Mexican standoff just not worth risk

OPINION: Was the All Whites-Mexico match really a good idea? What was gained by staging a match with one of the top sides in the world at a time when both the All Whites and the Wellington Phoenix would be distracted by the other?

The same would be true if the All Whites were playing Tahiti or the Cook Islands, but given that Mexico is ranked 15th in the world, and that the match was played in California, the logic is even harder to find.

The All Whites were always going to be given a severe examination by a team containing some genuine world class talent, and bruised confidence was hardly what the New Zealanders, and more specifically their Phoenix quartet, needed.

To prevent a loss by four or five goals, Herbert stuck with his core players, for an energy-sapping 80 minutes in Tim Brown's case, and a scarcely believable 90 minutes for Leo Bertos, Ben Sigmund and Tony Lochhead. The 0-2 loss means the egos remains intact, but what has it done to the legs of those players who have to turn out for the Phoenix today?

Yes, midweek games are a reality of football, with the pros expected to turn it up twice a week when necessary.

But their club managers hate it when those midweek games are what they consider unnecessary, meaningless friendly internationals. They're terrified their star players will report back for club duty injured, or at the very least tired.

That's why they plead with the international coaches to use their players for only half a game. That's why, until football's world governing body Fifa clamped down on it, they instructed their players to be "injured" and "unavailable" for the friendlies.

Club managers don't like their players being flogged unnecessarily, and the conflict of interest that arises between club bosses and the international supremos gives rise to that question again: how can Ricki Herbert coach both teams when often he's actually competing against himself?

He has done a good job of it so far, but put it this way: if Herbert hadn't been the national coach, would he, as Phoenix coach, have wanted to see his players play a full game in a friendly just three days before the biggest game in the club's history?

If he had wanted that, then he'd be pretty much alone among club managers. English Premier League supremos such as Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Rafa Benitez would scream blue murder if England or Spain had used Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fabregas or Steve Gerrard for any longer than 45 minutes before a crunch Premier League fixture.

The Phoenix used to be similarly protective of their assets. Remember when, about two years ago, the Phoenix made Lochhead and Shane Smeltz unavailable for our Olympic Games team because they needed them to play a pre-season tournament with the Nix? At the time their position was: "Our responsibility is to the Phoenix, no one else."

Now, with their most important game just 30 hours after the players get back, how can they suddenly spare four players?

And why did Rory Fallon only play half an hour as substitute against Mexico?

It's hard to believe that after his heroics against Bahrain he's third in line for a striking spot behind Chris Killen and Smeltz, who both started in California. So why was Fallon, whose club Plymouth Argyle kicked up a fuss about releasing their striker, given a reduced workload?

It's argued that the All Whites needed the Mexico match because any match is a vital learning experience. Couldn't Herbert have left his Phoenix players at home to prepare for their club game, and use the international as an opportunity to look at fringe players?

Steven Old and Jason Hayne were left on the bench all night, Michael McGlinchey got half an hour and Andy Barron and Chris Wood just 10 minutes each. Had he given those players full games and the All Whites got caned, he'd have learned a whole lot about their suitability for South Africa.

What's more likely, however, is they'd have stepped up, and given Herbert some selection headaches for the future.

It appears that Herbert made the decision to go for broke.

He wanted a decent run out with Mexico using close to his best XI (minus Fallon).

And he wants to beat the Newcastle Jets today in the A-League semi.

He's ticked off part one on that job sheet, and the momentum the Phoenix have gathered over the past two months will probably carry them home against the Jets.

Still, it was a risk not worth taking.

Billy Harris is a former All Whites player.

- © Fairfax NZ News