Woohoo! Go All Whites!

[Maha]

Well, I am so proud of our boys...They did it, they got to the world cup and proved the doubters wrong...they were not there just to fill in the numbers and they did not embarrass themselves or us as a country.

From stregnth to stregnth...This year we proved we had a team, next time lets prove we can field a team that wins!

Yes a team that can win.

Alot to that statement Bren, all well in good resulting a draw but to progress in any competition you must result a win.
In saying that, the AW's can return home with the heads held high, no shame what so ever in not progessing further this time round.

All White player of the moment.....that Goal Keeper without doubt.

[JimO]

Yes a team that can win.

Alot to that statement Bren, all well in good resulting a draw but to progress in any competition you must result a win.
In saying that, the AW's can return home with the heads held high, no shame what so ever in not progessing further this time round.

All White player of the moment.....that Goal Keepr without doubt.

considering the money spent developing football in NZ compared to the money spent by other countrys we got a great result, Mark Paxton the goalie works for a living, probably the only goalie in the competition who isnt on a multi million dolar contract (the Italian goalie earns 22mill a year) our coach earns 50k the aussie coach earns 1.5mil .....sure they didnt win but they didnt lose either, everyone including most enzlanders didnt give them a chance and were hoping they didnt embarrass nz to much, comparing competitions they did far better than the all blacks at the last world cup ( a major embarrassment) who were expected to win but didnt..fucken good on them

[Winston001]

Thank God that's over. I watched the game, and that's probably the last soccer game I'll watch. A hell of an achievement though, especially as the Paraguayans looked like much better players, but 93 minutes to get a nil-all draw?

I'm with you!

I guess it is just me, but I don't have to have something happening goal/wicket/runs etc every few seconds. I am happy to watch an enthralling (to me) contest. I used to enjoy the old 6-3 test matches where a win was ground out. The new high speed rugby can be fun to watch but isn't as absorbing (for me anyway). Plus I don't understand the rules anymore.

I think the drive for sports as an entertainment package is killing it as a contest. Sure some nil all draws are boring. But some are bloody thrilling. Some will never like football no matter what the score is and that is fine too.

I love both football and test cricket. I don't mind if a game is a draw. Sometimes that is the right result. Although I love the drama of penalty shoot outs too, been in my fair share of those. Sometimes as a keeper and sometimes as a striker. I would much rather be the keeper.

Fair enough and it would be a boring world if we all liked the same things. I understand the appeal of test cricket but it doesn't work for me. The 20/20 game looks like the future.

All power to the All Whites who played far above their ranking and set alight a country. Respect. :

But honestly, soccer has a long way to go as a binding spectacle. The proof of that I suggest, is the game highlights which consist purely of kicks at the goal. Nothing else. There are blinding moments of skill elsewhere on the field but no - its only worth re-screening if its at the goal. Compare that with rugby/league/gridiron/baseball/basketball/tennis - all games where excitement can occur at any moment and plenty of it. Soccer is sadly bland by comparison.

Soccer works because of its simplicity. Cool. But IMHO the game needs more scoring so increase the size of the goal and get rid of the off-side rule. Or lets have 14 players.

Global sports money is driven by television and that means increasing pressure for games to fit TV schedules. 90 minutes without quarter breaks doesn't work. In the rugby camp the future may lie with Sevens Tournaments. Huge crowds, fast games, plenty of points. Not my cup of tea but there is a logic there.

[Drunken Monkey]

But honestly, soccer has a long way to go as a binding spectacle.

Maybe to you, most of the rest of the sports following world doesn't agree...

[scracha]

Brilliant stuff, undefeated amongst the worlds elite footballing nations, well done the All whites! Only got England left to support now against the old enemy (Germany), on current form they'll be on their way home shortly after that game but you just never know with footy....

Bhwhahah. As a Scotsman I've only got Germany to support against the old enemy :-)

[Iggy]

I am very proud of the All whites on what they have achieved at this World Cup, but in my opinion and I mean no disrepect to our current squad, we have got the basics covered as far as Paston and the back three of Reid,Nelson and Smith but we need to have more creative midfield players who can hold the ball and pass more confidently and I would keep possibly Smeltz and Wood in the forwards.
I just feel that in spite of our fabulous results from our boys, we should have pushed forward to create more chances in the last 10 minutes of the Paraguay Game as we had nothing to lose but in saying that this Paraguay team did not allow us to play to our strengths so in a nut shell thats football and we will build from this experience for the future.

[Kendog]

But honestly, soccer has a long way to go as a binding spectacle.

Really, so I guess not many people will bother watching the rest of the world cup.
The final probaly wont get many viewers either, only an estimated 715 million people watched the last final.

[MadDuck]

only an estimated 715 million people watched the last final.

Is that all? Would hate to pay for advertising in that time slot

[Kendog]

Is that all? Would hate to pay for advertising in that time slot

Plenty of time to include advertising in the 73,072 hours of tv coverage that event had I am guessing.
So maybe 90 minutes without quarter breaks does work.

[DMNTD:Me]

[wysper]

But honestly, soccer has a long way to go as a binding spectacle. The proof of that I suggest, is the game highlights which consist purely of kicks at the goal. Nothing else.

as do every other sport.

Highlight is the scoring moment or carnage. Doesn't matter what the sport. Football is no different.

Rugby is the tries or penalty kicks or smashed em bro
League is tries or smashed em bro
Basketball is dunks or three pointers or smashed em bro
Motorsport is accidents or insane passes
Cricket is wickets, boundries or fielding mishaps

Football is goals or broken bones (or the academy award winning diving - the part of football I truly hate)

[wysper]

I am very proud of the All whites on what they have achieved at this World Cup, but in my opinion and I mean no disrepect to our current squad, we have got the basics covered as far as Paston and the back three of Reid,Nelson and Smith but we need to have more creative midfield players who can hold the ball and pass more confidently and I would keep possibly Smeltz and Wood in the forwards.
I just feel that in spite of our fabulous results from our boys, we should have pushed forward to create more chances in the last 10 minutes of the Paraguay Game as we had nothing to lose but in saying that this Paraguay team did not allow us to play to our strengths so in a nut shell thats football and we will build from this experience for the future.

Unfortunately we don't have the same touch and speed as the top nations. Those guys are playing football in the womb!

Really, so I guess not many people will bother watching the rest of the world cup.
The final probaly wont get many viewers either, only an estimated 715 million people watched the last final.

I will be watching.
I watched the two of the four games this morning.

I will watch several of the games of the final 16. There are some pretty good games to come.

All to play for now. Most teams will want to avoid penalties. Especially England mwahahahah

[GOONR]

....

I will be watching.
I watched the two of the four games this morning.

I will watch several of the games of the final 16. There are some pretty good games to come.

All to play for now. Most teams will want to avoid penalties. Especially England mwahahahah

+1 for watching the rest, I've got MySky so record them.

[martybabe]

Just a little titbit that may interest yawl. From British news item last night. The sports reporter was playing a pretend game of keepy upy and was complemented on his skills, he was regarded as nearly skilful enough to play for the all whites however the reporter rejected the complement saying he was no where near good enough to play for the legend that is the All whites, high praise indeed.

A little factoid: The all Blacks have never returned from a World cup undefeated, the All whites have...fair play boys.

[oldrider]

Just a little titbit that may interest yawl. From British news item last night. The sports reporter was playing a pretend game of keepy upy and was complemented on his skills, he was regarded as nearly skilful enough to play for the all whites however the reporter rejected the complement saying he was no where near good enough to play for the legend that is the All whites, high praise indeed.

A little factoid: The all Blacks have never returned from a World cup undefeated, the All whites have...fair play boys.

True but for years they knew how to win! When the AW's learn how to do that, they might be worth following!