Ryan Thomas Makes All Whites Return Ahead of Soccer Ashes

The All Whites have announced a strong squad for their upcoming matches against the Socceroos, featuring several key overseas players, including the long-awaited return of midfielder Ryan Thomas. After a six-year absence from the national team, Thomas will join his teammates for the two-match Soccer Ashes series, scheduled for September 5, 2024, in Canberra, and September 9, 2024, in Auckland.

In addition to Thomas, the 23-player squad includes familiar names such as Chris Wood, Liberato Cacace, Sarpreet Singh, and Marko Stamenić. All Whites coach Darren Bazeley has expressed enthusiasm about the team’s prospects, particularly with next year’s FIFA World Cup in North America on the horizon.

Thomas, who currently plays for PEC Zwolle in the Dutch top tier, has faced a series of injuries that limited his appearances with both PSV Eindhoven and Zwolle in recent years. However, he has made a strong start this season, prompting Bazeley to reinstate him in the squad.

“It is great to be able to name Ryan in an All Whites squad for the first time in a long time,” Bazeley stated. “Ryan is a special player who I have been in regular contact with since taking on the role and who always wanted to return to the side when he was in a position to do so. He has made a strong start to the season and I know he will have a lot to offer this group in two big games that the whole team are looking forward to.”

The squad features six changes from the previous lineup that faced the Ivory Coast and Ukraine in June. Thomas is joined by returning players Tim Payne, James McGarry, Jesse Randall, Logan Rogerson, and goalkeeper Oli Sail. Sail replaces Nik Tzanev, who is currently with English League Two club Newport County.

Injuries have sidelined Bill Tuiloma and Nando Pijnaker, while Tommy Smith, Matt Garbett, and Ben Waine are unavailable due to commitments in the UK.

The All Whites are keen to break a long-standing drought against Australia, with their last victory recorded in 2002 during the Oceania Nations Cup final. Bazeley remarked on the significance of these matches, stating, “Playing Australia is always a big deal but to be able to compete for a trophy, with one game at home, is massive. We want to go out and put in two strong performances to build on the success of the last window and continue our momentum heading into the FIFA World Cup next year.”

The squad is diverse, featuring seven players based in Britain, seven in New Zealand, two each in Australia and the United States, and one each in Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Norway, and Serbia.

The matches will take place at Canberra Stadium on September 5 at 21:45 local time and at Mount Smart Stadium on September 9 at 19:00 local time. The winner of the Soccer Ashes series will be determined by the aggregate score across both matches, with the second leg going directly to penalties if the teams are tied after 90 minutes.

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