Post World Cup Friendies Angst

Well in over a decade I have yet to see a single football writer or any other sports writer make any sort of meaningful mention of the importance of the proper coaching of the 5-12 year old age group. No major articles addressing the issue from any of them.

Stack, you may have missed this thread: http://www.yellowfever.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13501
A similar discussion started but never really took off. I think most people were more focussed on our world cup success at that stage.

It was a joke.

So your beef is actually around media coverage of grassroots football, specifically the coaching of 5-12 year olds?

To be fair, I don't think Gourdie should be hung out to dry for missing that one of his list of "things New Zealand Football MUST do after the World Cup". The football media are primarily interested in the All Whites, just as the rugby media are primarily interested in the All Blacks. Sure, they could do more reporting on grassroots football, but the truth is it's just not interesting enough to enough people. What next? An NZFC highlights show on TV? Are you mad?

As you pointed out yourself the All Whites are the shop window for football in New Zealand and if the media's going to talk about anything it's going to be them. Which brings us all the way back to why it is very important that people are talking about who's going to play for the All Whites against Honduras/Paraguay and fair enough that that should be the focus of people like Gourdie right now.

Thanks, missed it first time round.

No, the beef is that the most important thing going forward and "capitalizing" on the All Whites success is NOT whether or not Winston Reid plays in some friendly.
The beef is that in over a decade i have yet to see a single football or sports writer actually recognize or have an in depth look at what will actually help us move forward.
My beef is that the focus is on peripheral bollocks.

But there's no story in that Stack.

Now a $15 per child levy as part of a clubs extortionate junior fees and therefore NZ Football killing the game, that's a story.  Particularly when you compare it to other sports and lay the blame at the foot of New Zealand football without researching the charges for other clubs around the country.

Why are you so bothered about what the media think when there is evidence of progress forward anyway? If the media pick up a football story then great. If not, let's just get on with it.

And I think you are understating the importance of Nelsen, Reid, Smith and Wood making an appearance here in October.


terminator_x2010-08-23 22:16:46

Enjoying your contribution. However I dont think that is the story yet Stack. It may well have its place after the All Whites games, a what now follow up.

It seems to me that you need an attack on several fronts, building the demand,  having the back up programmes in place to follow up and build the skills, good pathways for youth to follow, competitions/rep games that have meaning,  and continued opportunities to see NZ in action at all levels.

I think it is a good step to make the most of the surge of interest now. Youngsters have had stories of their heroes doing well in South Africa, seen them on TV in those games and every night for a while in the news. Now give them the chance to see them playing in the flesh, playing on local grounds instead of thousands of miles away while momentum and interest is strong. I realise the Wellingtonians  get a chance to see the Nix every 2 weeks, but the rest of the country (Auckland in particular) are starved of opportunities. The real drawcards are the players in the Premier league Nelsen Reid, Wood and Smith, I think it is vital that they come.

Then get the publicity going for the next stage, stories of success by coaches (you as an example). Hard to get stories in papers I know. One way we are doing this (to do with my work) is to get the stories written by people we know with journalistic knowledge, handing a well written story to the paper on a plate with a local slant somehow in them. Then they slot it in if they can.

Lots of generalising there but anyway good luck with your efforts, good to hear of someone walking the talk

hepatitis, Im not talking about my coaching here. i tend to coach the older age groups and because Im involved at rep level etc, embarrasingly sometimes I find myself getting credit for good players when the work was done by some awesome anonymous coach earlier in the machinery.

Every couple of years or so i have a rant on the subject and then crawl back into my hole.

if you are up here in Auckland try and get along to the 3 kings Small Whites tournament in early October. Its amazing, 3 days with everything anyone could ever want in watching football. 9 year olds and under and among the best teams the quality is staggering.
One day maybe the tv channels might bother to give it some decent coverage.

Stack - I think you're covering 2 issues here.  (1) is coaching at junior level, (2) is media coverage of grass roots football.  You obviously have an interest in both.

actually what Im trying to get across is that for NZ to improve the most important thing is the coaching of the 5-12 year olds and not whether or not a player comes home for a friendly match. The focus is always on the wrong thing.
Its not the covering of the kids tournament thats key here, its the awareness of just how vital decent junior coaching is and my argument with respect to the football and sports media is that they simply havent got a clue. If they did have a clue someone would have been pushing this barrow in the media.

It really is the most important thing the 5-12 year olds. Absolutely, without question.


The standard of the NZFC will not improve if the technical abilities of the players arent improved and the backbone of that technical issue is done before they hit 14. If the core fundamental technical basics arent of a sufficient quality before they hit youth football then sadly they never will be.

Without improving the quality of the 5-12s then all future age group world cup sides will not progress past the group stages. Without our age group world cup sides making further progress we wont see an increase in numbers making it in meaningful bigger leagues overseas.

You find it odd that aside from Tony Smith nobody has questioned if Ricki should continue, I find it odd that nobody is questioning if we are producing the quality of kids capable of pushing the All Whites to the next level.

http://tvnz.co.nz/all-whites/nz-football-banking-success-3728187/video

"the truth is that is because...."

is not correct.

Stack, have a read of these, it might cheer you up a little

Awesome nightz, definately cheered me up.

Hope you emailed Tom and thanked him , these people need encouragement.

Yahoo, just bought tickets to both games. I have been a very good boy and go with my wife's full blessing. Had to take her with me to Auckland though, but will drop her off at her sister's place.

so what s this story about tickets being sold? Last time I asked on here I was told that they would go on sale on Sept 6th or something??! I ll ring in the morning..hopefully they still have fever zone tickets

Go via the link on the front of this site [and top of this page]. I'm not in the White Noise zones but got seats smack bang in the middle of the stand. At North Harbour WN is really close to the middle of the park.

thanks

what's the max number of tickets you can get? trying to get 8 but it won't let me :(

Have emailed him just now!. BTW, the photo you have as your avatar.... I took it. ha!

$49 and $39, surly these games have to sell out.

$44 if you want a flag

Got my tickets today:

You'd think so wouldn't you, great prices - hope they remain like this in the future.

Ooooh, Welly's winning!

Any idea of what this flag looks like? is it just a paper thing? everyone else going to be using it?

n

how can you buy tickets already?

Nix members can I believe.

As far as I am aware there was a 2 day pre sale. Then the tickets go on sale Sept 6th

Happy days, how did you manage to not get me in that pic?

Reckon we're gonna need a separate PAX thread once general sales are out there. Start talking these bad boys up! Be good to get a bit of hype once tickets actually go on sale.
Start telling everyone the internet presales mean they're going like hotcakes  (just to get em rushing for the tickets)

cnt wait for my next hit

Wellington will be a sell out, Auckland wont get ten thousand.