16 May 2012

All Whites squad named for Oceania Cup

6:43 am on 16 May 2012

The All Whites coach Ricki Herbert has included promising England-based youngsters Cameron Howieson and Tim Payne in his squad for the Oceania Nations Cup in the Solomon Islands and internationals against Honduras and El Salvador.

Herbert has handed recalls to Michael Boxall, Aaron Clapham and Rory Fallon, all of whom missed out on the reduced squad for the international against Jamaica in February, while fit-again goalkeeper Glen Moss also returns.

He has also included teenagers Payne and Howieson with one eye on their All Whites future and one on the London Olympics.

Payne and Howieson both played at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup last year with Payne also getting a call up to the New Zealand squad for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, before both took up offers in England with Blackburn and Burnley respectively.

The All Whites play the two internationals against Honduras and El Salvador in Texas at the end of the month, before playing the Oceania Cup where the top 4 teams will progress to the next stage of World Cup qualifying.

Of the squad named, Tony Lochhead, Rory Fallon and Ryan Nelsen have been excused from the USA leg of the tour which falls outside of the FIFA international window.

Goalkeepers: Jake Gleeson, Glen Moss, Mark Paston

Defenders: Michael Boxall, Tony Lochhead, Ryan Nelsen, Winston Reid, Ben Sigmund, Tommy Smith, Ivan Vicelich

Midfielders: Leo Bertos, Jeremy Brockie, Aaron Clapham, Cameron Howieson, Dan Keat, Michael McGlinchey, Tim Payne And Marco Rojas

Forwards: Kosta Barbarouses, Rory Fallon, Chris Killen, Shane Smeltz, Chris Wood

Not considered due to injury: Simon Elliott, Craig Henderson