Not sounding so promising now, re Malaysia, according to AV.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/110771653/all-whites-plans-for-march-international-window-still-yet-to-be-confirmed
I've picked a squad based on the full A League contingent, plus Handy Prem players being available - which sounds unlikely unless NZF works out some sort of deal to shift the dates of the Handy semi finals.
Wood, Rojas, Boyd, Themi & Nikko Boxall (Danish 2nd tier doesn't stop for FIFA window) all unavailable. Reid & Thomas injured.
American based players (MLS & ULS) also absent. So no Michael Boxall, Smith, Wynne, Tuiloma, Collier, Musa, Brotherton or Kyle Adams.
Unattached FC - Marinovic, Monty Patterson, Cory Brown, Myer Bevan, Gleeson, Jesse Edge - presuming are available, but of course some likely just focused on trying to find a job, and trialling somewhere. Fair enough.
So a 23 based on the above.
Keepers - Sail, Woud & Marinovic. If Marinovic not available, bring in Tzanev or Crocombe.
CBs - Mitchell, Payne, Doyle, TAHW. TAHW as a CB, as a real lack of other options. Cory Brown a possible. M Boxall maybe the one MLS player to get a club release and travel to Malaysia. He played the corresponding March window friendly verus Canada last year, lured in I imagine by the honour of the AWs captaincy.
Wingbacks - Roux, Fenton, Cacace, Mcgarry, Gulley. Jesse Edge a possible. Roux has a bit of history of not being available for the AWs.
Midfield - Singh, Rufer, Ridenton, Howieson, Wee Mac, Lewis. I think Lewis will be available as he's hardly playing at Scodhorpe, and they are now safe from relegation. Wee Mac is interesting as his career has really faded, so someone like Dyer or Nikko Kirwan could come in instead.
Forwards - Barba, De Jong, Dane Ingham, Bevan, Brockie. Brockie is on the outer in South Africa. At age 31, he's probably happy to be available & put himself in the club shop window in Malaysia. Might be his next career stop! If him & Bevan are unavailable Billingsley is probably a chance (picked for India by Schmid). Cam McCowatt has lots of fans. Jai Ingham is still injured I think. Probably best to leave Max Mata in Zurich.
My 23 includes 5 Handy Prem players (Mitchell, Payne, TAHW, Howieson & De Jong). If NZF cannot arrange a date switch for the Handy Prem semis, and those players are unavailable for the AWs, Schmid will really be struggling to assemble a side. Especially at the defensive end. No real quality, likely available replacements for Mitchell, Payne & TAHW I can see. Doyle as your most senior available CB!?
Cory Brown possibly, then maybe 33 yr old Themi could be asked. But his team Giannina is battling relegation, and it's a long way from Greece to KL, for a pair of friendlies. Steven Old (also 33) but League Two doesn't stop for the March FIFA window, and again Morecambe are fighting to avoid the drop. Francis De Vries & Tyler Lissette from Swedish 3rd tier football? Ex AW Luke Adams from the VPL?
Dura may have to come out of retirement!
Is it worth Schmid taking a bunch of players to Malaysia, just to flesh out a squad, that likely don't have a real long term future with the AWs? Doesn't sound such a good use of NZF's stretched funds?
Maybe Schmid wants to pick more than 5 Handy Prem players (ie others like Henry Cameron, McCowatt, Eli Just etc) - so gets even less enthusiastic when the Handy players become unavailable.
Read somewhere that for the A League players to all be available for Malaysia, it's likely the clubs (incl the Nix) will probably only want to see them play one full game, rather than two. Restricted playing loads, limited minutes.
With Ireland in November window being the only scheduled friendly before next year's OFC Nations Cup, what chance Schmid can assemble a full strength squad in Dublin? The European pros yes, plus the MLS/USL contingent as the American season will be finished. But will the A League clubs (incl Nix), be that happy to see their AWs players fly 20 hours to Eire, when the A League season 2019/2020 is underway. Esp the younger players who could just be making up the 23, and spend the actual game sitting on the bench.
Welcome to coaching the AWs Herr Schmid. One of the more frustrating jobs in international football. Rarely have a game, and when you do it's like herding cats.
What is annoying is that for the next few weeks the Handy Prem is almost a waste of time, esp in the bigger picture. Semi finalists already locked in. TW, ES & CU just battling to sort out spots 2-4, while rest of the league watches on.
Cancel the last few weeks of the regular season - a few games of paper, scissors, rock - sort out the playoffs pecking order, bring the semis forward, avoid a date clash with Malaysia. Happy days!