So we did it! Players, coaches and fans all
played their part and will all receive the ultimate reward - the opportunity
to attend the big show in South Africa as fully fledged
participants. But just as significantly, New Zealand Football can
advance without the reflection of the Road to Spain in 1982 clogging up the
rear view mirror.
Like the girl way out of your league that you improbably
pulled when you were 15, wistful reflection on a remarkable series of matches
in 1981 has undoubtedly been burnished by time and subsequent underachievement
(our group of wilful amateurs consistently overachieved but it can't be
ignored that their opponents such as Indonesia, Kuwait and China were far less
advanced in sporting terms 27 years ago).
No football moment has been able to compete with the romance
of the underdog nature of the campaign and never will, and an element of
snobbery is evident in regular unflattering comparisons between that side and
any subsequent. The Road to Spain has come to dominate every element
of every decision regarding football in New Zealand and symbolise the failure
of the game in our country. Until now.
Finally, a new brand of footballing success can be
acknowledged and allowed to develop.
For too long a reverential view of that campaign, the
conditions that produced the players involved and the players and coaching
staff has been perpetuated. Why is it that comment by players of the '82 vintage are always sought when someone like Vaughan Coveny, New
Zealand's record goal scorer, involved in the game for the last 20 years and
much more aware of the issues relevant today having experienced the
frustrations of playing for and in New Zealand, is never heard from?
Too regularly any positive steps taken in the intervening 27
years have been branded a failure simply for not living up to the memory of
that achievement. Many (but significantly not all) of our most
famous football team have wanted out of the limelight for some time and will be
relieved to see the mantel passed on.
Qualification also means that the system that produced not
only the players involved on Saturday night, but also the improving junior
Men's and Women's teams, may finally receive a more balanced
appraisal. The home and away triumph over Bahrain is only most recent
evidence of an improvement happening right across the
spectrum. That's not to say that many mistakes have been made, and
the system needs a lot of work, but the framework that produced and prepared
this group of players for the match on Saturday hasn't happened overnight and
that should be acknowledged. [more after the jump]
* * *
Although it is difficult to quantify the impact that the
international fixture programme pursued by the previous regime had on this
side, there will also be a modicum of vindication for Graeme
Seatter. Although he nearly bankrupted New Zealand Football, and the
disastrous South America tour hastened the retirement of a number of players in
a way that John Bracewell would be proud of, he did expose us to international
competition which demanded a lift in standards.
No player has
typified that elevation more than Tim Brown. Thrust into a position of
leadership early he has taken every chance given to him and now sits as Ricki
Herbert's most trusted on - field lieutenant for both club and country.
* * *
One thing that the '82 side didn't manage to achieve is
a result at the tournament proper and this will be the immediate goal of
Ricki's All Whites.
The horrendous timing of the A-League season (the finals
begin the weekend after the only remaining FIFA window) means that a full
strength All Whites side is unlikely to play together before the end of the
season. Of greater concern is that the bulk of the squad will finish
their competitive football in March at the latest. Motivation will not be
lacking but it will be a difficult task to maintain fitness between the end of
the A-League season and the pre-tournament camp. This hands an
advantage to players left out of the squad who will be involved in club
football throughout the first half of 2010 (Kris Bright and Steven Old spring
to mind).
The emotional intensity of the preparation for these matches
and the ensuing celebrations will have advanced the spirit in the group -
especially the involvement of the two newest members of the side - Fallon and
McGlinchey - in the Wellington match. But Football never stands
still - you can only move forward or backwards - and tactically the All
Whites, who are heavily reliant on experienced players in the starting XI, have
plenty of work to do.
Some of our play at the Confederations Cup was almost
wilfully naive - it is a football cliche that every match begins 11 on 11
but we have to acknowledge the disparity in ability. We cannot be
scared to play ugly as every nation values hard fought points at international
level, although our muscular style which clearly unsettled the Bahrainis will
need to be refined. We are comfortable operating without the ball
which will be our default setting in South Africa but we need to make more use
of possession.
Loyalty to the players who qualified will probably see all
18 involved in Wellington travelling to South Africa but there must be
questions about including two right backs when neither seems to have the
confidence of the manager. We need personnel available to allow us
to play four at the back if required.
Some, including CEO Michael Glading, would prefer high
profile match ups over winnable games in our World Cup
campaign. This is a sporting competition and on sporting terms we
should be hoping for the weakest group possible. This is the chance
for the All Whites of 2010 to continue their story and outshine their
predecessors.
* * *
The tedious media driven debate over whether Football will
supplant Rugby as New Zealand's national sport has once again risen its
head. Similar questions were asked of league after the tri-nations
win in 2006 and is borderline mischief making designed to generate a backlash
upon the sport which at that time has the limelight. All but the
most rabid supporter on either side of the argument see this as a pointless
debate. Football will never overtake Union on the back of a single result
when so few top class matches of significance are held in this country.
But what the uninhibited response to the victory in
Wellington has demonstrated is that the stranglehold that Rugby Union retains
over the sporting media in NZ does not reflect the level of interest in a wide
range of sports by your average fan. With a little prompting Football as a
product will stand up when meaningful matches are scheduled against credible
opponents - and crucially, the media acknowledge and report the fact.
Perversely the All Whites' success could be a good thing
for Rugby. If Rugby fatigue is the cause of falling crowds and
disenchantment then a spell out of the limelight in 2010 could refresh the
sport in time for the World Cup in 2011.
* * *
Finally, could part of the $10million earned from the World
Cup be spent in a better way than supporting a group of the best New Zealand
youth players to play under the Phoenix banner in the Australian Youth League
next season? It's an absolute no - brainer.
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