All Whites V New Caledonia 22 March 7:35pm - Craft Bar or Four Kings

What's wrong with looking good and winning Jeff? Or is that not an option? I think it is. I'm sick and tired of football in this country being seen as second rate. I get pissed off when people constantly decry the state of the local game. I get even more pissed off when I travel away to watch a bunch of decent players put in a poor performance when we all know they are better than that. Let's play with arrogance, swagger and panache or at least bloody well try. And yes I would take a well played, hard fought loss in the Concacaf play off over a jammy win because at least then I would still have hope. If we can't defeat the island nations convincingly with 4 times their budget and 10 times their playing pool then we may as well sack every development coach, close every academy, mothball the Whole of Football plan and sign our kids up for rugby. When we have more attacking talent at our disposal than since the days of Rufer, Woodin et al, why do we then go out and play hoof ball? This "play not to lose" approach has become our default setting and it doesn't need to be like that. In the small sided games both teams engaged in before the game started I watched both teams and we were equally as good as NC in the tight 1 & 2 touch stuff and it gave a real sense of excitement to see some of what McGlinchey, Rojas etc could do. But you would have no idea of that once the game started, whereas NC carried that style into the game. Basically those who had been actively driving the 5 aside drill became excluded as the punters took over. So disappointing!

Exactly - such low expectations.  And such fatalism from some on here! It does't have to be like this - is the NC midfield more talented than a Payne, Keat, McGlinchey combination?  Of course not.  So why can they play a passing style and we can't?  We played a passing style at the olympics and got results - last time I checked all of those players were eligible for the seniors other than Ryan. This isn't about unrealistic expectations, it's about making the most of the talent we have and moving forward

I think we can play a passing style.But is that the right way to play NC?To give you the best chance to win.

Can we out pass a team from CONCACAF?I don't think so.Sadly we probably have to play accurate hoofball to have the best chance.

Right idea....wrong coach!

This is the guy who watched Killen failing as a midfielder in Honiara and deciding....I will try him there again!

And that's my point. As everyone has said, in the middle, we are far superior so why did we not use them. The answer is tactics and the coach.

I'm a Ricki fan but I believe he is past his use by date. Those are the tactics we generally get with him so it's going to be ugly wins. Until there is a coaching change, it wont be any other way. When you realise that, results are all that matter.

I want someone to tell me otherwise but look at Ricki and how he coaches and that's pretty much how it is.

Qft 

Was it Ricki dictating the long ball or was it player based tactics to suit player field positions, only those in the dressing room know.

Maybe Ricki thinks the Honiera tactics and formation will work, he just has to force them a little more.

I was at both of those matches - the standard of oppo was significantly better than the Island nations.  We were good

The striker was booked for that, but you are right he didn't control the game in a manner befitting an international class referee at all.

By his own admission Strebre didn't have his best game and he said as much to the All Whites after the match.

I think we need to ask ourselves 'What would Ryan have done?'

http://www.radiolivesport.co.nz/Audio/Steve-Wooddin--Bobby-Almond---The-referee-left-a-lot-to-be-desired/tabid/252/articleID/13905/Default.aspx

More people tuning in after the game, most likely people watching the rugby I'd say

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110,000 people on Dunedin weren't tuned into Sky Sport 3 because they were at Forsyth Barr Stadium. 

Nz v New Caledonia photos 

So last night Australia drew with Oman and Jordan beat Japan.

Everybody feeling a little better about our victory over NC now?

Oman and Jordan are hardly comparable to New Caledonia.

Played 6 Won 6 For 18 Against 2 Points 18

Job Done Lads! 

Whinge and Moan about how they played but I will take that any day!

i reckon New Caledonia v Oman would be a cracking match

Shows how awful the rankings are.

New Caledonia are miles ahead of Moldova, i know who would win in a match between the two.

It's an algorhythm.  How can it really judge relative strength when NC don't play matches outside the Oceania confederation?

exactly and where is oceania and fifa in helping grow the region. new caledonia/tahiti and solomons need to start playing other nations

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