Dynamite News Former skipper Hay tasked with steering New Zealand to 2022 World Cup
New Zealand have handed the reins of the national football team to former captain Danny Hay and tasked him with steering the All Whites to qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Wellington: New Zealand have handed the reins of the national football team to former captain Danny Hay and tasked him with steering the All Whites to qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Hay replaces Swiss boss Fritz Schmid, who resigned in June after a low key 18 months in charge.He becomes the second former All Whites skipper to coach the side after Ricki Herbert, who guided New Zealand to their second World Cup in 2010 and their first since the 1982 tournament in Spain. The nation’s soccer governing body hopes local experience can again help the All Whites qualify for the finals by taking the half-berth allocated to the winners of the Oceania region and negotiating an inter-confederation playoff.
They failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2014 and 2018 after losing to Mexico and Peru in the playoffs.
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“He brings to the role a huge amount of experience within the All Whites environment, both as a player and as a national age group coach, and we believe he is the right person to lead the team to achieve the goal of the All Whites winning on the world stage,” New Zealand Football boss Andrew Pragnell said.
“We are looking forward to having Danny back in the All Whites environment as the team builds in its activity towards FIFA World Cup qualification in 2022.”
A former New Zealand under-17 coach, Hay was a central defender in his playing days, earning 31 caps for New Zealand from 1996-2007. He is one of only six of the country’s players to break into the English Premier League, having played a handful of matches for Leeds at the turn of the century. Hay’s first job when he begins the role next month is to pick a squad for November friendlies against Ireland and Lithuania.
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“I’ve been heavily invested in the game in this country for a very long time now, and the All Whites in particular is something that is very close to my heart having played for, and captained, the side,” he said.
“As a proud New Zealander, and proud football person, this is a huge opportunity on a personal level, but also comes with massive responsibility to ensure I do the best job I can.” (Reuters)