Chris Wood has fired up at New Zealand Football about All Whites coach Danny Hay's contract status, saying it would be "an an absolute detriment" if they lost him.
Speaking after yesterday's 2-0 loss to Australia at Eden Park, the veteran striker wasn't shy about discussing Hay's future with the national men’s football team coach now off contract - something that likely won't be addressed until after NZF's review of this year's World Cup qualification campaign is completed, which is expected to be next month.
Hay said the ball was in NZF's court.
"We think we're starting to build something that could be pretty special, but ultimately I haven't spoken to anybody from New Zealand Football about my future," he said. “We'll see what transpires in the coming month or so.
“I've had a wonderful time over the last 12 to 14 months ever since the Olympics and I think this team, irrespective of whether I'm there or not, has got a bright future.
"I think 2026 could be a really exciting period for the team.”
But Wood was more forward with his jabs at NZF, saying it would be "silly" to lose him.
“You can see how much he's changed this team in 12 months,” he added. “Can you imagine what he can do in four years?
“Without a shadow of a doubt I want him here, the team wants him here. We play better football under him and if we let him go, I think it will be an absolute detriment to New Zealand football.”
Hay has been at the helm since succeeding Fritz Schmid in 2019 and has since mustered a record of eight wins, seven losses and a draw.
He coached the side to June's one-off playoff against Costa Rica to play in this year's World Cup and also took charge of the OlyWhites at last year's Olympics where they earned their first Olympic win before being knocked out in a tight quarter-final by hosts Japan in a shootout.
One issue that has frustrated Hay though is the lack of games the All Whites are getting during international windows with NZF stating the lengthy break between matches being because of financial strains.
Hay said consistent games will be a sticking point for him in discussions going forward.
"We need to play every single window and I think there needs to be a commitment from New Zealand Football to the players that they're going to actively go out and search for, not just games, but good quality games.
"The reality is we got to play against the team that are in the 30s in the world [Australia] and I think that's only happened a couple of times in the last four or five years for this group of players.
"We need that challenge on a regular basis if we're really going to evolve, and I think that ultimately comes down to the organisation and their desire to genuinely make that happen – not talk about it, but actually make it happen."
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