Marquee
1.2K
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5.5K
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over 13 years

Predictions here.

Who will the coach be - obviously Hudson will have moved on.

Will Rory be in the playing squad or the motivation squad?

Who will Danny Hay select for Tokyo 2020 Olympics?

What club will Ryan Thomas being paying at in 2022?

Will it be moved from Qatar?

Marquee
2.7K
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7.2K
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almost 17 years

Of all the questions, right now the only one I care about is the last one - and I bloody hope so!

I keep having these thoughts that sooner or later FIFA will realize the logistical difficulties with hosting a WC in a Gulf State in the middle of the European winter - which would make everything go out of whack! Hopefully they will then "uncover" some scandal and move the WC somewhere else.

Starting XI
1.4K
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4.5K
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over 16 years

There's issues with the Qatar World Cup, but I don't have issue with the timing. It's not the biggest logistical nightmare ever for European competitions to change their schedules for one season, and football isn't just about European football.

Apparently there's going to be no drinking allowed? For fans that is. I heard Scotland are thinking about not bothering to qualify as a boycott.

Tegal
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Head Sleuth
3K
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19K
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almost 17 years

I’m fine with no drinking. You don’t NEED to drink to enjoy an event. Its a local law and Can’t expect them to change that just so some football fans can get pissed and make fools of themselves. Isn’t it only in public spaces anyway? we have similar liquor bans here. 

Marquee
2.7K
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7.2K
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almost 17 years

Colvinator wrote:

There's issues with the Qatar World Cup, but I don't have issue with the timing. It's not the biggest logistical nightmare ever for European competitions to change their schedules for one season, and football isn't just about European football.

Apparently there's going to be no drinking allowed? For fans that is. I heard Scotland are thinking about not bothering to qualify as a boycott.

I see your point. I guess though you have to factor in the flow-on effect of shifting/altering major European competitions (national leagues, UCL etc) which could cost FIFA and UEFA lot of money in the long run especially if it results in a reduction in the quality of the products offered.

I take a European view as my home team plays in Europe and I acknowledge that doesn't suit everyone. But I'm sure if English, Italian, Spanish, German, French teams suffer as a result of this most unusual change in the normal calendar, everyone else on the planet will notice. Reading the Italian sport press religiously, I can tell you that players are already close to breaking point when you look at how many games are played each season, the demands placed on their bodies by the constant strain etc...top players are lucky to get two weeks off each year - and playing the WC at Christmas time is only going to make things harder.

Marquee
300
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5K
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almost 17 years

Colvinator wrote:

Apparently there's going to be no drinking allowed? For fans that is. I heard Scotland are thinking about not bothering to qualify as a boycott.

I laughed hard.

Surge
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Can I have some lungs please miss
1.1K
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7.5K
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over 16 years

Global Game wrote:

Predictions here.

Who will the coach be - obviously Hudson will have moved on:  The YF/WN will coach via live app votes and selections.

Will Rory be in the playing squad or the motivation squad: He'll remain in the god squad. Others are uncertain.

Who will Danny Hay select for Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Yes, in a back 3 alongside Ryan Nelsen and Siggy.

What club will Ryan Thomas being paying at in 2022: Wycombe Wanderers (who'll be in the Premier and Euro Champions Leagues)

Will it be moved from Qatar: No.

Surge
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Can I have some lungs please miss
1.1K
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7.5K
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over 16 years
Surge wrote:
Global Game wrote:

Predictions here.

Who will the coach be - obviously Hudson will have moved on:  The YF/WN will coach via live YF app votes and selections.

Will Rory be in the playing squad or the motivation squad: He'll remain in the god squad. Others are uncertain.

Who will Danny Hay select for Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Yes, in a back 3 alongside Ryan Nelsen and Siggy.

What club will Ryan Thomas being paying at in 2022: Wycombe Wanderers (who'll be in the Premier and Euro Champions Leagues)

Will it be moved from Qatar: No.

Surge
·
Can I have some lungs please miss
1.1K
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7.5K
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over 16 years

Surge wrote:

Global Game wrote:

Predictions here.

Who will the coach be - obviously Hudson will have moved on:  The YF/WN will coach via live YF app votes and selections.

Will Rory be in the playing squad or the motivation squad: He'll remain in the god squad. Others are uncertain.

Who will Danny Hay select for Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Yes, in a back 3 alongside Ryan Nelsen and Siggy.

What club will Ryan Thomas being paying at in 2022: Wycombe Wanderers (who'll be in the Premier and Euro Champions Leagues)

Will it be moved from Qatar: No.

Phoenix Academy
110
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190
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over 9 years

What do we think lineup may look like?

                  Marinovic

    Colvey Reid Boxall Wynne

                  Tuiloma

          Thomas    Lewis

Patterson   Wood    Bevan/Rogerson?

Bench: Woud, Singh, Rogerson/Bevan, McGarry, Brotherton, T.Smith, Dyer, Ridenton, Rojas

Who am i forgetting??

Edit: Think the likes of Max Mata and other youngsters may be pushing for a spot in 4 years time

valeo
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Legend
4.6K
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18K
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almost 17 years

If Rogerson is anywhere near an All Whites spot in a few years time I will be shocked.

Phoenix Academy
100
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370
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about 9 years

Unsure if anyone agrees with me, but I thought Elijah Just was impressive at the U17 FIFA World Cup. 

That kid has a lot of heart and was at the forefront of creating the goals against Paraguay. 

One in a million
4K
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9.5K
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almost 17 years

Moses for captain

Starting XI
230
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4.8K
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almost 17 years
Opinion Privileges revoked
4.5K
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9.7K
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over 14 years

If anyone gave a shark about the FIFA WC being run in an authoritarian sharkhole, it would have been moved from Bad Vlad Putin's backyard for next year. Never mind.

Starting XI
1.4K
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4.5K
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over 16 years

There should be minimum workers rights, conditions for workers etc for all stadium work building for World Cups.

FIFA should stay politically neutral though. It's not up to FIFA to decide which country is too authoritarian to hold it, or for that matter, to decide a country can't have it because they are too liberal. As long as they meet minimum standards, fine, hold it there. If you want to stop every country from holding it because their government are problematic, there's very few places possible to hold it, in fact, you may need to look into hosting it on the moon.

Starting XI
230
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4.8K
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almost 17 years

Doloras wrote:

If anyone gave a shark about the FIFA WC being run in an authoritarian sharkhole, it would have been moved from Bad Vlad Putin's backyard for next year. Never mind.

Starting XI
230
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4.8K
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almost 17 years

Colvinator wrote:

 you may need to look into hosting it on the moon.

Don't give FIFA ideas....

Legend
11K
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21K
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almost 9 years

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/99226257/new-zealand-football-chief-andy-martin-finds-himself-back-where-he-started-with-the-all-whites

Well according to Martin, for 2022 qualifying campaign NZF will be able to spend not a lot less than the $8-9M spent last one.

Good news. Also good news that AWs competitive performances over the 2 Peru legs, have apparently generated "some interesting approaches" - re future games for AWs.

Hopefully these transpire to real games for national team (in Europe I guess so our Nth Hemisphere based big guns are available), starting from next FIFA window in March. I've always struggled to understand why we have never played another friendly at say Craven Cottage like we did against Socceroos about 10 years ago. Teams like Ghana often play friendlies in London.

I'd rather see a full strength AWs team play quality teams in Europe, than a weak team playing in Asia or even NZ.  Can't expect likes of Reid, Wood, Smith, Thomas etc to travel half way around the world - when their club teams could be trying to win titles, promotion or fighting relegation (West Ham) etc, and they are nursing tired bodies.

Anyway will see if this 'promise' of future AWs games comes to anything!

First Team Squad
2.9K
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1.9K
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over 6 years

CactusJones wrote:

Unsure if anyone agrees with me, but I thought Elijah Just was impressive at the U17 FIFA World Cup. 

That kid has a lot of heart and was at the forefront of creating the goals against Paraguay. 

Hell yeah. G, good brain on him too, he sat next me in my year 12 maths class when he was was only year 11. Top lad
Marquee
2.7K
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7.2K
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almost 17 years

Has the path to Qatar 2022 been confirmed? Do we know who we'd be up against if we win our regional group?

Starting XI
1.3K
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2.7K
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almost 9 years

Has the path to Qatar 2022 been confirmed? Do we know who we'd be up against if we win our regional group?

No, that won't happen until after the World Cup finals in Russia

Marquee
2.7K
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7.2K
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almost 17 years

Cool, thanks. Here's to hoping we go back to playing an Asian team.

First Team Squad
3.4K
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1.3K
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over 6 years

Has the path to Qatar 2022 been confirmed? Do we know who we'd be up against if we win our regional group?

Surely it'll be Asia
Getting paid to be here
700
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970
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over 6 years

Cool, thanks. Here's to hoping we go back to playing an Asian team.

It will almost certainly be the same as it has been the last couple of cycles - a random draw with OFC/5th CONMEBOL/4th CONCACAF/5th ASIA in the hat.

Phoenix Academy
310
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160
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almost 7 years

If we are in the 2022 WC qualifiers playoff then I hope we get to play a top top team. The playoff home game will be the last real big, meaningful match that the AW's will ever play in New Zealand...EVER!!!!!!!!

With the direct entry to the WC from Oceania means that after 2022 its the thrill and excitement of a big WC playoff game against the mighty Solomon islands...or Papua New Guinea. Imagine the ambiance at Westpac?   LOL

So only one more match to rival the atmosphere of the Bahrain game or Peru or Mexico . AW football domestically will be dead...totally dead. Kind of sad really...beause the Peru home game showed that there is an enormous appetite to see the Aw's play big matches at home. The press got into it, the public got into it...it was a fabulous week for NZ football.

Interesting to see that NZF has not rolled out the usual cliche about "NZF needing to build on the exposure of the Peru WC qualifying games"" They know and we all know that AW football is headed for years in the wilderness...just like after every other WC cycle.

WeeNix
230
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620
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about 9 years

Well, qualyfing for the WC means more money which means the possibility to play friendlies in NZ

Legend
11K
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21K
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almost 9 years

Cool, thanks. Here's to hoping we go back to playing an Asian team.

It will almost certainly be the same as it has been the last couple of cycles - a random draw with OFC/5th CONMEBOL/4th CONCACAF/5th ASIA in the hat.

Out of 6 two legged playoffs covering WC qualification 1986-2006 WCs, Socceroos I’m pretty sure drew a South American side 4 times (Argentina and Uruguay), plus Scotland and Iran. Lost 5 of those.

So if we can somehow make it next time (Asia or CONCACAF will do - Mexico won’t fudge up again), would have a better playoff history than Oz.

Still that old chestnut, NZF needs to just join Asia. AWs are the shop window to NZ football and how to give the game a local profile. We have some players doing well in Europe and people want to see them in big games regularly playing for the AWs. The profile will now be depressing for the next 3.5 yrs. Profile is sorry not built by the Football Ferns, or age group teams. FF probably good enough to qualify for Olympics and World Cups through Asia anyhow.

Basketball Tall Blacks now have a new Asian qualifying path. Basketball NZ have just announced new sponsorships leveraged off this!!

I hope NZF are watching closely. Of course do FIFA want NZ to join Asia like Australia?? 

NZF should be at least be asking the question, and watching how Asia works for Basketball!

Starting XI
2K
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4.7K
·
almost 17 years

coochiee wrote:

Cool, thanks. Here's to hoping we go back to playing an Asian team.

It will almost certainly be the same as it has been the last couple of cycles - a random draw with OFC/5th CONMEBOL/4th CONCACAF/5th ASIA in the hat.

Out of 6 two legged playoffs covering WC qualification 1986-2006 WCs, Socceroos I’m pretty sure drew a South American side 4 times (Argentina and Uruguay), plus Scotland and Iran. Lost 5 of those.

So if we can somehow make it next time (Asia or CONCACAF will do - Mexico won’t fudge up again), would have a better playoff history than Oz.

Still that old chestnut, NZF needs to just join Asia. AWs are the shop window to NZ football and how to give the game a local profile. We have some players doing well in Europe and people want to see them in big games regularly playing for the AWs. The profile will now be depressing for the next 3.5 yrs. Profile is sorry not built by the Football Ferns, or age group teams. FF probably good enough to qualify for Olympics and World Cups through Asia anyhow.

Basketball Tall Blacks now have a new Asian qualifying path. Basketball NZ have just announced new sponsorships leveraged off this!!

I hope NZF are watching closely. Of course do FIFA want NZ to join Asia like Australia?? 

NZF should be at least be asking the question, and watching how Asia works for Basketball!

While I agreed with the Asia line for so long, the day Oceania was handed 1.5 spots for the WC I stopped giving a shark at all and I bet Aussie now wishes it was back here with us.

Legend
11K
·
21K
·
almost 9 years

Marto wrote:

coochiee wrote:

Cool, thanks. Here's to hoping we go back to playing an Asian team.

It will almost certainly be the same as it has been the last couple of cycles - a random draw with OFC/5th CONMEBOL/4th CONCACAF/5th ASIA in the hat.

Out of 6 two legged playoffs covering WC qualification 1986-2006 WCs, Socceroos I’m pretty sure drew a South American side 4 times (Argentina and Uruguay), plus Scotland and Iran. Lost 5 of those.

So if we can somehow make it next time (Asia or CONCACAF will do - Mexico won’t fudge up again), would have a better playoff history than Oz.

Still that old chestnut, NZF needs to just join Asia. AWs are the shop window to NZ football and how to give the game a local profile. We have some players doing well in Europe and people want to see them in big games regularly playing for the AWs. The profile will now be depressing for the next 3.5 yrs. Profile is sorry not built by the Football Ferns, or age group teams. FF probably good enough to qualify for Olympics and World Cups through Asia anyhow.

Basketball Tall Blacks now have a new Asian qualifying path. Basketball NZ have just announced new sponsorships leveraged off this!!

I hope NZF are watching closely. Of course do FIFA want NZ to join Asia like Australia?? 

NZF should be at least be asking the question, and watching how Asia works for Basketball!

While I agreed with the Asia line for so long, the day Oceania was handed 1.5 spots for the WC I stopped giving a shark at all and I bet Aussie now wishes it was back here with us.

Don’t be dumb or naive. From 2026 Asia gets from memory 8 spots? 

Sure they had to go into qualifying playoffs (Syria & then Honduras) this time, but the Socceroos will always be in Asia’s top 8 sides. In reality this time FFA got 2 more high profile games at home - to boost football in the general public's mind, in the super competitive Australian sports market.

FFA and Aussie football fans generally enjoy being in Asia (sure has been far from perfect), and the large number of international quality football games it gives them at home and aboard. I was in Australia when they hosted the Asian Cup a few years ago, and it was a massive unqualified success. Aussies even said to me why are NZ still pissing around in with the island nations.

They disliked being in the stink hole Oceania even more than we do. Whatever the current criticisms of FFA they have both ambitions and money, for their national team. NZF? Sure you can be top dog in your Confed, but it's still a depressingly shark hole Confed.

Marquee
1.7K
·
7.5K
·
almost 17 years

Marto wrote:

coochiee wrote:

Cool, thanks. Here's to hoping we go back to playing an Asian team.

It will almost certainly be the same as it has been the last couple of cycles - a random draw with OFC/5th CONMEBOL/4th CONCACAF/5th ASIA in the hat.

Out of 6 two legged playoffs covering WC qualification 1986-2006 WCs, Socceroos I’m pretty sure drew a South American side 4 times (Argentina and Uruguay), plus Scotland and Iran. Lost 5 of those.

So if we can somehow make it next time (Asia or CONCACAF will do - Mexico won’t fudge up again), would have a better playoff history than Oz.

Still that old chestnut, NZF needs to just join Asia. AWs are the shop window to NZ football and how to give the game a local profile. We have some players doing well in Europe and people want to see them in big games regularly playing for the AWs. The profile will now be depressing for the next 3.5 yrs. Profile is sorry not built by the Football Ferns, or age group teams. FF probably good enough to qualify for Olympics and World Cups through Asia anyhow.

Basketball Tall Blacks now have a new Asian qualifying path. Basketball NZ have just announced new sponsorships leveraged off this!!

I hope NZF are watching closely. Of course do FIFA want NZ to join Asia like Australia?? 

NZF should be at least be asking the question, and watching how Asia works for Basketball!

While I agreed with the Asia line for so long, the day Oceania was handed 1.5 spots for the WC I stopped giving a shark at all and I bet Aussie now wishes it was back here with us.

Currently we get one meaningful game every four years.  In the future we will have less.

Starting XI
2K
·
4.7K
·
almost 17 years

aitkenmike wrote:

Marto wrote:

coochiee wrote:

Cool, thanks. Here's to hoping we go back to playing an Asian team.

It will almost certainly be the same as it has been the last couple of cycles - a random draw with OFC/5th CONMEBOL/4th CONCACAF/5th ASIA in the hat.

Out of 6 two legged playoffs covering WC qualification 1986-2006 WCs, Socceroos I’m pretty sure drew a South American side 4 times (Argentina and Uruguay), plus Scotland and Iran. Lost 5 of those.

So if we can somehow make it next time (Asia or CONCACAF will do - Mexico won’t fudge up again), would have a better playoff history than Oz.

Still that old chestnut, NZF needs to just join Asia. AWs are the shop window to NZ football and how to give the game a local profile. We have some players doing well in Europe and people want to see them in big games regularly playing for the AWs. The profile will now be depressing for the next 3.5 yrs. Profile is sorry not built by the Football Ferns, or age group teams. FF probably good enough to qualify for Olympics and World Cups through Asia anyhow.

Basketball Tall Blacks now have a new Asian qualifying path. Basketball NZ have just announced new sponsorships leveraged off this!!

I hope NZF are watching closely. Of course do FIFA want NZ to join Asia like Australia?? 

NZF should be at least be asking the question, and watching how Asia works for Basketball!

While I agreed with the Asia line for so long, the day Oceania was handed 1.5 spots for the WC I stopped giving a shark at all and I bet Aussie now wishes it was back here with us.

Currently we get one meaningful game every four years.  In the future we will have less.

I see it as getting two meaningful matches.   True those games wil not be in NZ but who knows that the future holds.

Marquee
1.7K
·
7.5K
·
almost 17 years

Marto wrote:

aitkenmike wrote:

Marto wrote:

coochiee wrote:

Cool, thanks. Here's to hoping we go back to playing an Asian team.

It will almost certainly be the same as it has been the last couple of cycles - a random draw with OFC/5th CONMEBOL/4th CONCACAF/5th ASIA in the hat.

Out of 6 two legged playoffs covering WC qualification 1986-2006 WCs, Socceroos I’m pretty sure drew a South American side 4 times (Argentina and Uruguay), plus Scotland and Iran. Lost 5 of those.

So if we can somehow make it next time (Asia or CONCACAF will do - Mexico won’t fudge up again), would have a better playoff history than Oz.

Still that old chestnut, NZF needs to just join Asia. AWs are the shop window to NZ football and how to give the game a local profile. We have some players doing well in Europe and people want to see them in big games regularly playing for the AWs. The profile will now be depressing for the next 3.5 yrs. Profile is sorry not built by the Football Ferns, or age group teams. FF probably good enough to qualify for Olympics and World Cups through Asia anyhow.

Basketball Tall Blacks now have a new Asian qualifying path. Basketball NZ have just announced new sponsorships leveraged off this!!

I hope NZF are watching closely. Of course do FIFA want NZ to join Asia like Australia?? 

NZF should be at least be asking the question, and watching how Asia works for Basketball!

While I agreed with the Asia line for so long, the day Oceania was handed 1.5 spots for the WC I stopped giving a shark at all and I bet Aussie now wishes it was back here with us.

Currently we get one meaningful game every four years.  In the future we will have less.

I see it as getting two meaningful matches.   True those games wil not be in NZ but who knows that the future holds.

Sorry, yes, I meant one meaningful game in NZ  every four years.  Maybe it's just me, but i like watching my national team play live.

First Team Squad
320
·
1.4K
·
over 16 years

Wow, this could change everything for NZ football, giving us a place at the WC in Qatar 2022, four years earlier than expected, if Infantino has his way (assuming we can finish top of the Oceania group).

http://www.news.com.au/sport/football/fifa-preside...

Marquee
1.7K
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7.5K
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almost 17 years

scribbler wrote:

Wow, this could change everything for NZ football, giving us a place at the WC in Qatar 2022, four years earlier than expected, if Infantino has his way (assuming we can finish top of the Oceania group).

http://www.news.com.au/sport/football/fifa-preside...


Would be sad if thats the case - it would mean Peru will have been the last meaningful non OFC All Whites game to be held in the country for the foreseeable future :(

Legend
11K
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21K
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almost 9 years

Have a lot of great memories from the 3 playoff games, a win, a loss (yes even the Mexico hammering!) and a draw. 

A real gathering of the NZ football fraternity at a giant partee.

The only way to see our overseas stars up close in a big meaningful game, with real tension. OFC is sharke.

Unless the AWs can get that AFC qualifing path, the WC expansion is a sad day for the NZ football fan.

Marquee
1.7K
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7.5K
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almost 17 years

coochiee wrote:

Have a lot of great memories from the 3 playoff games, a win, a loss (yes even the Mexico hammering!) and a draw. 

A real gathering of the NZ football fraternity at a giant partee.

The only way to see our overseas stars up close in a big meaningful game, with real tension. OFC is sharke.

Unless the AWs can get that AFC qualifing path, the WC expansion is a sad day for the NZ football fan.

100% agree.

Trialist
94
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120
·
about 11 years

coochiee wrote:

Have a lot of great memories from the 3 playoff games, a win, a loss (yes even the Mexico hammering!) and a draw. 

A real gathering of the NZ football fraternity at a giant partee.

The only way to see our overseas stars up close in a big meaningful game, with real tension. OFC is sharke.

Unless the AWs can get that AFC qualifing path, the WC expansion is a sad day for the NZ football fan.

But surely automatic qualification for one OFC nation would add to the importance of the OFC qualifying round? Beating the Pacific island nations would be even more important and we would always field the strongest team possible. 

Ok i get Mexico, Peru and Bahrain added thousands on the gate, but a final home qualification game against Vanuatu would also bring the fans in if it meant a win would see NZ go to the World Cup.

Legend
11K
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21K
·
almost 9 years

Yes automatic OFC World Cup spot would add a little edge. However would totally lack so much of the mystique of other games where you suddenly start researching players to watch from Bahrain, Mexico and Peru. These games also have the AWs as the great underdog story but we dare to dream.

Apart from the return Fiji game in Wellington, after winning first game in Suva comfortably I don’t remember Hudson resting players for OFC qualifying.

He just had to deal with player unavailabilities. 

It will all matter where the 1st leg of any OFC playoff series is played. If it’s in Honiara, Suva, Papeete or wherever expect many casual Kiwis to wait until that result is known, before buying a last minute $120 ticket to the return leg in NZ. 

Boss the first leg 3-0 in the Islands, then expect Reid, Wood and Thomas to be given leave to return to their high profile European clubs and miss the return leg - a lot of the game tension and overall attraction disappears. The high high stakes fizz is popped, but I guess the WC celebration party is locked in, as world no 95 beats world no 160 on aggregate 8-1. Westpac crowd 20,000 or is the game at the Harbour sandpit. 

There would also be nil travelling fans and media - was great to have the Mexican/Peruvian fans and TV stations in NZ. They drew out the buildup, highlighted the world importance of football, brought a fantastic atmosphere etc etc. Plus extra TV dosh for NZF.

OFC qualifying will always be sharke the Islands have small popns and are financially poor. These games barely get onto the back pages of the NZ newspapers. That won’t change.

Marquee
1.7K
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7.5K
·
almost 17 years

UK_ALLWHITE wrote:

coochiee wrote:

Have a lot of great memories from the 3 playoff games, a win, a loss (yes even the Mexico hammering!) and a draw. 

A real gathering of the NZ football fraternity at a giant partee.

The only way to see our overseas stars up close in a big meaningful game, with real tension. OFC is sharke.

Unless the AWs can get that AFC qualifing path, the WC expansion is a sad day for the NZ football fan.

But surely automatic qualification for one OFC nation would add to the importance of the OFC qualifying round? Beating the Pacific island nations would be even more important and we would always field the strongest team possible. 

Ok i get Mexico, Peru and Bahrain added thousands on the gate, but a final home qualification game against Vanuatu would also bring the fans in if it meant a win would see NZ go to the World Cup.

I will put money on that the home leg of an OFC playoff will not go close to selling out a stadium of the size of Westpac Stadium.  I think it may not even sell out QBE if it was hosted there.

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