Development needed for Oly-Whites to improve

Coach declares Games campaign a success

Reuters

NEW BREED: Oly-Whites defender Ian Hogg is one of a number of young players coach Stu Jacobs has singled out as stand-out players of their campaign.

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Oly-Whites coach Stu Jacobs says New Zealand footballers are not technically good enough and more international programmes for age-group teams are needed to bridge the gap with the rest of the world.

Jacobs pronounced his team's debut Olympic Games campaign as a "seven out of 10'' success despite the Oly-Whites finishing bottom of Group C by virtue of conceding one more goal than host nation China.

He was proud of the "fighting spirit'' shown by the Oly-Whites in a 1-1 draw with China and a 0-1 loss to Belgium yesterday despite being reduced to 10 men in both matches.

New Zealand also lost 0-5 to Brazil after two goals by superstar Ronaldinho.

"But we need more than fighting spirit. I've just made the comment to Gouldy (Oly-Whites assistant coach and former Scotland goalkeeper Jonathan Gould) that we've been to the under-20 World Cup, the Olympic Games and we've got another under-20 World Cup in March, and technically, we just fall short of other countries. How we can bridge the gap is something for New Zealand Football to put together.''

Jacobs suggested NZF call on a think-tank of "people who have been to these types of events'' at world championships and Olympic level.

More games would help the under-23 Olympic team and under-20s prepare for major international tournaments but he said development had to start in the younger age-groups.

"We need to get our under-14s and under-15s around the world to tournaments. That's what the Australians are doing.''

Jacobs said it was imperative to have "our best kids working with our elite coaches'' from the age of 12. "So by the time they are 14 or 15, they have that groundwork.''

He said Belgium, the under-21 European champions, were "technically very good, very strong and very quick'' and its best players were at clubs in stronger European leagues.

Belgium peppered the Oly-Whites goal 17 times to New Zealand's four. But the Europeans scored only once when Oly-Whites goalkeeper Jacob Spoonley, who made a string of superb saves later, failed to catch a corner. Midfielder Faris Haroun ghosted in between Chris Killen and Michael Boxall to power home a 35th minute header.

Belgium hit the woodwork three times, such was their superiority, but the Oly-Whites had two good chances, with Cole Peverley pulling a ball across the face of goal with Daniel Ellensohn in scoring position in the first half. A Chris Killen shot seemed destined for the net in the 73rd minute but it deflected off Belgian goalkeeper Logan Bailly's foot.

Ellensohn was sent off in the first minute of the second spell for a lunging tackle which Jacobs felt warranted "no more than a yellow card''.

Jacobs said he hoped some Oly-Whites might get contract offers from overseas, citing central midfielder Peverley and 18-year-old fullback Ian Hogg as having consistent tournaments.

- © Fairfax NZ News