Tommy Smith (Auckland FC | A-League)

Playing for Leeds is about the only way to get picked up by a Prem team.  Have a look at all the ex-Leeds players at Norwich.

Got nominated for Ipswich's goal of the year for his acrobatic effort from that corner btw

Also has just scored in in the 37th min vs Shef. Wednesday

A good write-up on Tommy and Ipswich's 2-1 win over Fulham in their first Championship match of the season.

A news blog on Kiwis playing in the UK and Europe by one Nick Robinson, includes videos:

http://theniche-cache.com/football/2014/8/11/flyin...

All Whites squad – Uzbekistan
September, 2014
(Caps/Goals/Club)

Goalkeepers
Glen Moss (28/0 – Wellington Phoenix/NZ)
Tamati Williams (1/0 – Glenfield Rovers/NZ)

Defenders
Michael Boxall (9/0 – Wellington Phoenix/NZ)
Andrew Durante (8/0 – Wellington Phoenix/NZ)
Winston Reid (17/1 – West Ham Utd/ENG)
Storm Roux (3/0 – Central Coast Mariners/AUS)
Ben Sigmund (32/2 – Wellington Phoenix/NZ)
Bill Tuiloma (4/0 – Olympique Marseille/FRA)

Midfielders
Cameron Howieson (8/0 – Burnley FC/ENG)
Chris James (18/2 – CS Sedan Ardennes/FRA)
Michael McGlinchey (27/3 – Central Coast Mariners/AUS)
Tim Payne (10/2 – unattached)
Ryan Thomas (2/0 – PEC Zwolle/HOL)

Forwards
Kosta Barbarouses (25/2 – Melbourne Victory/AUS)
Tyler Boyd (2/0- Wellington Phoenix/NZ)
Jeremy Brockie (43/0 – Wellington Phoenix/NZ)
Marco Rojas (18/0 – VfB Stuttgart/GER)
Chris Wood (34/12 – Leicester City/ENG)

Note: Tommy Smith was not considered for the tour to Doha and Uzbekistan. Tommy has requested that he not be considered for selection for any New Zealand team for the next 12 months. After consultation with the relevant parties, New Zealand Football has agreed to this request.

when did this home detention in Ipswich officially begin? I wouldn't want to pass unfair judgement BUT FFS he has been our captain and now this.....

+ no smeltzy??

I'm a new coach and a key player says he doesn't want to play for a year. Would I really want that player back in the future? I get Smith wasn't happy with how some things went down but it is a new coach now. It's not an excuse for me.

Tommy Smith is dead to me....

Happens to be a year in which we don't have any big world cup games or anything. 

Sums it up really, just here for the World cup and Olympics, can't be farked the rest of the time. 

Think people are quickly going to turn on Tommy. Will need to be prepared for the abuse he will get for this decision. If he is smart he will go on NZ radio or TV or post a video to NZF website explaining situation. No information will lead to greater resentment

Why Winston Reid can get away when he's playing in the Prem, but Tommy can't get away from a Champo club is beyond me.

I defended him previously because the tug of war between club and country can't be easy - but this isn't good. Might as well not be an All Whites player.

Off with his head!

I know the angst on this thread can get out of hand at times but this is just pathetic... 

Thats a similar thought that I had. If he wanted 12 months off, I guess I can kinda see why but he now has that label of being a show pony and only turning up when it suits him/counts. Ryan Nelsen got away with it cause he had charisma and was a bloody good footballer that instantly made us a better side. Tommy does not make us that much better. I will give him credit though for being upfront I guess.

If I were NZF, I would have said to him 'sure, we will grant you that request but you must play in this international. Its in a camp for a few days, only half the distance to travel and your first time in front of the new coach. Turn up for this and show him what you are about cause if you don't we can't guarantee that it will only be 12 months as he will have never seen you.'

I think its fair to make concessions on a case by case basis, but to absolutely rule yourself out for a year is disrespectful and reeks of only wanting to be around when there is a World Cup or Olympics going on. 

Fans and even players have every right to be pissed off. I can't imagine Siggy is his biggest fan. 

Why shouldn't we expect players to make themselves available for their country? The way I see it, you either want to play for New Zealand or you don't. If Tommy Smith doesn't want to play for New Zealand then good for him. He doesn't have to. I just don't think we should welcome him back in the team is all.

I also understand that sometimes players do need a game off here and there. It should never be a full year though and it should never happen when we just have a new coach.

Yeah if you are Hudson your first thoughts are "Not a team guy, not a player I need"

Paul Iffil putting the boot in on twitter

I'm sure we will never see tommy smith in an aw shirt again very strange decision given the appointment of a new head coach. #AllWhites

— Paul Ifill (@PaulIfill) August 11, 2014

@Tegal1234 trust me the players wouldn't want him back

— Paul Ifill (@PaulIfill) August 11, 2014

Ifill is 110% correct - Tommy Smith will never pay for this country again, he has just confirmed the mandatory separation before the messy divorce settlement goes through in a year.

Can you be 110% correct?

I know we are talking about Paul, but 110% correct?  I thought it would be more binary (yes, no).

Nah BAE

Ifill is 100% correct to infinity times infinity

I don't actually think Paul should be speaking on behalf of other people. 

It is a snub. It will hurt his chances and I'm sure he realises that. But if he is clearly the best option for the next WC qualifier do we really tell him we are not interested on moral grounds? I think it should be a selection factor, you obviously want people who want it more, and you want to develop a good culture. But unless there is more to this I wouldn't be adverse to picking him in the future, I don't think we have the depth to do that.

I think there is a well-founded fear that the moment an all whites player yields to club over country we will end up with a team missing our top eligible players as they follow suit. Not always the players fault thinking back to the pressure Big Sam put on Ryan not to play for the all whites at critical times in the season for Blackburn.

This is the first chance in a long time to put the AW's on the map with a proper international schedule and worthwhile training as a team in a modern system....not really something you can join effectively a year down the track.

Really hope Tommy speaks up and explains his rational....

There is definitely truth there, I don't disagree with anything you have said, such a culture would be destructive and these are important games. But equally I come back to Nelsen as an example. Nelsen didn't play for NZ much because he didn't want to, it had little to do with Sam A and more, from what I can tell, a general disgruntlement with Ricki following the dumping of Mick Waiit. But it would have been madness to not pick Nelsen when he was willing to play. It's a case of his value to the side being greater than the negative culture that his lack of interest in playing for NZ would bring. 

He did have his career to consider and it will be exactly the same for Smith. Shooting off for international friendlies for NZ doesn't help his career regardless of how important they are for the team. Smith isn't currently as important as Nelsen was so if there are other players just as good I would happily have them instead. But he is still a young guy who still seems to be improving, I think he is at a pretty similar level to Nelsen at the same stage of his career.

I don't think that allowing him to skip a year and then play again would make everyone do the same. I would like to think that playing for NZ is important enough to enough of our top players that it wouldn't happen en-mass.

Some things to consider:

1) Tommy was the one who demanded better internationals and more meaningful games. We are starting to get them now

2) Tommy changed allegiance to NZ after the Bahrain game. Others did it before.

3) All FIFA windows are now 2 games, so the pressure of travel isn't as demanding making it easier for players to juggle club and country

4) Championship breaks for international windows.

5) Other players have juggled their commitment in the past. eg: Wood.

6) Assuming the truth is that he wants to break into the EPL, then surely Wood and Rojas have a bigger claim to that excuse.

7) If he does break into the EPL, then he will be wanting to cement his spot as an EPL player. Same situation.

For me, that all points to either he doesn't want to play for the All Whites, or that he doesn't give two shits about the team and will only play when he has something to gain. Not sure which is worse.

Without adding much to the discussion, Its been happening since Wynton was an 18 year old..

Its not good and to tell you the truth not acceptable for players to pick and choose when they play for their country. 

It was allright for Tommy to have 2010 World Cup on his agents shopping CV. 

I suspect this is just a resignation from international football by Smith. How exactly do you think he is hoping to break into EPL football? via promotion with Ipswich? Being bought by an EPL club? Apart from this move, what else has he done to realise this dream? asked to be put on the transfer market so he can be picked up by an EPL team?

This isnt adding much either...but tommy smith's name and piss poor reputation will be forgotten pretty quickly.  He was an average Championship centre back, who seemed to need a bit of minding and acommodating by those around him...Enjoy your season Tommy, and from all of us here in New Zealand we wish you all the very super duper  best.

Will he jump back on the train if we qualify for 2014? Would we let him; say he if he was playing consistently in the EPL at that stage?

Piss poor either way. I hope he lives to regret it.

When does his Ippy contract expire?... I wonder if this is his last season and he wants to be resigned there, or by a similar/higher level club. If he skips matches (even though he's perfectly able) he may see his position (and future contract/s) under threat.... HN?...

Though if that is the case, why not just say so?

The scary thing is that we made this guy Captain

Shouldn't have too much to worry about in that respect, the guy played 45 games in the Championship last season, I'd imagine all going well injury wise he'd get very close to that again this season. He'll be resigned by Ipswich when it comes up (although I'm not aware of his contract details), he seems very loyal to them, and I don't think (at this stage) that he is a viable option for an EPL side. In comparison, and a good yardstick, Winston Reid is streets ahead of Smith.

That said, the withdrawal from international football for a year is a cop out and he won't be back. Playing for your country is an honour, and making yourself unavailable for 12 months, you might as well say you're retiring from International football. Either that or he thinks he can waltz into the starting team - To be fair he probably would, but I'd rather have someone with heart and commitment to the cause.

I wouldn't mind if the availability was assessed on a case by case/match by match basis, but 12 months - You're 'avin a fucking laugh!

Anthony Hudson, take note.

Really hope Keat was not selected for a good reason. I like Howieson but Keat is going alright In Sweden and plays for a first team. To overlook him for a French 4th Division player and Reserves player is stupid. Would people want fitgerald back if he became available again ? Would be crazy to say no. The last time Smith played the All Whites were an absolute circus part of me doesn't blame him its a shame though because we are actually playing a decent team. Coach just needs to get in his ear and show him things have changed sounds like he just expects better which is a bit snobby but right in a way

Tommy who?

I think he will go close to getting picked up by a Prem club next year if he has a similar year to last years.

He scored six goals and his team pushed towards promotion despite being unfancied,

Perhaps, he's said this is his make or break year to make a real mark and get noticed??

Still a little clarification on his part would be good.

I hope Wood or Reid have a word in his ear and tell him to either man up or speak up.

I think he will go close to getting picked up by a Prem club next year if he has a similar year to last years.

He scored six goals and his team pushed towards promotion despite being unfancied,

Perhaps, he's said this is his make or break year to make a real mark and get noticed??

Still a little clarification on his part would be good.

I hope Wood or Reid have a word in his ear and tell him to either man up or speak up.

This tends to suggest he is gone from the all whites set up. Wouldn't rule out a massive turnaround from NZF as they welcome him back for the World Cup. We shall find out in time I suppose 

Tommy Smith. Former All-White.

That post is very telling there Tegal. Pretty much he has thrown his toys then.

Good riddance. Cock.

Posted this in the Uzbekistan thread, probably better placed here.

Slightly coming at the other side from this one.

If there is one guy who has the right to be seriously pissed off/disillusioned/uninterested because of the way the end of the Herbert era happened it has to be Smith. He shows up in Honiara, made captain of what seemed to be an incredibly disfunctional ship and then had to face the public in the wake of Mexico while everything else was crumbling around him. Sure, he was part of a group of players that went through all that but he was the captain. Asked to do an impossible job.

If off the back of that he says x,y,z needs to happen and he doesn't believe it has, then I can understand his decision. None of us have seen the report post Mexico or read the players verdicts into what went on so we can't know what was said by who and what guarantees were made.

Yes, it's not a good look if he swans back for the big games and it sets a really bad precedent but if there is one guy I could probably understand it coming from, it's him.