The New Zealand national football team manager Ricki Herbert has decided to keep his faith in the players who have rewarded him excellently in the last few matches. New Zealand have been one of the inform teams in the oceanic region.
The manager has decided not to make any wholesale changes for the upcoming friendly match against China. New Zealand are expected to qualify ahead of the other teams from the oceanic region after they have managed five successive wins on the trot. This has put them in good position going into the final few rounds of qualification.
A number of overseas professionals have been called up for this match. Initially, it caused the anger of the West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce, who criticised the decision to call up a player who did not play in the previous match. However, Ricki Herbert does not expect any such problems this time around because the National Association have spoken with both QPR and West Ham United. The QPR defender Ryan Nelsen is the captain of the national team, and he is expected to play in this match despite being 35 years old. New Zealand come into the friendly match against China on the back of the 3-0 win over Tahiti.
“Behind them we’ve got a group of players like Tony Lochhead, Smeltz and Killen who are approaching that milestone as well, with Ivan [Vicelich] nearing three figures,” said the New Zealand manager Ricki Herbert. New Zealand are currently top of their group at the moment. The winner of this group will then get to play against two American teams before competing in the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals. New Zealand were one of the surprise teams to take part in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, and they look favourites this time around as well.