McGlinchey was in coach Ricki Herbert’s starting 11 as the All Whites booked a place at the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time since the 1982 showpiece in Spain, thanks to a 1-nil victory over Bahrain in the second leg of their playoff tie in Wellington, securing a 1-nil aggregate win.

The Wellington-born, Glasgow-raised 22-year-old will swap the all-white of New Zealand for the yellow and navy of the Central Coast as he rejoins his teammates at Sohier Park, Ourimbah, from 10am.