Name Change?

Whatever with all these nicknames.

Stick to New Zealand and play in the Black Kit with white as Change/away...

SImple easy.. not a big deal.

The black strip looks much better; we should be wearing it.
It's more identifiably NZ to other countries.

I don't care what the team name is, unless it is changed to something worse than All Whites.

White Blacks....

or

Black Whites....

Bollocks, All Whites we shall be whatever colour we play in.....

I think perhaps too much has been read into the story.  If you look closely Ricki said: we'll be taking both kits away and both will get a run.

That said, I hope Glading isn't so short sighted as to toss 30 years of history on the fire just because Nike/the players/whoever prefer the look of the black strip.  It's nonsense.  As is the suggestion that we should ditch white because Germany and America play in white.  So what? 

Here's hoping this is a storm in a teacup, but here's also hoping that Glading reads some of this and realises that while his marketing 'geniuses' might fancy a change, nobody in the football community does.
Smithy2009-05-10 23:25:21

I agree that the change in name probaly is in part to a marketing issue, you can't have the all whites playing in black, but that doesn't mean it does not have merit.

The press can call us whatever they want. I'd be happy to have the exact same newspaper article with the heading "New Zealand Football Team beat Botswana" in Cape Town, and the heading "All Whites beat Botswana" in Wellington.

And the arguement itself is ridiculous. If All Whites is racist, so is All Blacks. Any news agency that refuses to refer to NZ's rugby team as the All Blacks, sure, I can forgive them for refusing to use the name All Whites. Anyone else is a hypocrite and is in fact more racist than either name (if All Whites promotes discrimination against nonwhites, and All Blacks promotes discrimination against nonblacks, then take the hypocritical position would suggest that discrimination against nonblacks is acceptable)

And for the record, I actually love the black kit and was considering buying one. I think it's a MUCH better alternate to the recent blue kit. I just cannot agree with throwing away our history (especially at the most inappopriate time possible) is worth it just because the black kit looks better to some.


PS TouchMe, I would respond to your earlier counterpoints to my own, but that was 25 or so posts back, so I'll leave it rather than drag it back up. All I will say is that you don't need to throw away your heritage to make progress. I fully support progressive change, so long as it's justified and constructive. This proposal is neither. It is change for the sake of change, nothing more.

New Zealander's obsession with nicknaming every one of our national sports teams is weird. They are our national football side, and why we can't just call them that, as Ricki himself as suggested is beyond me. I mean, who can keep up with all the black ferns/white sticks/silver caps crap anyhow? They are the New Zealand national football team, and that's all it should be.

More of a quick reference than "New Zealand Football Team"

This pretty much sums up how I feel.

i'd say there are a large number of national football teams with nicknames

Does any reckon this could be a smart media campaign by Ricky? I mean this topic did get two full pages in the sports section. When was the last time the All Whites or any football story could say that?

Just a thought 

England - Three Lions
Brazil - O Selecao
Cameroon - The Indomitable Lions
South Africa - Bafana Bafana
Italy - Azzurri
Netherlands - Oranje
Northern Ireland - Norn Iron
Ghana - Black Stars

Off the top of my head.

Pretty much every African side has a nickname... oh, and the socceroos. Hard News2009-05-11 17:00:54

nicknames are different, however, to standard reference titles. Media here refers to the All WHites (and, yes, sometimes New Zealand). Media in UK just refer to ENgland. England Manager X, ENlgand striker Y, ENgland played with a Z formation versus THree Lions Manager, THree Lions Striker etc etc etc - you get my horribly articulated but very subtle and substantive point.

Ok yes Three Lions isn't used as much but it does apply for many other sides. Example:

'Alexandre Pato made his first appearance for Selecao overnight in the 2-0 win over Argentina'

'Paolo Maldini never won a trophy with the Azzurri'

'Norn Iron stun Spain 3-2'

I don't mind either change, and I get the feeling that they will be called the All Whites for years to come.  People are resistant to these changes for the most part but it doesn't bother me either way really.

It might have just been thrown out there by NZF at the request of Nike so they can sell more black kit this year - but not with the intention of changing it permanently.

I'm with Sam on this one - I'd say there's a difference between nicknames and brands. I'd say All Whites is more of a brand than a nickname, and it's reflected in the usage.

By the way, Selecao basically mean the national team (selection) in Portuguese, so it's not really a nickname.

Haha... Being a middle-of-the-road sorta guy  here's a middle-of-the-road suggestion, News

Re-brand and reprint of T-shirts required     henceforth NZ supporters  could now be known as

  GRAY NOISE!!

covers either home or away strip admirably and will have appeal to an oft neglected segment at the senior end of the demographics!!

**ducks to avoid assorted bottles, bricks thrown by News et al **

I've got my coat.Leaving now.Bye!

I remember when the All White nickname was given. It was a straight copy of the All Black name and the beginning of this obsession with calling our national teams the black somethings.... NZ were going great guns with the WC qualifiers and were playing in all white for most of the time and everyone in the country (including rugby heads) were behind them. It was a nice little contrast/comparison to celebrate our 2 great sports teams. 

In the 1960 and 70's the the New Zealand football team used to play in both black & white. The term All Whites came in later. I believe that it easier playing in white. as on the field white is easier to see than black.
However the name All Whites should remain.

Was there any nickname at all back when you played in the Black or White Leggy ?

As for Ricki saying Brazil is just called Brazil he is wrong, Brazil has many names. Canarinho, Amarelinho, A Selecao. These are all names that the Brazilian media gives the team much like how All Whites was bestowed upon our team.

Exactly,

NZ Footballs official colour is black anyway, it could be the dawn of a new era.

Why change the name, regardless of the strip colour the country knows us as the 'All Whites' how ridiculous

Maybe this change is good.  White = the Past... Black = A New Exciting Future.

New dawner.

I think you are all just expressing a Fear of a Black Planet.

The Kick Blacks

Now there's a name that would go down well in South Africa.

Folks...need someone who is pro-dumping the AW's name - or can fake that they are -, in Wellington and can spend ten minutes in the next hour (between now and 4:30) doing us a favour.

PM me ASAP.

Better than The Shooting Blacks..

The Black Tackles?

Perhaps a merged name?  Black All Whites?  All Black Whites?

Nothing Beats the White Blacks. 

My telly will never be the same... thanks News 

But seriously, interesting to hear JA's comment - and that several of the players are over it... a few of them with Miles on RS tomorrow arvo so may be a good listen

That god I had wide screen at home.