The Wellington Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick is not counting on his All Whites contingent to see them through against bottom of the table Perth in their A League football match in Wellington on Sunday.
Six of the squad have been with the All Whites in Japan while Manny Muscat has been on international duty with Malta.
The defensive lineup has been a problem for Merrick this season through both injury and suspension and he's set to name a defence oriented reserves bench.
The Phoenix have signed defender Shaun Timmins as an injury replacement for the rest of the A-League season.
Timmins has been working on a building site in Melbourne and playing in the semi-professional Victorian League.
