
sort of come back to Auckland and play that second fixture,
which works for the travel. The difficulty was you're finding
a nation that was willing to come to New Zealand
because obviously, with the game being confirmed in Vanoa to
we can't go from there to the Middle East or

(06:58):
to Asia or Europe to play a second game. So
we really needed a team to come to New Zealand
to play, and there was limited options. Malaysia came on
the table, as there was a couple of others, and yeah,
I mean we grabbed it. It's another opportunity to play
at home before we get into those November and March
fixtures at home, and you know, the players are really

(07:20):
aware that they you know, they want to play as
much as they can in New Zealand. It's quite difficult,
you know, the travel and everything sort of getting these
games here in New Zealand. But this is this is
a great run of fixtures now for US this year
and going into early next year with home games and
sort of the player's been out of sort of spend
a lot of time here in New Zealand.

Speaker 3 (07:41):
Mid November, when you've got Vanuatu and someone that obviously
qualify and continues, are you still going to have access
to some of your top European players?

Speaker 4 (07:50):
All? Yeah, I mean they're an official window. You know,
all the players are aware of how important it is
to make sure that we qualify. It's obviously the route
to the World Cup has changed for us and now
it's a direct entry from Oceania, so the beauty and
we don't have to play you know, Mexico, Costa Rica
or Peru, you know, in those intercontinental games, which has

(08:14):
sort of got in our way the last three World
Cups and which is why we haven't gone there previously.
You know Bahrain, you know, was when we played AFC
opponents and you know that was the last time we
were there in twenty ten and it's about time we
went back to the World Cup. So we're aware of
the qualification route has changed and it's become easier for us,

(08:36):
but we've still got to do our job here in
these Oceana games.

Speaker 3 (08:40):
Your own effect, Darren on this team as a manager,
as a coach, as the man, do you think after
your state side tour that you're starting to beat an
even further with what you want to apply to this
all whites team looking your head to World Cup, your
your methodology, if you will have the way you coach.
Is that getting richer and more accepted over the time.

Speaker 2 (09:03):
Definitely.

Speaker 4 (09:03):
You know, We've we've spent a lot of time together now,
I've got really good staff that you know, do a
really good job. And every time we get together in
a window, you know, we work on our culture and
are off the pitch sort of environment, you know, and
we've had some decent, decent results, you know, drawing away
at Republic of Ireland, drawing away against Tunisia, you know,

(09:26):
lost to Egypt on a one nil penalty, you know,
and then Mexico was tough. It was it was a
tough day in extreme heat, conditions. But then you know,
getting a drawer against the team ranked sixteen in the
world as the US was, it was another good step
in the right direction. But you know, we want to
get to the stage where we are winning those games
against good oppositions. But yeah, the reality is it's it's

(09:48):
quite tough for us. We play against teams higher rank
than us, but also away from home most of the time,
you know, in regards to going to Greece or going
to you know, Republic Violand and going to Egypt and
going to America and Mexico. So so those are tough
going away from home, which is why now we've got
this run of home games which helps us, gives us

(10:09):
a big advantage and with the higher ranked team, so
you know, we now know it's it's all turned in
in our favor.

Speaker 2 (10:16):
For these next fixtures, well, it helps.

Speaker 3 (10:17):
You beat them with the fan base too, to feel
like that we know the players are representing our tiro
in New Zealand, but to actually be playing at home,
so especially the next generation coming through can actually eyeball
the superstars. I don't think you can underestimate the importance
of that there.

Speaker 4 (10:34):
Oh one hundred percent, you know, and the players. Every
time we get together, we spend so much time sort
of connecting them back to the New Zealand. You know
a lot of them have lived away from home for
a long time, like Woodsy, you know, hasn't lived in
New Zealand for a long time. So every time we
get together is they're the best moment as kiwis coming
together and spending that time sort of on the connection

(10:55):
piece and connecting back to the culture and everything that
you know makes us different. But so imagine what Woodsy
playing in Hamilton is going to be a great occasion
in November.

Speaker 3 (11:05):
And finally, the the accessibility of the World Cup now
that fever and expanded and there are numerous teams. Does
that take anythink away from the qualification Now that's a
slightly easier path. How do you sit with it?

Speaker 4 (11:19):
Well, I mean when you look back to that Bahrain game,
it was a you know, it was a magical moment
that will live forever and you know, and that was
you know, it was a big game. Potentially, now the
qualification route has become easier. Ultimately the reward is the same.
You know, you beat Bahrain, you went to the World
Cup in twenty ten. Here now we have to win

(11:41):
Oceana we go to the World Cup. So you know,
I think we would all rather have the qualification to
the World Cup and go to the World Cup consistently
than potentially have those real now biting fixtures like the
Costa Rica game you know two years ago, or those
Peru games in twenty seventeen eighteen, you know, the home

(12:01):
and away series against them. I think we'd all rather
go to the World Cup and have have those experiences
at the actual World Cup and the world next World Cup,
you know, in twenty twenty six in your US, Mexico
and Canada. I think is going to be an unbelievable
World Cup. You'll be really hosted, really well, and yeah
it's exciting.

Speaker 3 (12:20):
Leader the October up against Tahiti fourteenth of October Malaysia
month later fifteenth of November of Vena to eighteenth November, Samoa.
Plenty on your plate. Theren Bazi, thanks for taking the
time to talk with the certain News Talks.

Speaker 2 (12:33):
He'd be no, that's all good now.

Speaker 1 (12:35):
Anytime for more from sports Talk, listen live to News
Talks it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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