Don't think there'd be any outcry over John getting a gong because the '82 All Whites lost their games in the finals. It's quite a different situation to the AW's Halberg award as no one was too concerned at the time we lost every game - even rugby people/ football disparagers were realistic enough to know winning was never expected or a yardstick to measure that team by at all. He's just very fondly remembered by anyone in the country who was old enough to follow events back then, including John Key probably. It was all about the amazing drama of an amateur team no one at home or abroad initially rated, going on a record-breaking run to make the Finals (most qualifiers played in history, biggest qualifying win in history, Richard Wilson world record for goalkeeper's clean sheet in qualifiers - achievements which remained in the Guinness Book of Records for years).
John: "Well, I always felt we were a very well organised and disciplined side. At the time there was a statement that came out of the Scottish press, which said New Zealand was really just a team of kickers and teams like that shouldn't be around the World Cup.
We were in fact the only team not to get a yellow card; we were top of the tree in the good behavioural stakes throughout the first round.
We weren't concerned about who we were going to play but were determined we weren't going there to be negative. We wanted to play the game as it was meant to be played, and the proof was there in the second half of the game we played against Scotland. I was very disappointed when we came in (at halftime) 3-0 down, because we hadn't even looked to go forward.
But when we opened the game up in the second half, let's not forget, within 10 or 15 minutes it was 3-2 and the panic in the Scottish side was there for all to see. And they (Scotland) then scored two very lucky goals to get what looked on paper to be a far better victory than it actually was.
You know I've looked at passages of the games against Brazil where we put 17 passes together; and we were very unlucky against the Soviet Union, very unlucky - they were a great side.
At the end of the day, when we came back I was very proud of the way we'd played."
Remember it took Australia 24 years from their goaless first spell in the Finals in '74 to score a World Cup goal (in 2006) !!! We've also conceded less goals in World Cup Finals than Australia: NZ: GF: 4 GA: 14 Aussies: GF: 8 GA: 17
John unfortunately fell out with then NZFA supremo Charlie Dempsey in 1983 and resigned as AW's manager. However, he remained in NZ throughout the rest of the 80's and became AW's manager again in 1989 for that year's World Cup qualifiers where they knocked Australia out by beating them in Auckland, despite not progressing to the next round themselves (Israel advanced). But such was the close margin in these games, one more win could have taken NZ to the next round instead. SEE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(OFC)
John continued his contribution to this country by forming his own promotions company in 1983 and handled local and overseas sports and entertainment acts touring NZ.
He resided in Perth in the nineties (had offspring living there) and was Oman's director of youth development 2000 - 2004 and coached Oman u-17 at the 2001 FIFA u-17 World Cup. Working and achieving overseas has never been a barrier to receiving NZ Royal Honours or many of our greatest would be empty-handed e.g. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has worked very little in NZ as a singer.
He returned to NZ to coach the Kingz/Knights in the A-League in early 2005 in what he has rated as the only truly mediocre season of his 38 year coaching career...
http://www.celebspeakers.com/john-adshead/
John received wide acclaim for his involvement in New Zealand’s first challenge for the America’s Cup. His role was to mold each individual department into one team and act as motivation and personnel manager to the sailing teams.
He developed the successful Radio I Sports Foundation and ran the New Zealand end of Bob Geldof’s international sports aid. John has also managed tours throughout Australia and New Zealand by the Soviet basketball and gymnastic teams.
A heart attack in April 1998 almost ended his life.
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He's had a lot of serious health issues and has also struggled with cancer which hindered his brief time as NZ Knights manager in the A-League. John turned 70 in March. Although retired, he's currently a director on the board of Baypark Arena sports, conference and entertainment venue in his hometown of Mount Maunganui.
John is also currently an ambassador for charities such as Macular Degeneration NZ (of which former AW's coach Allan Jones is a trustee):
http://www.mdnz.co.nz/ambassadors2.html
Big Pete 65, Christchurch
"Phoenix till they lose"