Malcolmson hits back at Rufer over criticism
By FRED WOODCOCK - The Dominion Post
Last updated 05:00 17/05/2010
OVERLOOKED: Andrew Milne, now with Scottish giants Rangers, was one of several players whose omission from New Zealand's World Cup squad angered Wynton Rufer.
Former All White Sam Malcolmson has leapt to the defence of current coach Ricki Herbert, saying criticism of his 23-man World Cup squad is "completely unjustified".
Wynton Rufer launched an attack on Herbert's squad yesterday, claiming his 1982 World Cup team-mate should have included several overseas professionals ahead of "part-timers" such as James Bannatyne and Aaron Clapham from the New Zealand Football Championship.
Rufer said he had delivered eight names to Herbert, including German-based goalkeeper and Everton trialist Stefan Marinovic, J-League midfielder Michael Fitzgerald and Andrew Milne, who plays for Scottish club Rangers.
Marinovic and Milne have previously played international age-group football.
Rufer told the Sunday News neither Herbert nor assistant coach Brian Turner responded to his correspondence.
"I provided a couple of names which they probably hadn't heard of before," Rufer said. "Did they respond? You've got to be joking.
"Everyone knew there was going to be the core group of players but the last few names were a bit of a surprise.
"Marinovic plays at a club [Wiesbaden] with a yearly budget of $12 million, the Phoenix's annual budget is about $6 million. The clubs where James Bannatyne and Aaron Clapham play, well, they're not even pros. Why wouldn't you go with the guys who are playing professionally every week? Fitzgerald's another one."
Herbert refused to respond to Rufer's comments yesterday. "Wynton's got his views and I'm not going to comment on them."
However, Malcolmson found it interesting Marinovic and Fitzgerald had gone through Rufer's Wynnrs academy, which he said may have "clouded his thinking".
"Why would you take an 18-year-old goalkeeper who is playing in the German third division over someone like Bannatyne or Spoonley who is experienced at international level?
"We're talking about going to a World Cup here. His [Marinovic's] time will come in a few years' time.
"It's also unfair to judge a club and how good the players are by the budgets they've got. It's not comparing apples with apples."
Malcolmson said Herbert had to show some loyalty to the players who had got New Zealand to the World Cup and the coach could not include a large number of players he had not seen play.
"As a coach you're not only thinking about ability, there are social and cultural features that make up a team. The bulk of this team has been together for a while and has got us to the World Cup."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/football/3703794/Malcolmson-hits-back-at-Rufer-over-criticism/