The two-time U-17 assistant coach is in charge of his maiden campaign and has cast the net far and wide to settle on his side to travel to the island of Santo where the ten-day tournament will be held in the town of Luganville.
“I enjoyed the last two campaigns as an assistant, but this time around it’s been really enjoyable planning everything from the very start,” Bazeley says.
This year will be the first time New Zealand has had to navigate the OFC U-17 Championship away from home soil in two cycles after hosting the 2009 and 2011 editions of the confederation tournament.
“The last two campaigns were in Auckland which is better for us, especially in terms of the climate. Having played away before it’s going to be very different for our players and probably nothing they have experienced.”
Bazeley will be able to draw from the experiences of the Junior All Whites who completed their U-20 qualifying campaign last week.
The identification process started through the National Talent Centres in April 2012 and Bazeley arranged regional trials in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland for players invited by the various Federation Development Managers.
The Young All Whites coaching staff was in also attendance at the national secondary schools tournament in Nelson, as well as working with private providers through the Ole Football Academy in Wellington and the Asia Pacific Football Academy in Christchurch.
Throughout the journey Bazeley has received interest from as far as Sweden, England, USA and Australia with the former professional happy to welcome overseas players into the extended training squad at any stage, provided they could get to New Zealand.
“I think sometimes we underestimate the quality of players we are developing in New Zealand, and players who have come from overseas are surprised with the standard and it’s higher than what they were expecting.
“The NTC process helps us identify players earlier, and get good international habits into them at a younger age,” Bazeley says.
In September last year New Zealand Football confirmed that a national U-17 squad will contest the northern conference of the ASB Youth League, the third time such a concept had been implemented.
Entry into the ASB Youth League gave Bazeley the most cost effective preparation when compared to touring the team internationally and an opportunity to work with a shadow squad on a more regular basis, with some players choosing to move to Auckland to be close to the bulk of the squad.
“The ASB Youth League was the ideal preparation for the OFC U-17 Championship. It’s given us the opportunity to try different players and formations in competitive matches against older players.”
The Northern-based U-17s pushed eventual ASB Youth League champions Auckland City in conference play and finished second in the five team group.
The bulk of the squad is currently training in Auckland with all players due in the Super City by 5 April before jetting out to Luganville on 13 April. New Zealand’s first match is against the Cook Islands, before facing New Caledonia, hosts Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea in consecutive matches every two days.
Young All Whites squad for OFC U-17 Championship
Goalkeepers
Zac SPEEDY (Three Kings United, New Zealand)
Sam CORP (Forrest Hill Milford, New Zealand)
Defenders
Riley KELLIHER (Island Bay United, New Zealand)
Cory BROWN (Island Bay United, New Zealand)
Nick FORRESTER (Saint Kentigern College, New Zealand)
Adam MITCHELL (Central United, New Zealand)
Spiros AGATHOS (Newcastle Jets, Australia)
Thomas PROBERT (Three Kings United, New Zealand)
Midfielders
Alex PALEZEVIC (Island Bay United, New Zealand)
Michael DEN HEIJER (Onehunga Sports, New Zealand)
Matthew RIDENTON (Central United, New Zealand)
Andre DE JONG (Ellerslie, New Zealand)
Alex RUFER (YoungHeart Manawatu, New Zealand)
Tamupiwa DUMAIRO (Asia Pacifc Football Academy, New Zealand)
Forwards
Andrew BLAKE (Melville United, New Zealand)
Elijah NEBLETT (Birkenhead United, New Zealand)
Monty PATTERSON (Eastern Suburbs, New Zealand)
Meysum SHAFAHI (Asia Pacific Football Academy, New Zealand)
Nick SUGDEN (Onehunga Sports, New Zealand)
Stuart HOLTHUSEN (Onehunga Sports, New Zealand)
Staff
Darren BAZELEY – Coach
Willy GERDSEN – Assistant Coach
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
For more on New Zealand Football visit www.nzfootball.co.nz