Post World Cup Friendies Angst

Maybe they read my email
ahmad2010-08-14 16:29:15

  or maybe facebook ftw  anth1832010-08-14 18:05:18

Christchurch had a great Phoenix crowd last season, I wouldint be surprised to see a close to full house if played there.

Posted: Today at 2:45pm
Originally posted by Whitehartlane

NZF have booked rooms at a large Christchurch hotel around the time of the Honduras game..

I wonder why that is??

Could be that Nomads United have a celebration weekend for their centenary over that weekend, the main function on Saturday night was booked months ago for the Deloitte lounge at AMI Stadium.
Be nice to get two things for the one price and a car park at the stadium.
Buy tickets for the function before the game venue is released.

Looks like it will be Harbour. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10666219

Apparently capacity might be only 19,000 as they wouldn't open up the grass embankments if it is wet. What a joke. Why they hell does that stadium (which is too small for cricket so is under utilised in the summer months) have grass embankments?

If it has to be Harbour and the grass embankments aren't open, give it to Christchurch or Hamilton! 19,000 is pathetic.

What's the capacity at the half finished Eden Park?

Tbh that is rubbish. As much as I want to go to this game if in Auckland. Having a crowd of 19.000 is rather pathetic.
NHpeter2010-08-15 13:46:25

Thats the typical New Zealand half arsed way though isn't it. Build only half a stadium.

If that is the case I'd be thoroughly disillusioned with NZF.  Also, there wasn't a single quote or anything in their so in all likelihood the reporter heard about the contract with NHS (in this thread, I'd wager) and is making it out as if this is playing into Aucklands nads.  Still no need to be worried, my fellow Southerners.

Buffon II2010-08-15 13:57:33

"The city has been usurped by Wellington as the premium football venue and last hosted a match in 2008..."

Bit of a lie. All Whites vs. NZFC All Stars, 2010. Auckland has already had a match this year, has held the most recent match, and has held three matches more recently than Christchurch. I'm all for Auckland receiving matches but I'd rather it not be for bullsh*t reasons, and while the rest of the country save for Wellington gets completely ignored.

And before anyone says NZFC All Stars doesn't count - it's more than Christchurch got.

It is more than Chch got you're right, but come on, it was a glorified training match. It was good to see them off but it was boring as hell and not one player gave more than 20% all match.

We just don't get enough matches at home to keep everyone happy. So if we see more friendlies as Glading has said then there will be chances to take the team round the country. Not everyone will be happy at first. But Christchurch should and probably will get it's chance next year I'd say. For now, I think Auckland and Wellington is excellent.

Fair enough, but I'd rather have a bad All Whites match than no All Whites match. I think it's fair to say Honduras is a far bigger deal than both New Caledonia and the All Stars combined and that Christchurch would get the better deal. However Auckland getting all three while Christchurch gets squat is just plain wrong IMHO. I fully support Auckland getting a quality match, however I feel that they should wait their turn. I'd like to see Wgtn and Chch this year, Auckland and perhaps Dunedin (to capitalize on the new stadium buzz) next.

Christchurch and Auckland will never agree about this. I'm Definitely going to the Paraguay match in Wellington but will only attend the Honduras game if it's in Christchurch as 2 plane trips in a week is a touch outside the budget. However I'm just glad we've got two top opposition to round out the year. Simon is right, we will all get a turn at seeing the All Whites in action in time. Hopefully for Dunedin they get a turn soon too, could be an awesome road trip.

The fact of the matter is that an Auckland game will attract not just Aucklanders but virtually the whole top half of the North Island (and therefore over half the NZ population). Christchurch would have to be rated as the 3rd best option for this reason. Dunedin? You could be waiting a while. Hammer Head2010-08-15 20:13:37

Yes but will they turn up to fill a stadium? 

There are passionate fans of the All Whites all over the country, New Zealand is the home of NZ Football.

Actually, an Auckland match would only attract up to ~19K people. Christchurch would attract up to ~40K. I'm not saying it'd sell out if it were held down there, but surely Christchurch would get more than 19K given these circumstances. Greater demand doesn't make up for inadequate supply. For that, Auckland would have to be rated the 3rd option, given Hamilton's expansion capacity with all the regional benefits Auckland has

We would attract more then 19,000 just like Chch. Remember it will be 25,000 if it is a good day and I am sure they wouldn't close the embankment if it was really crappy weather.

I'd be extremely surprised if Dunedin doesn't get a game before the next World Cup.

We are building New Zealand best stadium after all.

So if the rain comes down they just say "sorry to the 600 that bought embankment tickets, the game is being shown on Sky TV however.

600? maybe 6000?

I am not to sure about that. I wasn't the person who said they would close the embankments.

Prepare to be surprised then. Dunedin is a football wasteland.

I guess that is a point if people buy tickets to the embankment then they are told it is to wet to sit there.

Surely that can't happen.

Footpaul??

Via NZ Herald (I'm not implying that this makes it accurate):

So they wouldn't even open the embankment at all. 

So does that mean they would only presell up to 19,000, then open the embankment on the day as gate sales only if the weather suited it?

Look let's just stop the bitching and just agree that the right place for this game is Carisbrook.

I am not bitching, its called discussing it.

Suddenly I regret mentioning Dunedin...

Sorry I didn't mean it like that Was totally a joke.

Robb you said you wanted to go to Carisbrook. Don't go for eggball. Go for the game you love instead   

I like eggball just fine, just not as much as football 

What's wrong with football at Carisbrook? We had an under-17 tourney there once. It was sweet   

@NHPeter - so what is the story with the embankment and do they pre-sell that area or not?

I wish NZF would just make a decision already. Are we waiting for them to look over applications from cities or something?

I can't see how they can pre-sell it. Imagine 6000 people getting tickets for that area and then it gets closed because of the rain. There would be mayhem.

Really? That would be news to me.

If the game is at NHS. I would have booked my tickets nice and early for Block 5. BLOCK 5 ARMY!!!!

Bloc... no k.

Sorry Sir.