Tommy Smith and the rest of the New Zealand squad have been advised not to leave their Mexico City hotel ahead of Wednesday’s World Cup play-off first leg at the 105,000 capacity Estadio Azteca. The All Whites squad arrived in Mexico earlier today having spent the last few days at a training camp in LA.
Mexican fans have reportedly thrown missiles at opposition coaches in the past, while phones have been known to ring in hotel rooms while players are asleep ahead of games.
"I've packed my earplugs,” Smith joked with Press.co.nz. "Obviously with it being Mexico, they're going to do all they can to disrupt us. We're prepared for that and security-wise as well.
"We've all been briefed on what to do if certain things were to happen and I'm looking forward to the bus being shaken, to be honest, I've never experienced that before. We're prepared for anything that's going to come our way."
Smith says the squad’s security advice is to remain in their hotel once they arrive or if they do to go out to do so in groups of at least four.
"If you do leave the hotel they're saying wear clothes that don't show you're an All White, so wear your casual clothes so you can't be singled out as a professional sports team,” he added.
"I don't think there'll be too much problem. I think they'll just be trying to disrupt us rather than anything violent."
Town boss Mick McCarthy, who led Ireland to the 2002 World Cup via a play-off against Iran, would be delighted to see Smith make a second appearance at the tournament in Brazil next summer, the 23-year-old having been in the All Whites side in South Africa in 2010.
"I sincerely hope he gets there,” he said. "It’s a huge game, those play-off games are just crazy. Playing against Mexico as well, that’ll be interesting. I’m delighted for him. It’s really exciting times for him and I hope he gets there.”
Smith is likely to be stand-in captain with West Ham’s Winston Reid, the regular skipper, out injured and coach Ricki Herbert is set to make the announcement regarding who will wear the armband today.
McCarthy believes Smith would be an ideal choice: "Tommy’s been great since I came in here. When I came I heard a lot of negativity about a lot of people but I remember just watching Tommy in training and thinking what a great lad he was and how he went about his job, how he defended. He is captain material, I like him.”
McCarthy already views Smith, who has previously won 25 caps, scoring two international goals, as a doubt for the Leicester game a week on Saturday with the defender not due back from next Wednesday’s second leg in Wellington until the day before the Foxes' visit.
In addition to Smith, Christophe Berra is away with the Scotland squad ahead of their friendlies against the USA at Hampden Park on Friday and in Norway next Tuesday. It’s the first time the 28-year-old has received a call-up since joining the Blues in the summer.
"I’m delighted for him because, certainly when he was at Wolves, he was very proud of the fact that he was in the Scotland squad and playing,” McCarthy said.
"If he’d been left out [of the Wolves team] he was conscious that that could affect his position. I’m delighted, really pleased for him and he really deserves it because he’s such a terrific pro.”
In addition to Smith and Berra, academy second-year keeper Michael Crowe is with the Wales squad for their UEFA U19 qualifying mini-tournament in Georgia and striker Jonny Smith is with Northern Ireland ahead of the UEFA U17 Championship qualifying mini-tournament they’re hosting, although the first-year scholar may miss out having suffered an injury in training.