The New Zealand squad that travels to Brazil in October for the FIFA U-17 World Cup will not be lacking in experience of performing under pressure with many already earning a taste of senior men’s football.

Coach Jose Figueira brought a wider group of 32 players into a training camp in Auckland last week and is impressed with the rate of their development, which is largely thanks to the efforts of coaches, clubs and schools across the country.

“Many of these players now have experience of playing in the ISPS Handa Premiership, the National Youth League or in first teams at their respective clubs,” Figueira explains.

“Firstly, that’s a testament to the work that is being put in by coaches in these environments but it also bodes well for these players in making the step up to international football at the World Cup.”

Those who are selected will get a chance to show what they can do in the one of the world’s most passionate football countries but there is much work ahead for both players and coaching staff before their collective thoughts can start turning to Brazil.

The 20 players who helped qualify New Zealand at the OFC U-16 Championship last September were all involved in the training camp at QBE Stadium while Figueira also took the opportunity to cast his eye over a wider pool of talent.

“It’s our first contact with the group this year so we wanted to make sure we kept the net cast wide,” he says of the sessions.

“In the U-17 age group, players are developing all the time. In the space of a few months since the qualifiers, there has been significant development across all aspects of them as players but also people. It’s important to keep a fresh eye and mind across the whole age group,” he adds.

“The camp was a real eye-opener for us and there’s certainly going to be some hard decisions made in terms of selections. But that’s great because it means football in New Zealand is in a really exciting spot.”

The Oceania champions are yet to find out who they will meet in Brazil but, whatever their identity, the opposition is sure to be of the highest quality.

“Some of the players we’re going to be playing against are already living the professional football life right across the world,” Figueira explains.

“For us, it’s about trying to bridge that gap in our preparations. While it will be a huge challenge, it’s one everyone is really excited about.”

A key part of the team’s build-up will be next month’s Panda Cup in China, in which New Zealand will take on the hosts, Korea Republic and Thailand.

Figueira says the benefits of featuring in the tournament are two-fold.

“Firstly, it will give us the chance to see these players under pressure on a big-stage environment against top-class players. We’re going to really see the boys under the microscope and find out if they can show their personalities and execute the way we want to play,” he says.

“Secondly, it’s an opportunity for both the players and staff to be away and go through our processes in terms of preparation, recovery and review and then backing it up for a second and third game. So it’s a perfect opportunity for us to replicate what would be a group stage at a World Cup.”

The New Zealand U-17 men’s team will compete in the Panda Cup from 25 – 29 May at the Chengdu Shuangliu Sports Centre in Chengdu, for more information please click here

New Zealand U-17 men’s training squad

Goalkeepers
Alex Paulsen (Lower Hutt City)
Luca Taylor (Birkenhead United)
Woody Holmes (Brisbane Roar Academy, Australia)
Joseph Knowles (Bay Olympic)

Defenders
Campbell Strong (Eastern Suburbs)
Finn O’Connor (Lower Hutt City)
Adam Hillis (Lower Hutt City)
Harry Bark (Lower Hutt City)
Robi Sabo (Western Suburbs)
Jackson Simpkin (Brisbane City, Australia)
Max Drake (Lower Hutt City)
Kris Naicker (Lower Hutt City)
Corban Piper (Birkenhead United)
Nick Milicich (Birkenhead United)
Nathan Lobo (Birkenhead United)

Midfielders
Sean Bright (Western Suburbs)
Ryan Verney (Onehunga Sports)
Marko Stamenic (Western Suburbs)
Hayden Aish (Western Springs)
Matthew Garbett (Western Suburbs)
Ben Old (Lower Hutt City)
Harry Freeman (Eastern Suburbs)
Josh Galletly (Melville United)
Vincent Best (Western Springs)

Forwards
Brad Wilson (Western Springs)
Henry Hamilton (Lower Hutt City)
Oskar van Hattum (Lower Hutt City)
Joseph Lee (Lower Hutt City)
Keegan Jelacic (Queensland Lions, Australia)
Jesse Randall (North Wellington)
Blake Driehuis (Lower Hutt City)
Riley Bidois (Tauranga City United)

Article added: Friday 26 April 2019