History for Midfielder

Did anyone else see this (now removed) "story" on the Herald yesterday?

Ricki Herbert has been doing plenty of thinking since leaving New Zealand football. Photo / Getty

By Kris Shannon

Welcome to Midweek Fixture and, with Dylan Cleaver taking a few days off to fully appreciate Major League Baseball's All-Star festivities, Kris Shannon is filling his considerable boots.

THIS IS NOT AN OPINION

Ricki Herbert couldn't help but smile when the call arrived.Would he coach Papua New Guinea's under-23 team at the Pacific Games? He tried to play it cool but the voice in his head screamed two words: At last!His joy was hardly a result of the job offer itself - he was Ricki 'Undefeated' Herbert, after all, and Papua New Guinea were lucky to have him.No, his emotion came courtesy of an ulterior motive, a far-fetched plan cooked up months ago, a vengeful plot that finally had the chance to come to fruition.

It all started in the months after the All Whites squandered his services, when Herbert had watched with dismay as optimism began to build around new coach Anthony Hudson.All the talk of a long-term strategy targeting Russia 2018 has been disconcertingly assured on his successor's part, especially when boosted by the introduction of young players with questionable parentage but unquestionable pedigree.It had sounded like Hudson's All Whites were heading in the right direction and, simultaneously, as though Herbert's own considerable achievements could soon be overshadowed. And that just wouldn't do.

So with the same diligence with which he once pored over defensive formations, crafting the rearguard that would see him anointed as one of the world's great managerial masterminds, Herbert had turned his attention to law.Namely, the Fifa laws, a byzantine series of statutes and articles created by the brightest minds in the game. Herbert wanted to - nay, needed to - find a way to stop the All Whites in their tracks.And then he had spotted it. Article 7. Sweet, sweet Article 7. 

Were his former bosses aware of the rule? Unlikely. They were the same folks who lacked the foresight to keep Ricki 'The Wall' Herbert employed.But now, armed with Article 7 and the PNG job, they would quickly learn the error of their ways.The Pacific Games soon rendered the task almost too easy. 

Staying together in the same athletes' village, Herbert had unfettered access to every coach at the tournament.That included the Micronesia manager, who was only too eager to receive some pre-tournament defensive advice from Ricki 'Clean Sheet' Herbert. It also included Hudson, with whom he shared a convivial conversation - sorry, Ant, Herbert chuckled to himself, it's nothing personal.More importantly, though, once his own PNG side were somehow bundled from the tournament, it included the Vanuatu coach, whose team had just been knocked out by New Zealand in the semifinals.His new ally had never heard of Article 7, which was no surprise, really. Few were Herbert's intellectual peer. 

But, after showing him the rule book and the Wikipedia page of one Deklan Wynne, Herbert gained a willing disciple.Within days the All Whites' Olympic aspirations were crushed, their World Cup preparations thrown into disarray, and Hudson's reputation ruined.As for Herbert? He was happy but not completely fulfilled. If only he could get the A-League to deny the Phoenix a licence extension...

GIVE 'EM A TASTE OF KIWI...Just in case anyone was worried about his achievements being besmirched, lest we forget the way Ricki Herbert - and only Ricki Herbert - led the All Whites to be the only unbeaten nation at the 2010 World Cup. Don't ever let anyone tell you Ryan Nelsen deserved the credit, Ricki

Did anyone else see this (now removed) "story" on the Herald yesterday?

Ricki Herbert has been doing plenty of thinking since leaving New Zealand football. Photo / Getty

By Kris Shannon

Welcome to Midweek Fixture and, with Dylan Cleaver taking a few days off to fully appreciate Major League Baseball's All-Star festivities, Kris Shannon is filling his considerable boots.

THIS IS NOT AN OPINION

Ricki Herbert couldn't help but smile when the call arrived.Would he coach Papua New Guinea's under-23 team at the Pacific Games? He tried to play it cool but the voice in his head screamed two words: At last!His joy was hardly a result of the job offer itself - he was Ricki 'Undefeated' Herbert, after all, and Papua New Guinea were lucky to have him.No, his emotion came courtesy of an ulterior motive, a far-fetched plan cooked up months ago, a vengeful plot that finally had the chance to come to fruition.

It all started in the months after the All Whites squandered his services, when Herbert had watched with dismay as optimism began to build around new coach Anthony Hudson.All the talk of a long-term strategy targeting Russia 2018 has been disconcertingly assured on his successor's part, especially when boosted by the introduction of young players with questionable parentage but unquestionable pedigree.It had sounded like Hudson's All Whites were heading in the right direction and, simultaneously, as though Herbert's own considerable achievements could soon be overshadowed. And that just wouldn't do.

So with the same diligence with which he once pored over defensive formations, crafting the rearguard that would see him anointed as one of the world's great managerial masterminds, Herbert had turned his attention to law.Namely, the Fifa laws, a byzantine series of statutes and articles created by the brightest minds in the game. Herbert wanted to - nay, needed to - find a way to stop the All Whites in their tracks.And then he had spotted it. Article 7. Sweet, sweet Article 7. 

Were his former bosses aware of the rule? Unlikely. They were the same folks who lacked the foresight to keep Ricki 'The Wall' Herbert employed.But now, armed with Article 7 and the PNG job, they would quickly learn the error of their ways.The Pacific Games soon rendered the task almost too easy. 

Staying together in the same athletes' village, Herbert had unfettered access to every coach at the tournament.That included the Micronesia manager, who was only too eager to receive some pre-tournament defensive advice from Ricki 'Clean Sheet' Herbert. It also included Hudson, with whom he shared a convivial conversation - sorry, Ant, Herbert chuckled to himself, it's nothing personal.More importantly, though, once his own PNG side were somehow bundled from the tournament, it included the Vanuatu coach, whose team had just been knocked out by New Zealand in the semifinals.His new ally had never heard of Article 7, which was no surprise, really. Few were Herbert's intellectual peer. 

But, after showing him the rule book and the Wikipedia page of one Deklan Wynne, Herbert gained a willing disciple.Within days the All Whites' Olympic aspirations were crushed, their World Cup preparations thrown into disarray, and Hudson's reputation ruined.As for Herbert? He was happy but not completely fulfilled. If only he could get the A-League to deny the Phoenix a licence extension...

GIVE 'EM A TASTE OF KIWI...Just in case anyone was worried about his achievements being besmirched, lest we forget the way Ricki Herbert - and only Ricki Herbert - led the All Whites to be the only unbeaten nation at the 2010 World Cup. Don't ever let anyone tell you Ryan Nelsen deserved the credit, Ricki