All Whites' Dead End Road To Russia 2018

And this is exactly why it is complete rubbish when people say that staying in Oceania is an easier path to the World Cup than through Asia.

How many coups can the NZSIS can muster up before then.

Oh, we're not doing that anymore?

If we get Argentina, Brazil or Uruguay the leg here should be at Eden park with $80-100 tickets. It will sell out and we can lose in dignity with an absurd payday for nzf.

This'll be worth a watch, in a masochistic kind of way.

Also, it's funny how Andy Martin, Anthony Hudson & co kept saying we would most likely play the 5th placed Asian team, arranged friendlies with Asian teams exclusively, and then this happens.

#fingeronthepulse

#alignment

Might have been the indication that Andy got from FIFA before we voted against Sepp.

First job is to get through the OFC teams

Not sure why they could have possibly thought that. It was always going to be a random draw, so there was only a 33% chance we'd get Asia. 

Also, I hope nobody thinks that voting against Sepp actually had anything to do with this.

Exactly, which is why it was so ridiculous they kept spouting it throughout last year. As if saying it out loud would actually make it happen.

If you say it enough it becomes true

I don't think who we voted for makes a difference either way, but I definitely wouldn't discount the draw being rigged in some way. This would have been the result that makes the most FIFA members happy...

It seems to me that we are being shepherded towards joining Asia anyway,when you look at the way things have generally unfolded.

So lets just do it!!

I know we first have to beat the Islands teams but I only see a real chance if we get Venezuela. They've been always 6th or 7th in the last qualifiers so it wouldn't be that weird if this time they manage to finish 5th. Otherways we should park a huge bus and hope James and Fallon score some goals in Welly

Strange kind of draw for Oceania.  The top 3 from each group qualify for the next round!  Then there are two groups of 3 with the top team from each group playing off in a home and away fixture for the right to play South America 5th team.  At least of these games are home and away, and not being played in 10 days on some far flung atoll somewhere.

We'll still fudge it up

so after the last two weeks I believe that our new coach will start shaking the coaching tree and applying for jobs else where.

I have always been under the impression that he is using the all whites as an opportunity to get onto the biggest stages, prove himself there and thereafter as a consequence secure a nice gig.

All that has been fudgeed up now so I think he wil do a runner

Still has the confeds cup.

If you say it enough it will become true.

Asia wouldn't want us.

^ #nobodywantsus

Fixed.   We are not a dead cert to progress.  I think it will be a very difficult time for us.  Hopefully NZ football will actually do a thorough check of all the players selected to ensure eligibility.  We don't need anymore balls ups.

It's the football version of musical chairs. As long as you're not last, you get another chance.

Just my two cents worth.

I don't get why NZF had this grand vision that we (Oceania) would draw the AFC out of the hat, as there was always a possibility that it was going to end up against CONMEBOL or CONCACAF opposition. Meanwhile, NZF sat on their hands (sounds like a familiar story...) waiting for this draw to be completed and now we're having to change tack completely. I'd be interested to see if anyone at NZF even know's what CONMEBOL or CONCACAF even mean? 

If the Myanmar match was a pointless exercise when it was first announced, what does that make it now? I sometimes wonder if this is just turning into some sort of national football decimation exercise. 

Roll on Qatar 2022...

God I never thought I'd ever say such a thing.

After seeing what he is dealing with, I wouldn't be surprised.

Hate to say it, But I told you so. I knew we would get Sth America. And there is not much TV money in the play-offs just ask Australia.

Maybe Mr Chung should step down?. He did a lot of talking (Lies) about OFC vs AFC progression into WC play offs.

I still have faith that our All Whites can qualify for Russia, 

Isn't there? I thought NZF cashed in big time on the Mexico game

That was Mexico, We are talking about Uruguay - Different TV market. I read they paid very little for there TV rights against Australia in 2002 and 2006.

Think he means there isn't much money in South American playoff matches; Mexico is of course in a different confed

Population of Mexico: 100 million + v  Population of Uruguay: 3 million.

Both football mad countries, but Mexico is a far bigger market.

Different scenarios. Mexico's a country of 120 million + huge expat population in the US = high interest in the game, and commercially lucrative TV rights.

Get someone like Paraguay or Uruguay - smaller than NZ population-wise, plus will DVDA us. Extremely unappealing possibilities in that respect (other than for us masochists).

Just read this:

The guys a joke. Exciting journey my a$$!

I laugh at this. I did say some months back that it was silly to put all our eggs in the 'friendlies' basket of Asia because it was not guaranteed.

Chung is as corrupt if not more so than Temarii whom was before him and while he fancies himself as a big time player, he is a goldfish. He got tossed a bone with the womens u17 WC in his own country which has all the makings of an utter disaster to unfold but then, this is OFC and its almost a 'no you first/after you' game between them and NZF in a race show complete and utter ineptness.

Hudson wont resign cause he'll have on his CV: 2 national teams jobs - jacked in with minimal time served and as he hs still quite young (no experience), he will be virtually unemployable in any decent role and the AWs to date have been pretty poor. Mind you, he could possibly get his papers handed to him along with FDJ after this U23 kerfuffle. Anyone thinking he will walk though is not thinking properly.

Also we are not going to AFC any time soon. We bluff it so much but the islands don't come running to us saying 'oh we'll give you this if you stay' and we bring nothing to Asia. What could AFC possibly want that we have? Zero. Its not happening. The end.

Normal transmission will now resume where by the administration will keep tripping over their own shoelaces that they ties together themselves and previous administrators will keep taking shots in the media. By the way Grant, if you were so fudgeing smart, why did you not spend the $500k in 2012 to have the OFC nations cup here? You would have gotten $1.3m back for it (meaning it would have paid for itself) and a better run in with Confed games on the calendar instead of feet up at home watching. Easy to be smug and toss stones when you were just as fudgeing thick. Stick with the drugs man...

As a NZ football fan you have to admit that its fairly lean picking for the next couple of years. No Olympics. The lowlights for the next 18 months include....WC qualifiers against teams from coral atolls..LOL. Thats really going to pack the stadiums!!!!!

I have no idea what Hudson's plan is but he is a super ambitious guy. He wants to get to places fast. Coaching  NZ had some sizable carrots that a young coach could put on his CV. Coaching at the Olympics, Confed Cup and at a WC. Well the Olympics is gone...NZ won't beat a SudAm side home and away so the WC is gone. Confed Cup is still possible.

But you have to admit the thought of sitting around in NZ for the next couple of years with the prospect of playing football superpowers Mynamar, Vanuatu, Fiji etc would not light my fire. 

I think Hudson will hang around for a while yet but if I picked up the paper tomorrow and read that he was going to....say, an assistants job in a Championship team in the UK then I would not be surprised either. 

Moss, Roux, Reid, Tuiloma, Smith, MCGlinchey, Rojas, Thomas, Boyd, Barbarouses & Wood playing a whirlwind version of 'total football' under dynamic coaching duo Tribulietx & Edge brush aside 5th placed Sth American team Uruguay with wins both home and away....