The All Whites will return from the international football wilderness this weekend to belatedly start their campaign to qualify for next year's World Cup in Qatar.
The All Whites in a huddle at training in Bahrain. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021
New Zealand, who have slid to 121st in the FIFA world rankings, will play 79th ranked Curaçao in Bahrain on Sunday morning (NZT), almost 700 days since Danny Hay last took charge of the senior national men's team.
"I wish it wasn't the case but this is really our start on the road to Qatar 2022. I wish we were saying it a couple of years ago, but with the hiatus we've had this is really the start of it," Hay said.
"It's been the best part of two years to see people like Bill Tuiloma, Michael Boxall, some of these senior players, Tommy Smith. It's great to bring them in. Obviously we had a wonderful experience at the Olympics but to bring the full side together is bloody exciting."
The OlyWhites made an historic run to the quarterfinals in Tokyo, before losing to hosts Japan on penalties.
The All Whites will also play tournament hosts Bahrain, ranked 91st, on Wednesday morning and Hay says it is a balancing act between giving players game time and getting results.
"We need to have a good long look at a number of players and see really who we want to move forward with. That's why these windows are going to be critical.
"But at the same time we've been very, very open as a group, gone are the days of New Zealand national teams just turning up to have a game and roll over to whatever the opposition may be.
"We're here to win football matches now and that's something that's really important for the group because we know we've got the ability and capability to test anyone."
All Whites coaches Rory Fallon (left), Danny Hay (centre) and Darren Bazeley (right) at a training session in Bahrain. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021
There are five uncapped players in the New Zealand squad, with Hay unable to pick players from the A-League. Captain Winston Reid and key midfielder Ryan Thomas were also unavailable for personal reasons.
"It is an opportunity for the players who are here now to stake a claim. They literally can not afford to waste a training session or a single minute in the game to show us what they're capable of."
The new players have little time to settle in.
"It's almost a lilttle bit like speed dating in some of these windows because you don't get that long to actually work with the players," Hay said.
"These new players that are coming in, whether they're uncapped or some of the older senior players that have been brought into the environment, they are going to have to pick up stuff pretty damn quickly because we just don't have that luxury of spending time on the training pitch to iron out any little deficiencies."
Hay also has to manage the squad's workload.
"That's something that we're working to plan around because obviously there's only a two-day break between the games and the conditions here are trying. It's bloody warm...without a shadow of a doubt it's tough conditions.
"But they're conditions that all the players, every single player in the squad have been through. They've all played in the Islands before, very similar with the head and humidity.
"We'll see how players pull up after the first game and then obviously make decisions off the back of that."
All Whites warm-up ahead of a training session in Bahrain. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021
Chris Wood expects to lead the All Whites side against Curaçao, despite picking up a knock in his last Premier League outing for Burnley.
"Seems all right. Got a good few days to work on it to make sure I'm right for Saturday. That's why we've got good physios here so I should be all right," Wood said.
The experienced striker played with a number of his new national teammates at the Tokyo Olympics and expects they will grasp the opportunity in the senior team.
"I'm sure the boys are more than capable of stepping up to the plate. I've seen enough in the Olympic campaign to know that the transition into the national team football isn't going to be that much of a step up.
"I'm excited to see what they can do know, stepping up to men's football, especially some of them who can...become proper men and proper players."
Uncapped left back Dalton Wilkins has not made the trip to Bahrain after picking up an injury prior to the international window.
