Switzerland-born Fritz Schmid has been appointed head coach of the New Zealand team on a four-year contract.

Schmid, whose previous role was as technical director of the Malaysian Football Association, is a former assistant coach of the Austria national team.

He was also an assistant at FC Basel between 2002 and 2009 when they won the Swiss Cup four times and twice qualified for the Champions League.

New Zealand Football technical director Andreas Heraf said Friday that Schmid "has a proven track...

New Zealand forward Chris Wood has told ESPN FC that he and the All Whites' other Europe-based players must overcome the effects of a 36-hour journey before facing Peru in their World Cup qualifying playoff first leg in Wellington.

Burnley striker Wood, who has overcome a hamstring injury to take his place in the squad, and West Ham defender Winston Reid lead the group of six Europe-based players in Anthony Hudson's squad for the game on Saturday.

He said the battle to be ready for the first leg...

Ricki Herbert coached New Zealand at the 2010 World Cup, was a player at the 1982 World Cup, and managed Wellington in the A-League between 2007-13.

Oceania champions New Zealand will face a mammoth task when they take on the world's No. 10 ranked team, Peru, in a playoff over two legs, for a place at Russia 2018.

The Peruvians, who came fifth in South American qualifying, are aiming for their first World Cup finals' appearance since 1982, the same year that New Zealand qualified for the first time.

Ahead of Saturday's first leg in Wellington, here are five ways the All Whites can try to emulate my 2010 team by winning an interconfederation...