Anthony Hudson was recently appointed as the new coach of the New Zealand national football team. He has now embarked on a journey to say whether some of the key players in the squad are interested in caring for the long-term. He is expected to now hold talks with Tommy Smith, as there have been questions surrounding the commitment of the 33 year old defender. New Zealand will be undergoing a rebuilding phase after failing to qualify for the World Cup 2014. Unlike some of the teams in the Asian region, New Zealand have a lot of time to prepare for the next World Cup in Russia.

A friendly match against Uzbekistan is one of the first tasks for the new manager. New Zealand will be preparing for this match by spending one week at a training camp in Doha. New Zealand captain Smith is reportedly considering the possibility of irritating in order to focus on his club career. He is playing for Championship outfit Ipswich Town. New Zealand do not have the large contingent of European players in their squad, but those present are far more important to the team. Hudson has said that he also wants to build a good relationship with the club managers.

“I need to figure out if the player’s motives are right and if he wants to commit to what we’re doing. It’s simple. If a player doesn’t want to play for you, then you don’t really want that person in your team. A lot of it is common sense. As long as we all have an understanding in relation to overseas players, I think we can come up with a healthy plan for all of us. I’d be wrong to make any judgments or assessments on stuff that’s happened before,” said Hudson ahead of his trip to Europe.