Iran back on for NZ

TribalFootball - New Zealand's proposed Oceania/Asia playoff against Iran could still be on.NZ Soccer chief executive Bill MacGowan told the NZ Herald, "We have given Iran dates in September for the home and away games.

"They are keen to play, but we understand there might be a problem with Ramadan at that time."
Poland, Japan and Trinidad & Tobago are also seeking internationals with the All Whites.

"There are opportunities out there," MacGowan said. "We have to make the most of them. The Confederations Cup has made it patently obvious that we have to play much more internationally, and not just within Oceania.
"The only way we can hope to compete at this level is to play top-quality Asian or European sides - at all age levels.

"We could only admire the ability of a player such as Thierry Henry [France]. But he hasn't got to that level by a fluke. The number of youth caps he had at all age levels is phenomenal."
On NZ's performance in the Confederations Cup, MacGowan added, "Of course we had hoped to do better.
"But when you play a country such as France, the gap quickly becomes obvious.
"They are No 1, we are 51. It would be like the All Blacks playing a country such as Singapore.

"There have been positives in the way players such as Michael Utting, Raf de Gregorio, Ryan Nelsen, Noah Hickey and Gerard Davis have played. But for them, and us, to improve we have to keep playing.
"Getting those games is the challenge for us as an association."