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Following the Socceroos exit from the World Cup, one can’t help but draw parallels with our closest sporting rivals, the Kiwis.
It’s in our nature to punch above our weight, two young sporting nations grafting their existence in the world’s most competitive sport. Both have come a long way in last decade, however, the All Whites are still our little brother.
Similar to a family situation, big brother forges the way for little brother through the actions and exploits of the older. I think the All Whites efforts at the World Cup are similar to those of the Socceroos in Germany, 2006.
Despite their shock 4-0 drubbing by Germany, the Socceroos showed great maturity, drawing with Ghana and beating a highly ranked Serbian outfit. Rather than dwell on the fact that we are not progressing through the group stage, Australian football is certainly in a better place than it was four years ago.
Crafty, shrewd and intelligent management were the key ingredients to success in Germany. This was coupled with a team full of enthusiasm, and a tidal wave of support from a nation that thrives on being the underdog.
The World Cup was something so foreign to Australians, we were proud of our boys however they performed, content with the achievement of beating Uruguay to qualify, and considering anything else a bonus. Now that four years have passed, and our road to the finals seemed rather effortless in comparison to previous campaigns, the tidal wave of support had turned into a tidal wave of expectation.
Suddenly, everyone is a football expert, and our national team is expected to magically defeat countries with talent pools double and triple the size of ours.
The All Whites qualified, and were given little to no chance of progressing through the group stages. They were grouped with a hand full of other nations as the tournaments easy beats.
Haven’t they proved the critics and football aficionados wrong.
A side thriving with enthusiasm, and supported by a management team able to inspire and instill confidence into a group of men who were expected to be back home quicker than you can say “fush and chups”.
The Kiwi’s have played world-class football, unlucky not to snare a victory against Italy – who seem to have a knack of ripping the heart out of Australasian opponents. Despite not progressing through the group stages, New Zealand as a nation will be satisfied, the players will return content and confident, ready to prepare and build a team that can take the leap to the next level.
This is where it’ll get nasty.
There underdog status has been beneficial up until now, however, will quickly transform into expectation. Football will grow in New Zealand, profiles will rise, salaries increase, and pressure heaped on players to perform now that they’ve shown that this football caper isn’t that hard after all.
I can’t help but emphasise that four years down the track, the All Whites are going to be a much more experienced and confident side. Players will gain greater skill and knowledge in Europe, development of younger players will excel after tons of money is poured into a sport that can captivate a nation.
I predict the All Whites ability will be somewhat similar to that of the current Socceroos, although, as a nation improves and progresses – particularly those younger countries in the southern hemisphere – so to do the hopes and aspirations of their supporters, who thought the rugby World Cup was all that mattered.
They’ve proved they can stick it to the big guns, they want more, and so do the fans.
Australia has provided them with a team in the A-League. Perhaps that one team will have increased in four years. Fans will be thinking, “if we’ve been able to achieve all this after having only one professional team, then we should definitely be capable of more next time round.” It can be assumed that with football booming across the ditch, little brother will continue to follow the path forged by their more experienced rivals.
The honeymoon period after the World Cup will come to an end, expectations will continue to rise before they begin to simmer, as boiling point approaches tensions will intensify. Lets hope Ricky Herbert’s ready for journey ahead, the Kiwis will soon realise this whole World Cup thing isn’t that easy after all.
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