Ricki Herbert has announced his New Zealand squad for the Asian-Oceania World Cup play-off against Bahrain. The All Whites coach named a squad of 19 for the first of a two-legged series, kicking off in Manama on October 11 and finishing in Wellington on November 14.

The winner of the two-legged qualifier books a place in at South Africa 2010.

Herbert admitted that this was the biggest match he had been involved in.

"This is absolutely the biggest one yet," Herbert said.

"You know we've had opportunities over the last four years to shape the team to where it's got to now."

The New Zealand squad is as follows:

James Bannatyne (Wellington) Mark Paston (Wellington) Jacob Spoonley (Auckland City) Andrew Boyens (New York Red Bulls) Tony Lochhead (Wellington Phoenix) David Mulligan (Wellington Phoenix) Ryan Nelsen (Blackburn Rovers, captain) Aaron Scott (Waitakere United) Ben Sigmund (Wellington Phoenix) Ivan Vicelich (Auckland City) Andy Barron (Wellington) Leo Bertos (Wellington Phoenix) Tim Brown (Wellington Phoenix) Simon Elliott (San Jose Earthquakes) Michael McGlinchey (Central Coast Mariners) Rory Fallon (Plymouth Argyle) Chris Killen (Celtic) Shane Smeltz (Gold Coast United) Chris Wood (West Bromwich Albion)