New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley speaks to players after the match. Photo: Trevor Ruszkowski / www.photosport.nz
All Whites coach Darren Bazeley is always watching and ready with some wisdom or tough love to impart to his far flung wider squad as an increasing number of players push their case for selection during a world cup cycle.
Bazeley called on 24 players from 17 different professional sides around the world for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Vanuatu and Samoa.
But he regularly kept tabs on more than 50 players who could be playing for the national side, often offered support when things turned sour for their club side but did not guarantee selection if they were stuck riding the pine.
The A-League's leading side, Auckland FC, had a training base on Bazeley's doorstep at North Harbour Stadium and six players from the new club were part of the All Whites squad for the international window.
Proximity had not played a part in Auckland's Liam Gillion getting his first call-up to the senior side or Francis De Vries getting back into the national team after more than a year out, Bazeley said, but playing professional football was a factor he considered when making tough selection calls.
"The challenge we always set to all the players around the world is can you be playing regularly and can you be playing well and right now Auckland have started the season really well and a few of them have been rewarded for that."
Auckland FC A-League player Francis De Vries. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Following De Vries' stint playing in Europe for Nykopings BIS and IFK Varnamo the seven-cap All White was told by Bazeley to get back into a position where he could not be overlooked.
"He came back to New Zealand and spent quite a bit of time playing in the national league for Eastern Suburbs and I always challenged him and said when you're playing at that level it's really difficult to pick you ahead of professional players like Libby [Cacace], Dalton [Wilkins] and James McGarry and Sam Sutton and the other left backs so he's worked really hard to get himself back into a professional environment and he's a player who has had a really good pre-season.
"[Auckland FC coach] Steve Corica is really impressed with how he's gone and he's started the first few games and I feel like he's played really well."
While game time had worked in De Vries' favour, being on the outer at Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC had kept defender Bill Tuiloma from being considered for selection.
"Bill's a top player and he's got 40-odd caps for New Zealand but he's in a position at the moment where he's not playing consistently for his club over in America and we've had that conversation with him it's very difficult to select you for the All Whites when you're not playing for your club.
"The All Whites environment has changed now there's competition for places and that's the challenge for the players you have to be match fit you have to be ready to play because we've got other options now other good options.
"To have a player like Bill who is not consistently selected in the squad just shows where we are at now.
"The thing with this squad now and these players is they all want to play in every single game, I think most of them could see now that there's competition for places and they don't want to be missing out on a game and not be available because somebody else can take that shirt and you never know then how that person might play that's the way football works."
All Whites midfielder Sarpreet Singh in action against the Republic of Ireland, 2023. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Midfielder Sarpreet Singh was a player Bazeley had kept the faith with during a turbulent time in club football.
Singh was back for New Zealand team for the first time since March after a run of injuries and suspension had kept him off the field.
With 14 senior caps to his name Singh had had "a tough run over the past few years".
He had recently moved to Portgual second-division side U.D. Leiria in search of more game time.
"He was supposed to come to the America tour with us back in September, picked up a slight injury while he was training [with his club] that took him a little bit of time to get over then he had a visa issue, then he was suspended for his first game so it took him longer than expected to get back playing for his new club but again we've said to him we need him to be playing to be selected and the last three games he's been back in the squad and he's got on the pitch the last couple of games for his new club and that's great for us.
"We know that if we've got a fit Sarpreet he's going to be a real asset for the team."
With the world cup qualifiers to be played in Hamilton and Auckland Bazeley said he had brought in a bigger 24-man squad with a focus on team building.
Gillion's inclusion was an example of the coaching staff making the most of an opportunity to take a good look at a player when they did not have to travel around the world for that to happen, Bazeley said.
"We've really targeted for this window to work on some of our off the pitch culture and leadership."
The All Whites and Vanuatu lead Group B of the world cup qualifiers with victories in their opening games and will meet in the first game of this window on 15 November.
