Goalkeeper Richard Gillespie, in green, of New Zealand's Waitakere United tries to save a goal scored by Daniel Mullen, unseen, of Australia's Adelaide United FC during their opening match at the FIFA Club World Cup soccer tournament in Tokyo Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008. Adelaide United FC won the match, 2-1. AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama
Although it goes against our countries sporting ethos, we should all be cheering for the All Whites as they prepare for battle in the Confederations Cup starting tonight. After all, they are taking over the mantle we once held as the underdogs from Oceania. They are also flying the A-League flag on the world stage.
While some dismiss the Confederations Cup as FIFA and Sepp Blatter tokenism, it is an important tournament for countries such as New Zealand, Iraq and Egypt, especially the All Whites.
With few truly competitive matches in what is, let’s face it, the backwater of Oceania, the All Whites need such tournaments to strengthen their squad, vital preparation for their upcoming World Cup qualifier against the best of the rest from Asia, either Bahrain, Saudi Arabia or Iran, later this year.
It is a story familiar to Australian fans.
With the Socceroos successfully assimilated into Asia, it is easy to forget about our former home in Oceania.
Now left alone in Oceania, New Zealand finds itself in a difficult quagmire.
While some Kiwi officials wish to see the All Whites follow Australia’s path into Asia, there are some obvious benefits of being the big fish in a small pond in Oceania with qualification for tournaments such as the Confederations Cup and the Club World Cup all but assured.
In addition, once they have overcome their Oceania opponents, they are only ever two games away from a World Cup.
But as we know all too well, a national side can only hope to develop with regular and competitive fixtures, the most obvious benefit of assimilation into Asia.
The Confederations Cup is an all too infrequent opportunity for the All Whites to come together against challenging opposition.
Politically, without Australia, there is not the weight to force FIFA into coming up with some solution to Oceania, and despite the much-discussed integration into the AFC, Oceania seems very much forgotten.
However, we have a stake in the All Whites, as we are the custodians of the cream of New Zealand’s football talent being the closest professional league for them.
Of the starting 11 who played against Italy in a pre tournament friendly, seven ply their trade in the A-League.
While many of them come from the Wellington Phoenix, amazingly the most represented club side at the tournament with more players in South Africa than the likes of Liverpool, AC Milan, Barcelona and Juventus, an increasing amount of Kiwi’s are spreading themselves around the A-League.
With leading goal scorer from last season Shane Smeltz leading the charge, the All Whites will be representing the A-League on the international stage and for that we should all be hoping they serve the league and their country well.
Ricki Herbert’s men face Spain first up, the team many consider the most complete in the world and favourites for the tournament.
While few expect the All Whites to make a peep at the tournament, especially against Spain, their performance against Italy, leading three times but eventually going down 4-3, was a spirited one and highlighted the combined attacking threat of Smeltz and Chris Killen.
Beyond Spain, the clashes against Iraq and South Africa will prove the best barometer to how the All Whites chances of World Cup qualification look come the end of this year.
As they compete on the international stage in a role we once filled, cheer for the underdog even though they are from New Zealand for they are representing Australia too.
They just may be back in South Africa in a year’s time.
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thinker said | June 14th 2009 @ 9:50am | Report comment
supporting the kiwis over our asian brethren are you serious
Kazama said | June 14th 2009 @ 9:52am | Report comment
Adrian, well said and I agree with you 100%. Just because we have escaped the OFC for greener pastures doesn’t mean we should turn our backs on those we have left behind. Personally I would like for the OFC to be merged into the AFC, but that isn’t going to happen unless pressure is placed on the AFC and FIFA. A strong showing from NZ at the Confederations Cup and a World Cup Finals berth would be a massive shot in the arm for the OFC.
The stronger football is in NZ the better we’ll be for it. I think the Phoenix have been valuable contributors to the A-League and I’m happy to have them in our competition. They supply us with a team we couldn’t field ourselves, access to a community we wouldn’t otherwise touch, and of course a new talent pool to pick players from. If NZ make the World Cup finals, suddenly the euphoria it creates would garner new fans for the Phoenix, which means new fans for the A-League and more money for the FFA.
And for God’s sake FFA, give the Phoenix a youth team. The FFA may be right in saying we have no responsibility to develop NZ football, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t. I see great benefit in giving NZ kids an avenue into the A-League. And just because they are NZ kids doesn’t mean that they have to end up at the Phoenix. The competition is better for having New Zealanders like Shane Smeltz and Glen Moss, and neither of them play for the Phoenix. It could also help to pave the way for future NZ franchises. In reality having a two-tier competition is a pipe-dream if we think we can do it alone. With help from our neighbours, perhaps the idea has a future.
Ben of Phnom Penh said | June 14th 2009 @ 10:51am | Report comment
I tend to agree, Kazama, that the stronger NZ are the better off we will be with the extra competition. Certainly having the Phoenix in has been essential for the A-League as it both increases the pool of talent as well as the size of the supporter base. It is a good example of synergy.
Cpaaa said | June 14th 2009 @ 11:21am | Report comment
i would also like to see Australia (A-League stars) be involved in some sort of annual tournament (2 groups/ 2 weeks) with say the top six Oceania countries and even invite other asian nations to the tournament.
this will allow more Australians capped for our nation, A-League players become more familiar amongst Oceania’s football fans,
indirectly talent scouting, brings Asia closer to Oceania and Oceania recieve more meaningful games in the process.
Frank Lowey also mentioned the possibility of having a HAL club from the islands, this would be one way of testing the water if such an option is even viable.
Slippery Jim said | June 14th 2009 @ 12:39pm | Report comment
Support New Zealand? How about no. They shouldn’t have a club in our domestic league either in my opinion.
Roy H Driver said | June 14th 2009 @ 6:18pm | Report comment
Very well said Adrain.
Yet Im at a cross roads with the kiwis, They never cared or supported Australia when we needed them to, Nore did any other OFC country. Infact Australia was hated and thanks to one C.Dempsie (RIP) and NZF – the OFC lost its WC birth in 2006.
So here we are supporting the All Whites and hopeing for the best. Why,ll the kiwis couldnt give a hoot about us.
It like watching vultures swam around road kill.
David V. said | June 14th 2009 @ 7:02pm | Report comment
Roy H Driver: Oceania was a basket case confederation, born a terminally patient with no proper care. It benefited neither Australia nor New Zealand, both of whom participated in Asian qualifiers to 1982, both of whom did well in the Asian circuit to then, and with Australia returning it makes sense for New Zealand to do the same. Disbanding Oceania would be in the benefit of NZ- and with the Pacific Islands effectively a lost cause for football.
Koala Bear said | June 14th 2009 @ 7:17pm | Report comment
David V,
Oceania Football has now the largest participation rate of all codes; according to the president of Oceania in an interview on TWG … That’s a great achievement and should be continually supported…
~~~~~~~
KB
David V. said | June 14th 2009 @ 7:28pm | Report comment
But the level of football in Oceania is and continues to be pitiful. Admittedly there are hopeless teams teams Asia and CONCACAF- and that has to be looked at too. Yet the Caribbean develops football talent and can claim players of Caribbean descent in the UK.
True Tah said | June 14th 2009 @ 8:18pm | Report comment
Koala Bear,
David has a point in that it doesnt matter how many players there are in Oceania, you need a professional setup and administration. Look at China, there are probably a couple of hundred million registered players there and they are pretty average.
In Pacific rugby, there is some clear cut pathways for guys to make a career, and indeed rugby players are amongst the main exports of Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. European/Japanese/South African sides know how good these guys are, and will want to sign these guys up. It also helps that Aussies and Kiwis of Pacific Island heritage can assist. The IRB has set up the Pacific Nations Cup which helps showcase their talents.
Its not just rugby, look at American Samoa and their American football setup, professional.
Futbol is number 1 in New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tahiti. In New Caledonia and Solomons, probably the two strongest Oceania sides outside NZ, there are underlying social divisions which would impair sport administration, not to mention good players in French colonies would also be eligible for France.
IMO the best way Oceania futbol can improve is through FFA giving salary cap exemptions to signing up guys from these countries. This is unlikely to happen, as FFA would be assisiting another federation, but lets face it, these islands can produce great players (i.e. Karembeu), but are never going to be economic powerhouses.