South Africa’s Katlego Mashego, left, vies for the ball with New Zealand’s Andy Boyens during their Confederations Cup Group A soccer match at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, South Africa, Wednesday, June 17, 2009. South Africa won 2-0. AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell
D-day looms for New Zealand’s All Whites. They are one game away from World Cup qualification for the first time since 1982, and they face a do or die clash in Wellington on Saturday in a similar scenario to what the Socceroos faced in November 2005.
And like the Socceroos’ playoff qualification, victory for the All Whites could have a lasting impact for football in the country, and across the Tasman.
But the political quagmire New Zealand football finds itself in, namely through the Wellington Phoenix – the biggest contributor of players and officials to the All Whites – threatens to overshadow the occasion.
AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam has stated that it is unacceptable that a team – Wellington Phoenix – from a country outside of the Asian confederation is allowed to play, and prosper, in an Asian domestic league, especially when that nation could potentially knock out an Asian country in a World Cup playoff thanks, in no small part, to the experience of playing in that league.
It is certainly an odd situation, and an absurd system, one that FIFA and the AFC, with their differing positions on Wellington’s place in the region, have failed to act on with any great conviction.
Neither have they shown much concern for the plight of the Phoenix, New Zealand and the greater Oceania region.
Wellington Phoenix is in no-man’s land.
Unable to qualify for either the Asian Champions League or OFC continental club competition, their future in the A-League remains in limbo.
Even its attempts to develop a youth team in either Australia or New Zealand have been scuppered by their licence uncertainty.
The sad irony is victory against Bahrain on the weekend would further infuriate the powers that be at the AFC, and it could condemn the Phoenix in their plight to remain in the A-League.
It’s a grossly unfair situation.
Australia is sort of the meat in the sandwich in this situation, and although the FFA has backed Wellington’s future in the A-League, it needs to be careful not to get off side with the AFC.
So, whom do we back – our Asian counterparts or our Kiwi neighbours?
Some, such as Scott McIntyre writing on the SBS World Game site, suggest we should be backing our Asian brethren over our Tasman neighbours.
McIntyre argues Australians should be backing Bahrain as a way of showing our support and gratitude to the Asian confederation, especially in light of what he claims is a “genuine ambiguity towards Asian football.”
He states: “A good way to begin changing that perception would be for Australia to throw its full support behind the bid of one of smallest Asian nations as it attempts to create history.”
He is also correct in saying Bahrain qualifying would be even more a fairytale story considering it is more of a minnow than New Zealand.
These are salient points. But I can’t help but feel there is more to be gained for Australia in seeing the All Whites qualify.
The A-League, as the nearest and most accessible professional competition to New Zealand, will be the biggest benefactor of a rise in interest in the game, leading to more Kiwis playing the game – even if the Wellington Phoenix is booted out of the competition.
New Zealand will always be our closest and most associated football ally, and there is more to be gained for the Australian game if the All Whites qualify rather than Bahrain, political machinations aside. Having both Australia and New Zealand in South Africa will be an enormous achievement for football in our part of the world, and a huge fillip for the A-League, without whom the All Whites – through the Phoenix – may not be in this situation.
Although well embedded in Asia, Australia should never forget its former home.
Forget the notion of our need to support our Asian counterparts over the Oceania ‘outsiders’.
As I wrote in a previous column on the eve of the Confederations Cup: “Although it goes against our countries sporting ethos, we should all be cheering for the All Whites.”
Good luck to the All Whites. Let’s hope we see them in South Africa.
thinker
Guest
come on bahrain, having a team called "the All whites" in Sth Africa would not go down well
allblackfan
Guest
I'm rugby mad through and through (with an soccer background) but I'll be watching the All Whites. This one game (I'd say) is equal in status as the WC to NZ (soccer/sports) fans. I support the All Whites because I'm a Kiwi (GO THE ALL WHITES!!) Stick it to Bahrain (especially if the AFC wants to kick NZ out!!)
Dan
Guest
Soccer always has great participation levels everywhere because it's a good social activity to keep fit and you're not likely to get hurt like you are playing a contact football code like Rugby. But high participation does not equal marketability, just look at netball in Australia. But I see what you're saying
Kelly
Guest
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10608618
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
Might add a few thousand to phoenix games and people might make an effort to watch them (the Phoenix) on tv if they make the finals. Won't lead to NZ hosting the world cup
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
There not talking about creating a full time profesional league. They have potential for perhaps another team in the A league down the track and that's about it. It's equal participation wise with rugby at the moment and the world cup is only once every 4 yearsm people can care and take an interest in it without it being there one and only code. They have Ryan Nelson doing well at Blackburn so even if it's their 3rd favorite footy code considering how similar the Rugby codes are (and league is only another 2 pro teams max) that is a decent niche. Not a world cup winning niche but a decent shake at qualifing niche which would put NZ (or bahrain) on the map a bit. Cricket has survived in NZ for yonks on scraps. All blacks will always be number one, if you go to NZ All blacks merchandise is everywhere, it's NZ's version of soft toy Koalas. A fair chunk of my family are kiwis and most of the played football and watched the FA cup...but admittedly as their second code.
Dan
Guest
The problem is that NZ already has a population smaller that Sydney and a very full Rugby calender with a bit of league thrown in for good measure. I've just never met a kiwi who's really cared even remotely about soccer... it's all very good to talk about niche markets, but in a country of 4 million people who are heavily into rugby that niche is going to be very small - think French Rugby League small. It just gets to a point where you start to wonder if it's worth bothering... I mean is soccer struggling for international attention? Hardly. Why care about a country like NZ where the vast majority of its small population don't care about you? It's actually OK for some country's not to be totally in love with soccer.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
Since we are dishing out very basic and flawed stereotypes Substitute the word Rugby for League and you just described the very successful niche Australian Rugby (two time World Champs) has carved up for itself.
silver
Guest
Hey Jake why doesn’t the domestic competition get any people to attend their games. A one off event of any sport gets most Kiwis’ support but can NZ Soccer build on this if the All Whites qualify for the World Cup.
Dan
Guest
A sold out stadium for what though?? Most Kiwis I know tell me that soccer is only for meek middle class white boys who can't mix it in Rugby...
danny
Guest
we can claim them all! http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/contributors/join-oz-new-zealand--its-for-the-best-20091112-ib8r.html
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
On balance Solomons is probably second best in the region and they are the poorest nation in the Pacific per capita. Such costs are covered by FIFA in these circumstances.
Rhino
Guest
Where is Vanuatu (who usually come second) or any other small pacific nation going to find the cash to jet there players around asia.
jake
Roar Rookie
A sold out stadium says people care buddy!!! GO THE MIGHTY ALL WHITES!!!!!!
dasilva
Guest
Remember that article by drew777 http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/08/19/nz-the-goods-for-footballs-biggest-stage. This shows that NZ fans (although I think Drew777 is actually an Australian) can be just as guilty as talking down the opposition with no real justification (the bahrain side has nothing too impressive, 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.). The way drew just declared that NZ is a stronger team then both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia without giving a reason why and then declared that NZ has some world class players was laughable. So I think both sides have some divine rights issue going on here. However saying that, Andre Zlotkowski was very impressive and quite humble for a fan judging from that interview.
Dan
Guest
NZ soccer? Do you think anyone in NZ would care? I don't...
Rob
Guest
Yeah, old mate from Bahrain was arrogant as! Let's hope he's eating his words, just like the Uruguayans were in 2005 against us. I remember bitter exchanges on the Hattrick Forums (no, I don't play anymore) in the lead-up, and some really bad, arrogant stuff from the South Americans in particular. That being said, I'm sure they're not all like that, as I found with the Uruguayans, but this Bahraini guy didn't do himself or his country any favours whatsoever, if he was looking to attract neutral support.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
It's probably a case in that the NZ fan is a lot more respectful than your average NZ fan which really showed him up. It was a good advertisement for NZ amongst the neutrals.
danny
Guest
geez, it's a bit hard to go for bahrain after reading that fan's responses. humility, anyone? personally favourite: 'I doubt that there are any dangerous players in the New Zealand team.'
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
After reading this http://www.goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010/2009/11/11/1617537/world-cup-fan-vs-fan-new-zealand-bahrain I am on the NZ bandwagon now