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New Zealand Team Page

Squad

Coach: Stu Jacobs

Roster:

Goalkeepers: Rod Brown, Rhyss Keane, Jacob Spoonley

Defenders: Michael Boxall, Phil Edginton, Ian Hogg, Jack Pelter, Sam Peters, Kieran Purcell, Tim Schaeffers

Midfielders: Aaron Clapham, Michael Cunningham, Chris James, Dan Keat, Cole Peverley, Tim Richardson, Nick Roydhouse

Forwards: Jeremy Brockie, Greg Draper, Craig Henderson, Sam Jenkins

Scouting Report

Strengths: Stu Jacobs is a good coach who has a keen eye for young talent and a knack for motivating his players. New Zealand is very solid in the middle of the park with energetic star Chris James pulling the creative strings. New Zealand also plays a physical and bruising brand of soccer, which allows them to outmuscle their opponents and dictate the pace of the game. The Kiwis won’t be intimidated and will use their size and strength to run their opponents off the park.

Weaknesses: So many things are working against New Zealand, including its lack of experience (this is the nation’s first appearance at the U-20 World Cup). Also, qualifying games against lowly soccer countries such as Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and Tahiti are hardly ideal preparation for a tournament of the U-20 World Cup’s stature. That will come back to bite the Kiwis as they try to qualify from a group that includes powerhouses Portugal and Mexico.

Player to watch: Chris James was New Zealand’s top scorer with seven goals during the Oceania U-20 qualifying tournament. The young midfielder plays with a great level of maturity for someone who is still a teenager, and is deemed to be an insightful passer of the ball with solid technical skills.

Prognosis: As first timers at this tournament, few expect the Kiwis to progress beyond the first round. The team’s inexperience and lack of quality opponents in the qualifying stage will hurt them in a tournament brimming with world-class youth teams. New Zealand had the misfortune of being pooled into a group that includes Portugal, two-timer winners of this tournament, and Mexico. New Zealand is a physical side, but it doesn’t have enough quality players to compete against the Portuguese and Mexicans. Expect the Kiwis to battle Gambia for third place in the group and if it can post a big win over the Africans, they might advance to the round of 16. More than likely they’ll be heading home after the first round.

ROAD TO THE U-20 WORLD CUP

2007 qualification route: New Zealand is heading to Canada after finishing first in round robin play in the Oceania U-20 Qualifying Tournament.

Qualifying record: 6 games played, 5 wins, 0 losses, 1 draw

Goals for: 21 Goals against: 4

Top goal-scorer in qualifying (all rounds): Chris James (7)

Qualifying results:

Round robin format (all games in Waitakere, New Zealand)

Jan.19, 2007 – Solomon Islands 1, New Zealand 1

Jan. 23, 2007 – New Zealand 7, Samoa 1

Jan. 25, 2007 – Tahiti 0, New Zealand 2

Jan. 27, 2007 – New Zealand 3, Fiji 2

Jan. 29, 2007 – Vanuatu 0, New Zealand 7

Jan. 31, 2007 – New Zealand 1, New Caledonia 0

U-20 World Cup 1st round matches (all times local)

July 2 vs. Portugal in Toronto (BMO Field) at 14:15

July 5 vs. Gambia in Toronto (BMO Field) at 17:00

July 8 vs. Mexico in Edmonton (Commonwealth Stadium) at 15:15

U-20 WORLD CUP HISTORY

This will be New Zealand’s first trip to a FIFA U-20 World Cup. Moreover, they are just the sixth New Zealand team to play at a FIFA World Cup (all levels) and only the fifth to qualify (they hosted the U-17 World Cup in 1999).

Number of previous U-20 World Cup Appearances: 0

Hosted the Under-20 World Cup: never

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