Kiwis the goods for football's biggest stage

You wrote an article claiming the Kiwis are "poised" to qualify for the WC without actually researching any of the three squads and were rightly ripped for it, now you're whingeing. All you have to do is a tiny smidgeon of Wiki-ing next time and I won't laugh as much. Promise.

The problem with this article is that you have pretty much dismissed Saudi Arabia and Bahrain team without really giving a reason "Pit these three sides head to head, and you will see that every Kiwi is equal to, or better, than any Saudi or Bahrain player." Since at no time in your article did you ever go through in detail the Bahrain or Saudi Arabian players, I don't know how you can make that claim. Unless you are going to do an individual comparison with the two teams, you shouldn't be making comments like that. How did you make that conclusion? Is it because you just never heard of the player therefore just assumed they are not as good as the NZ players? What are the few names in Bahrain who do you think offer threat then? You mention there are a few names but you didn't mention them What are the few flaws of Saudi Arabian national team? You stated they have some but you didn't mention them. What are the strengths of the two teams?

Maybe. It's probably as credible as "can any of the Brits" squeeze past the first round? Hands OUT of your pants sir.

What is insulting is Australia thinking they're Asian and leaving New Zealand to be the guardian of Oceania Football. If New Zealand was afforded the same oppurtunity as Australia to play higher opposition on a regular basis you could bet your last dollar they would become a very good team.

He has NZ citizenship but I'm not sure about the clearance from FIFA (I have no Wikipedia to check it either - banned here for some stupid reason!). He needs the ok from Sepp and co before he can pull on an All Whites top.

Daniel is now eligible to play for NZ isn't he?

Brown got the gig for the Confed Cup due to Ryan Nelsen's injury, but you probably haven't heard of him as he isn't a Kiwi playing in the A-League. The fact that Brown is second choice is as much an indictment of Kiwi football as your entire post. You might want to cut your losses here.

"New Zealand seem poised to make it to the FIFA World Cup of 2010 in South Africa." That is a quality opening line. Haven't laughed so much in ages. "To add to their chances, they will be potentially playing against two of the weaker teams in Asia - Bahrain or Saudi Arabia." Underestimating your opponents is always a good start :) Saudi are perpetual qualifiers, and Bahrain were a bee's dick from making it to 2006. Both have done well to survive Stage Four where they were pitted against an array of heavy hitters. If these guys are the weaker teams you'd struggle against the midgets. "Bahrain lack cohesion and any real flair. Yes, there are one or two players who stand out, but nothing special." Oh wow. That's astonishingly clueless. You might never have heard of Ala'a Hubail or Jaycee John but that doesn't mean they're nobodies and one thing Bahrain has never lacked is cohesion. They will play a highly disciplined defense and hammer you guys on the counter away and at home they'll come right out of the blocks. And I wouldn't be talking about flair when your midfield trio includes Tim Brown and Jeremy Christie. As for the rest, well it's too bland to bother with, your knowledge about any of the three squads discussed is parlous "The Saudis are by no means a second rate side, but having said that, they also have their flaws" < this alone has to be the most wishy-washy meaningless statement I've read here and that's saything something.

Saudi Arabia have never replicated their USA '94 showing- and who could forget Saeed al-Owairan's goal against Belgium? I think they were lucky that the American summer suited them fine- and as evidenced by the last World Cup, they don't relish wet weather!

Details are here andrew Mc http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_-_AFC_Fifth_Round

That's exactly why the decision to change the format after 1982, and in effect deny Oceania a fair chance, was so damaging. If the Oceania winners had continued to go through Asia it would've helped Australia and New Zealand a great deal as they would be able to compete on fairer terms. The 1986 series saw Australia, New Zealand, Israel and Taiwan in the "Oceania" group. All three were capable sides at the time, and remember Israel has always been a pretty decent team (as their 1970 World Cup campaign showed). We topped that group and had to face Scotland who had Strachan, Souness, Dalglish and Cooper- and it was Davie Cooper, one of the greatest left wingers of all time, who did the damage. What a shame Ferguson didn't use him more in Mexico!

Does anyone know when the Bahrain v Saudi play off is??? It will all come down to NZ's tactics. They may try to park the bus in the away leg and try to sneak an away goal on the counter. NZ shouldn't qualify, but then again, football is a funny game

NZ has benefited enormously from (1) not having to get past Australia in Oceania (2) what will probably be the historically weakest play-off opponent (cf Aust v Scotland 1985, Israel v Colombia 1989, Aust v Argentina 1993, Iran 1997, Uruguay 2001, 2005). However, it will face the obstacle that always confounded Australia - the absence of meaningful preparation. Both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will bring to the play-off the benefit of hardened experience in fair-dinkum games - not the menu of meaningless friendlies that was always Australia's burden in the past and which is now the plight of the Kiwis. Our cousins across the Tasman may still get there - but I fancy the Saudis to edge them.

It's a damn sight more possible with the actual line-up than one that includes Mulligan, Christie and the suspended Moss. Oh, and me, Sigmund will start at Centre back with Nelsen, no chance he plays Full back.

I think we can be placed in the same pot as NZ as they will go in as an Oceana team not as Asian team.

Damn, cannot centre my formation so it's all out of whack