The good thing is that bc we want to beat them, and will be fired up, eventually its going to get under the skin of the likes of DS (if not already) and they are going to want to crush us for good measure and to shut us up. Consequently, and despite themselves, they will get fired up too.
Play the "Kiwis think they're good enough to beat us" angle in the marketing and even DS will turn up to rub our noses in it.
Ha ha, nice try Sam but no. The emotion is not there. Period. If ticket prices are $20 (which they won't be) I'd go, but normally the FFA charge good coin.
Check this out also:
http://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/mcg-sendoff-a-freekick-for-new-zealand-20100221-onw0.html
MCG send-off a free-kick for New Zealand
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MICHAEL LYNCH
February 22, 2010
ANALYSIS
AUSTRALIA'S meeting with New Zealand in a World Cup
farewell game at the MCG in May has more to do with commercial
considerations than footballing imperatives.
It shows how hard it is to get high-quality opposition to
play so far from home at a critical time, less than a month before the
World Cup finals kick off, without the lure of a huge pay cheque.
Initially the talk was of a game against Croatia, or
Russia, maybe even England.
''Distinctly underwhelming'' was the reaction on fan
forums after New Zealand was confirmed as Australia's opponent
yesterday.
Unless ticket prices are set at very competitive levels,
this game is unlikely to get anywhere near the 95,000 who saw Australia
take on Greece, the then European champion, before leaving for the World
Cup finals in Germany four years ago.
It would have been preferable for Australia to try to get
opposition that could replicate more closely the style and abilities of
the teams the Socceroos will meet in the group phase in South Africa -
Germany, Serbia and Ghana.
Football Federation Australia tried hard to get Croatia -
the highest-ranked team not to reach the World Cup finals - to come,
but the Croatian soccer authorities could not guarantee a full-strength
team.
Possible South American opponents were demanding too high
a match fee, it is understood, while European teams who have qualified
for South Africa and might have provided attractive opposition would not
travel.
So New Zealand it is in a game in which Australia has
everything to lose and little to gain. There will be no kudos for Pim
Verbeek's players if they win, but there will be plenty of glory for
Rick Herbert's Kiwis if they can get a draw or even win at the MCG.
New Zealand will be delighted at being given the chance
to avenge its most recent defeat at the hands of Australia - a 1-0 loss
in Adelaide in a World Cup qualifier almost six years ago.
Both sides will be at full strength, so what the game
might lack in terms of quality, it will at least make up for in
intensity.
The New Zealanders will contain several faces familiar to
A-League fans, including Gold Coast United sharpshooter Shane Smeltz,
the A-League's Golden Boot winner two years in succession.
Australia will begin a pre-World Cup camp in Melbourne on
May 19 before playing this game on May 24. The squad will leave for
Johannesburg soon afterwards.
) But if my parents let me make the trip across the ditch... MAN I WILL BE EXCITED! It isnt even that expensive! Anybody know when the tickets will be available?
