New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert has confirmed that Blues defender Tommy Smith will captain the All Whites at their Oceania Nations Cup games this week. Regular skipper Ryan Nelsen misses the matches, which double as World Cup qualifiers, due to an ankle injury.
Herbert says Smith did well as captain in their US-based friendlies against El Salvador and Honduras: "I've been impressed with the way Tommy has embraced the honour and responsibility of leading the national team and the composure with which he's handled it.
"I've got no hesitation in handing the armband again for these crucial matches."
Smith says he’s proud to skipper the nation where he lived between the ages of eight and 16: "I remember from the last two games feeling great pride.
"You're at the front of the queue leading the team out and then when you're standing there for the national anthem having that armband around you makes it that much better."
The 22-year-old, New Zealand’s youngest-ever captain, says he’ll take advice from more senior members of the squad: "We all talk and hopefully I can pick up a few things from Ivan Vicelich, Ben Sigmund and players like that who have been around a lot longer than I have."
Smith and the rest of the New Zealand squad are in the Solomon Islands where they take on Fiji (June 2nd), Papua New Guinea (June 4th) and the hosts (June 6th) with all the matches played in the capital Honiara.
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