All Whites, Ferns, and other international teams

Expectation levels

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Expectation levels

Normo's coming home

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Have these results changed your expectation levels? And should they?

A good mate of mine had planned to put a large wager on the AWs not to earn a point at $1.70, he's now decided not to make the bet. Is he reading too much into a couple of friendly results? Personally I still think we're still favourites not to earn a point but I think we are a chance at a shock result, but that's always been my view. I do feel a little more confident about us scoring goals.

Normo's coming home

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

james dean wrote:

A good mate of mine had planned to put a large wager on the AWs not to earn a point at $1.70,

I'd say $1.70 is definetly not good value for NZ not to get a point, I'm pretty certain you can get closer to even odds if you use betfair instead of the NZ TAB.

One of my friends placed 5k at even odds on NZ not to get a point a few months ago, which at the time I thought was amazing value. I wanted to take the same bet but didn't since I don't want to cheer against the All Whites at the world cup... Now though I think those odds are closer (but still a little off) to market value seeing as we have got a couple of new defenders, and shown good warm up form.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

yea i too was looking at that bet for some happiness insurance, also the all whites not to score a goal was $5.50

think ill leave all that alone now...just in case

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Two good friendlies shouldn't change anything. Sure we are performing well, but I actually think it would have been better if we'd played well and lost both games.
Of course I am happy we beat Serbia but now, after 2 good results we're on everyone's radar and there will be no chances of anyone underestimating us in our group.

VUW AFC - Victoria University Football for life

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

My expectations haven't changed despite the great performances in the friendlies. I still think we should get a point and could possibly nab a win. I see the second round as unlikely, but anything can happen. I cannot support the All Whites without atleast a smiggem of optimism!

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Having beaten Serbia (early predictions as a dark-horses) I now expect us to win the whole thing

Its no longer a problem.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Expectation levels: Struggling in vain to remain low.

Hopes: high.

14/11/09

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I think we will win the World Cup.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Persoanlly it has made me sit up a bit. It wasn't so much the result as the clever tactics and application fo nthe players to that game plan- a realisation that NZ know their weaknesses and strengths and are playing to them.

I think a parralel may be drawn with the Tall Blacks perfromance in the B-Ball World Champs (2002?) They were rank outsiders but put together a string of gutsy wins, gained momentum and made the semis. Now, i am not suggesting that the All Whites will make the semis, but should they get some momentum form match one they may just make it out of the group- we can only hope, that is our job as fans.

Salmon swim upstream

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Prior to the warm-up games I thought that we would at best pull off a single draw. I wouldn't have been totally upset with that - I just thought (from my limited football knowledge) that that would have been a reasonable result from the campaign.

After knocking in the first goal against Australia, then scoring first against Serbia too (and of course holding on to win and learning somewhat from the lessons of the last minutes in Melbourne), I have now upgraded my expectations and think that it MAY now be possible for us to "pinch" a win.

Do I expect it? No. But would it surprise me? Not any more. I now think that we are capable of pulling off a fluky upset (no disrespect to the team) and I think that this belief is now in the team and will help their chances no end.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Arsenal wrote:

I think we will win the World Cup.

I've been harbouring this secret thought since the draw. An upset win, a sneaky draw and then it's cup-tie football, where anything can happen.

My main concern with this argument has always been that cup runs are usually based on one-off performances that are weeks apart, whereas the World Cup is a much tighter schedule, and requires league-type consistency. I've always felt the AWs would be competitive, and are capable of taking points off all three teams in our group, but weren't good enough to put 3 strong performances together.

Last week gives me hope.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I think we will grab a point, possibly a solitary group stage win, but that is all.

The problem we have is depth and if we suffer an injury or two our ability to compete will fall away.

Still feeling alot more confident than i was when the draw was named.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

quarter finals at least

Slovakia 2-1
Italy - draw
Paraguay - 1-0

next round cant remember who i figured out we are likely to play but should win

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

It will be Cameroon, Denmark or the Netherlands probably.

You know we belong together...

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

we'll come away with 1 point; and 2 goals for, 7 against.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

TouchMe wrote:

I think we will grab a point, possibly a solitary group stage win, but that is all.

The problem we have is depth and if we suffer an injury or two our ability to compete will fall away.

Still feeling alot more confident than i was when the draw was named.

No.

Brown and Killen were not available for the Serbia game. We gave two young men starts in a backline. We beat the world's 15th best team.

Oh Wellington is wonderful. We got the wind, the rain and the phoenix. Oh Wellington is wonderful.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I guess its a bit of a worry that expectations have been raised and might not be delivered. The media are right behind the AW's and there are now many non football people who think that the AW's winning matches at the WC is a given. What will their reaction and what will the bandwaggoning press reaction be if we get beaten in all three games?

Those of us who have followed NZ football for ages know that the most likely outcome will be 3 defeats. As Ryan Nelsen said " all eleven players could play the games of our lives and we could still end up losing all three games".

The warm up games have been great. We have played with great heart and have been well organised. But in the white hot atmosphere of World Cup games being well organised and playing with pride is often not enough.

What we loyal followers are hoping for is what football sometimes delivers. The upset, the underdog scraping a result. It may happen and if it does then I will cheering the lads on but the hard reality is that we should be prepared for three hard battles and three defeats. This is not being negative. I hope that they do pull of an upset. But I won't be down on the team if they don't.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Addicks wrote:

Expectation levels: Struggling in vain to remain low.

Hopes: high.

If I was to be honest I would say we'll find it hard to get even a point. But, hey, I was pessimistic against Bahrain and look what happened. Technically we could qualify for the last 16 with a mere two points!

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

hellobeaver wrote:

TouchMe wrote:

I think we will grab a point, possibly a solitary group stage win, but that is all.

The problem we have is depth and if we suffer an injury or two our ability to compete will fall away.

Still feeling alot more confident than i was when the draw was named.

No.

Brown and Killen were not available for the Serbia game. We gave two young men starts in a backline. We beat the world's 15th best team.

BUT that wasn't the world cup.

Chances Italy will go up and lock up, Paraguay will slaughter us.

With Slovakia we could get a point.

Its going to be very hard going but happy to be proved wrong.

Hey, we are in it so we have a chance.

P.S. Ricki, please don't jump around in fits of joy if we get a draw. It's

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

zinidane wrote:

this is what I am worried about - expressed far better than I ever could

Normo's coming home

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

You have to have a bit of blind hope..otherwise why would we bother supporting a team at all?

I have no expectations of the AWs but I HOPE they get at least a point and have no embarrassing canings.. thats probably the most important bit, don't look like mugs but look like we deserve to be there!

Rise up, Wellington!

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

It is a difficult topic to answer or think about.

I find the logical part of my mind battling with emotional side, to the point that within a minute I think "Could we win the whole thing", like someone mentioned, once out of the group it is all one-off games anything can happen and at 2000-1. A ï¿½100 bet would net me a nice ï¿½200,000 retirement fund.

Then the other side of me remembers the last confederations cup, when Spain put 4 goals past us in the first 23 mins. Those 23 mins made think, what right do we have to even think about being on the same field as the top class teams. Sure we drew 0-0 with Iraq, (I don't blame Ricki's celebrations). But Iraq was going through a lull in their recent performances not to take anything away from our draw.

But after that Confederations cup. I would have been happy with a 2-0, 3-0 and even a 4-0 loss in our 3 WC games. Maybe just getting a goal in any of those WC games would be a great achievement for us.

But now I have seen something different, and my expectations have changed. We lost 2-1 to Australia, but for me it wasn't the result, it was the fact that I wasnï¿½t sh1tting myself the whole game thinking when will the aussies score and put us out of misery. I actually felt like we had control in that game and we probably would have won on another day.

Follow that up with Serbia and again not just the result, but the way we played. We look better. We don't look like the confederation cup team. Of course they were just friendlyï¿½s and maybe I could have taken the same confidence after our 4-3 loss to Italy in the buildup to the confeds, maybe that Italy result was a sign of our improvement and the Iraq draw was the result of it.

Overall, of course we could lose all 3 games. 12 months ago if we played in 4 WC every 2 months, I think we would have lost all 12 games. Now I would expect us to pick up 3 or 4 results in 12 competitive matches.

The question is will fate be on our side and let us take 2 or 3 of those results in this WC

I just hope we play well and look like a decent enough and competitive team. Some consistency and luck will provide us with a good WC performance.

Also note in our last 3 competitive matches we are undefeated. 0-0 (Iraq), 0-0 (Bahrain), 1-0 (Bahrain).

LondonChris2010-06-03 22:33:48

If we build it, they will come...

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I don't expect anymore than I did before these games, I'd be happy with a point or two.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

CboZ wrote:

I don't expect anymore than I did before these games, I'd be happy with a point or two.

Your expectations were already high before the games then, some of us are just getting to where you are. A point or two would be a great achievment.

If we build it, they will come...

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

A single point would be a phenomenal achievement - I just hope we don't lose sight of that

Normo's coming home

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

This.

How's my driving? - Whine here

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

a few goals would be nice - something to cheer about.

Fruglo on 15.01.2013 wrote:

Fuck this stupid game

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

TopLeft07 wrote:

a few goals would be nice - something to cheer about.

yea could you imagine the pandemonium if we scored a goal, to lead 1-0....

my expectations have risen a little
we can get a draw and possibly sneak a win.
just remember anything can happen and how surprised was everyone with the form recently

Calling all fans in Japan, come down and support the mighty nix in Osaka

http://www.facebook.com/WellingtonPhoenixClubMembersSupportersGroupOsaka

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

one thing we do know is we going to be drunk win loss or draw

Calling all fans in Japan, come down and support the mighty nix in Osaka

http://www.facebook.com/WellingtonPhoenixClubMembersSupportersGroupOsaka

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

james dean wrote:

A single point would be a phenomenal achievement - I just hope we don't lose sight of that

I agree fully with this. Even one point would be a massive coup for us. That said it is nice to see us really playing football. Even in that Italy it was kick it long and hope for a corner, this stuff is much more encouraging.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

james dean wrote:

A single point would be a phenomenal achievement - I just hope we don't lose sight of that

I don't think anyone whose opinion matters, or who knows or cares abouyt the games has lost sight of this. But what's the point of going to the World Cup for the first time in Donkeys, and not daring to dream?

All the other dark horses are dreaming too, don't let the stoic, self deprecating anglo saxon nature let us down play the emotion

Salmon swim upstream

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Heck, i don't think we are as delusional as some however

North Korea are adamant they are going to win, in fact they have probably already recorded the final!

Salmon swim upstream

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

North Korea will win. Unless, of course, evil forces have infiltrated traitors onto the team, who will spit on the Juche Idea and the teachings of the Dear Leader and deliberately sabotage the tactics worked out in Pyongyang. If that happens, expect lengthy salt-mine based justice for these anti-patriotic worms.

Ramming liberal dribble down your throat since 2009
This forum needs less angst and more Kate Bush threads

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Italy has just lost to Mexico 1:2. (their only warm up game to date)

Italian fans have questioned Lippi's selections (again). Typically less flair and looks a bit slow to take off. But the momentum is likely to keep rolling with this team.

We have them as our second game after Paraguay. Paraguay is likely to stir the sleeping giant awake, just in time for us to get some sting of it. Slovakia is likely to get the full brunt of it.

The group table placing might go to the last match for 1st and 2nd.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

james dean wrote:

A single point would be a phenomenal achievement - I just hope we don't lose sight of that

Agreed. For all my hopes and dreams that we may get out of this group, getting just one result will be something to be proud of.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Six months ago I would not have given us any chance, but have been really pleased the way we have played in the last 2 games. Reckon we might get a result in the morning. If so then it could be all on.

If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

If we grab a result tomorrow I hope that NZ doesn't give the AWs sh*t if they end up losing all three games in SA (most including Nelsen would agree that there is a very realistic possibilty of this scenario at the Cup).

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

There's one interview on the Herald site with Rory and I gotta say I'm listening to him! He says something about how he goes into every game fully believing he will win. And after seeing our team come together since November, I am right there with him. I believe in this team! I'm trying to be realistic about it, I know that any result will be hard won.

So yeah, trying to keep the expectations low, but the possibility of some upsets is definitely there!!!

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I just about hope that we play well but don't win now (v slovenia) so that the media don't hype us as if we're meant to win at the WC.

I'm trying to manage other people's expectations now!

14/11/09

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