New Zealand name World Cup squad
New Zealand have named seven European-based players in their 23-man squad for the World Cup in South Africa.
Blackburn Rovers central defender Ryan Nelsen will captain the side who are appearing in the tournament for the first time since their debut in 1982.
Plymouth's Rory Fallon, Chris Killen of Middlesbrough, Tommy Smith of Ipswich, West Brom's Chris Wood and Motherwell's Michael McGlinchey are also included.
They join Denmark-based Winston Reid, who plays for FC Midtjylland.
Reid, who played for Denmark's under-20 side before switching allegiances, is one of two uncapped players named by coach Ricki Herbert, along with former under-20 international Aaron Clapham.
Clapham, who plays for Canterbury in his homeland, impressed in Sunday's trial match where he lined up for New Zealand A against a New Zealand Football Championship All Stars XI and created his side's second goal in a 2-0 win.
Clapham aside, Herbert's squad contained few surprises with the former All Whites defender pledging to select the 18 players who helped get New Zealand to the World Cup.
While he backtracked on that slightly - omitting Aaron Scott - the bulk of the squad involved in qualifying was retained.
Jeremy Christie was another notable inclusion after being forced to move to the Tampa Bay Rowdies after he was axed by the Wellington Phoenix at the end of the 2008-09 A-League season.
Herbert, who played in the 1982 World Cup in Spain, said both Christie and Clapham had deserved their selection.
"Aaron has come into this group and looked very comfortable," he said
"He is the type of player that should be around the international scene for many years and he has a big future in the professional game.
"Jeremy has always been on the radar and I have kept in close contact with his coach at Tampa Bay and we believe he will offer a great deal to the squad."
The squad reassembles in Auckland on 19 May and will travel to Melbourne for a match against Australia before going on to a pre-tournament camp in Austria and warm-up games against Serbia and Slovenia.
They will arrive in South Africa on 6 June ahead of their Pool F matches against Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay.
New Zealand squad
Goalkeepers: James Bannatyne (Team Wellington), Glen Moss (Melbourne Victory), Mark Paston (Wellington Phoenix)
Defenders: Andy Boyens (New York Red Bulls), Tony Lochhead (Wellington Phoenix), Ryan Nelsen (Blackburn Rovers), Winston Reid (FC Midtjylland), Ben Sigmund (Wellington Phoenix), Tommy Smith (Ipswich Town), Ivan Vicelich (Auckland City)
Midfielders: Andy Barron (Team Wellington), Leo Bertos (Wellington Phoenix), Tim Brown (Wellington Phoenix), Jeremy Christie (FC Tampa Bay Rowdies), Aaron Clapham (Canterbury United), Simon Elliott (unattached), Michael McGlinchey (Motherwell), David Mulligan (unattached)
Strikers: Jeremy Brockie (Newcastle Jets), Rory Fallon (Plymouth Argyle), Chris Killen (Middlesbrough), Shane Smeltz (Gold Coast United), Chris Wood (West Bromwich Albion)
Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8672235.stm
New Zealand have named seven European-based players in their 23-man squad for the World Cup in South Africa.
Blackburn Rovers central defender Ryan Nelsen will captain the side who are appearing in the tournament for the first time since their debut in 1982.
Plymouth's Rory Fallon, Chris Killen of Middlesbrough, Tommy Smith of Ipswich, West Brom's Chris Wood and Motherwell's Michael McGlinchey are also included.
They join Denmark-based Winston Reid, who plays for FC Midtjylland.
Reid, who played for Denmark's under-20 side before switching allegiances, is one of two uncapped players named by coach Ricki Herbert, along with former under-20 international Aaron Clapham.
Clapham, who plays for Canterbury in his homeland, impressed in Sunday's trial match where he lined up for New Zealand A against a New Zealand Football Championship All Stars XI and created his side's second goal in a 2-0 win.
Clapham aside, Herbert's squad contained few surprises with the former All Whites defender pledging to select the 18 players who helped get New Zealand to the World Cup.
While he backtracked on that slightly - omitting Aaron Scott - the bulk of the squad involved in qualifying was retained.
Jeremy Christie was another notable inclusion after being forced to move to the Tampa Bay Rowdies after he was axed by the Wellington Phoenix at the end of the 2008-09 A-League season.
Herbert, who played in the 1982 World Cup in Spain, said both Christie and Clapham had deserved their selection.
"Aaron has come into this group and looked very comfortable," he said
"He is the type of player that should be around the international scene for many years and he has a big future in the professional game.
"Jeremy has always been on the radar and I have kept in close contact with his coach at Tampa Bay and we believe he will offer a great deal to the squad."
The squad reassembles in Auckland on 19 May and will travel to Melbourne for a match against Australia before going on to a pre-tournament camp in Austria and warm-up games against Serbia and Slovenia.
They will arrive in South Africa on 6 June ahead of their Pool F matches against Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay.
New Zealand squad
Goalkeepers: James Bannatyne (Team Wellington), Glen Moss (Melbourne Victory), Mark Paston (Wellington Phoenix)
Defenders: Andy Boyens (New York Red Bulls), Tony Lochhead (Wellington Phoenix), Ryan Nelsen (Blackburn Rovers), Winston Reid (FC Midtjylland), Ben Sigmund (Wellington Phoenix), Tommy Smith (Ipswich Town), Ivan Vicelich (Auckland City)
Midfielders: Andy Barron (Team Wellington), Leo Bertos (Wellington Phoenix), Tim Brown (Wellington Phoenix), Jeremy Christie (FC Tampa Bay Rowdies), Aaron Clapham (Canterbury United), Simon Elliott (unattached), Michael McGlinchey (Motherwell), David Mulligan (unattached)
Strikers: Jeremy Brockie (Newcastle Jets), Rory Fallon (Plymouth Argyle), Chris Killen (Middlesbrough), Shane Smeltz (Gold Coast United), Chris Wood (West Bromwich Albion)
Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8672235.stm