March 25, 2025 • 19 mins
Since 1930, across 22 editions of the Fifa Mens World Cup, only two New Zealand teams have featured on the biggest football stage, in 1982 and 2010.
Now there will be three.
The All Whites have qualified for the 2026 Fifa World Cup – after a three nil win over New Caledonia in front of a home crowd at Eden Park.
After a successful job co-hosting the womens tournament in 2023, and a strong run from new team Auckland FC in the A-League, what does the future of football look like in New Zealand?
Today on The Front Page, Newstalk ZB’s and keen football fan Jason Pine is with us to talk about football on and off the pitch.
Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.
Host: Chelsea Daniels
Sound Engineer/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Yoda.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, a
daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald since nineteen thirty,
across twenty two editions of the FIFA Men's World Cup,
only two New Zealand teams have featured on the biggest
football stage, in nineteen eighty two and twenty ten. Now
(00:30):
there will be three four board and.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Chol's teammatee Head North America. Save it again and again
and savor every word. New Zealand are going to the
Football World Cup.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
The All Whites have qualified for the twenty twenty six
FIFA World Cup after a three nail win over New
Caledonia in front of a home crowd at Eden Park.
After a successful job co hosting the women's tournament in
twenty twenty three and a strong run from new team
Auckland DEFC in the A League. What does the future
of football look like in New Zealand Today? On the
(01:11):
Front Page, News Talks That'd be host and keen football
fan Jason Pine is with us to talk about football
on and off the pitch. Piney, you got to commentate
this game. You were there at Eden Park for this
big moment. What was the atmosphere there like and what
(01:32):
was that moment like for you?
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Atmosphere was great. It was for a Monday night in Auckland.
I thought the crowd was terrific, twenty five thousand turning
up there. Yes, it's a pretty special occasion when New
Zealand can, at the end of the game qualify for
a Football World Cup. That doesn't come along very often.
I have to say the atmosphere of the game changed
markedly during the first half and then I think a
lot of people were turning up to watch a comfortable
(01:56):
New Zealand victory. We got to halftime, it was still
mill all. After an hour, Chris Wood, our main man,
comes off injured, it's still nil all and the atmosphere
in the ground just started to ever so slightly changed.
But when the goal with the first goal went in,
just the relief in the elation mixed together was palpable.
Second goal goes in and then at the end when
they've qualified, it was really cool. So yeah, a great
(02:17):
occasion to be a part of.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
I've heard actually from people and mates who have been
to the Auckland f C games in particular, but the
atmosphere is quite different to a rugby match. Is that right?
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Absolutely? Yeah, it could not be could not be more
different really, I think you know, a lot of us
have been to rugby games. You know, we know we
are a big rugby country. We pride ourselves on that.
But often apart from a little bit of all blacks clap, clap, clap,
that's pretty much all there is at a football game.
There is NonStop chanting and singing and just they call
it active support, and that's really what it is. You
(02:50):
don't just sit there. You become part of the atmosphere.
Auckland FC have definitely got it. The all Whites had
it last night. They call themselves white noise when it
comes to the all whites, So yeah, that just adds
the atmosphere. And I think when people are there who
aren't part of that active support, they feel fine about
also becoming a little bit more involved rather than just
sort of sitting there waiting for a try to happen
so they can cheer.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
You know.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
Yeah, and that's something that struck me as well.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Obviously, being in an Aussie and a South Aussie at that
I hadn't been too many rugby games, but I've been
to a lot of what we call footy matches, so
the AFL, and when I've gone to rugby matches here,
I was like, why is everyone quiet? When my dad
goes to a footy match, he comes home with no voice.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Yeah, it's quite different here. Maybe we're a bit more reserved.
I think, you know, we look, we get excited. It's
about rugby games. I've been at rugby games as I'm
sure you have, where you know there is high excitement.
I think the thing with football is that in rugby
tries are quite frequent. You know, you might have ten
or twelve in a game. Often in football there's only
one or two goals, and it's the explosion of joy
(03:48):
that accompanies those goals. I just love the roar of
the crowd. There's that little, almost split second of silence
as everybody holds their breath as a SHOT's being taken
or a ball is being played in, and then the
ball hits the back of the net and then there's
this spontaneous, simultaneous raw and I just love that sound.
It's one of the things I love most about football
(04:09):
is the reaction from the crowd when a goal is scored.
So yes, perhaps it's a rarity of goals compared to rugby,
where there are a lot of tries. But yeah, I
think it's also cultural. We like to be a bit
more understated here in New Zealand.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
I have to tell my dad then, well, if Chris.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Ud congratulations have qualified for the World Cup.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
I know there's some personal pain, but I imagine that pales
into significance to how.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
You're feeling rain.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Yeah, definitely, it's fantastic.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
This is what the country has been weighing for for
the last twelve years. I've heartbreaken things like that since
we've gone through Mexico.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Crew and our costra Ethia.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
So it's come out on top this time around. It's fantastic.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
So what does this mean for the all Whites to
qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Well, I think every young boy or girl who grows
up playing sport wants to play at its pinnacle events
and for football as that is the World Cup. So
first things first, they will get the opportunity, this group
of young men and slightly older men to go to
the World Cup next year. They've earned automatic qualification. The
World Cup is widely regarded as the pinnacle certainly of football,
(05:17):
but also it's one of the big sporting events full
stop in the world. It creates profile, it puts the
game front and center of the consciousness of the not
just the sporting public, but the general public here and
as far as New Zealand football is concerned. It's a
financial windfall also because teams that make the World Cup
get quite a substantial payout from FIFA, which they can
then reinvest into the game at all levels, not just
(05:40):
into the elite sides. A lot of that money can
go to administering and managing the game at grassroots and
amateur levels, so and junior level of course as well.
So by two or three metrics, it's quite significant what's.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Happened in football in this country over the past fifteen
years to get us back to this moment.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
I think the advent of a profession club and now
clubs plural has certainly helped the Wellington Phoenix, you know,
coming into existence in two thousand and seven, led I
think anyway directly to Kwards qualification in twenty ten. Yes,
it's been a little bit of time between drinks since then,
but if you look at the current squad, I think
this is as good a roster as we've ever had
players playing in good leagues around the world. Chris Wood
(06:20):
is playing in the Premier League, Libby CACACI in the
top flight in Italy, others playing in the United States
and other parts of Europe, up in Asia. Here in
New Zealand as well with Auckland ft C or Wellington Phoenix.
So the standard of our players has lifted immeasurably due
to more and more of them playing professionally. You know,
when they come together in the national side now they're
also not just there to make up the numbers anymore.
(06:41):
When they get to the World Cup next year, it
won't just be ohh wow, We're at the World Cup.
Isn't this great? It's like, no, we're here now. Our
job is to win football matches. So we're going to
try and win some games at the World Cup, not
just be at the World Cup.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Who are some of the star players that have contributed
to this. I mean Chris Wood that you mentioned is
obviously our big football star at the moment with his
record breaking success with Nottingham Forest Day.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Yep, he's the man and what a season he's having
in the Premier League. He's New Zealand's main man all
time leading goalscorer, closing in on all time leading appearance maker,
and just the leader of the side in more ways
than one. Yes, he wears the captain's armband, leads the
site out all of that, but just the way he
is around camp has to be so influential to some
of the younger players. They look at him, the way
(07:22):
he looks after himself, nutrition, exercise, recovery, and even the
way he deals with the media and with the fans.
And I think every other player says, well, okay, well,
if Chris Wood can sign autographs for an hour, then
I'm going to do that as well. He's the obvious one.
I mentioned Libby Cacaci, but of the younger cohort Marco
Staminich is a player I think who will go on
to be a terrific player for us. And there's a
(07:42):
young kid, youngest in the squad. Actually it's a name
to remember. His name is Tyler Binden. He started in
central defense last night and he, for me, is one
of the best talents I've seen for quite some time.
So there are a lot of them, and more to Carmen,
you know a lot of those players in the lead
up to last night, talked about how they'd been in
the crowd watching the all whites qualifying in two thousand
(08:02):
and nine. I'm sure that there are young boys and
girls in that crowd at Eden Park last night who
will be sparked towards perhaps being one of the next
ones ten or fifteen years down the track.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
Now it's not just the national level.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Hey, Auckland DEFC joined the current A League season last
year and they have just been killing it. They've won
twelve games out of twenty so far, the most of
any team in the league.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
How have they pulled that off? Do you reckon?
Speaker 1 (08:28):
What a great question. Yeah, I've been trying to work
that out all season myself. Actually, accommodation of things, good
recruitment is one. They've recruited some very good players. You're
about five overseas players in the A League, and all
five of their overseas players have, you know, have been hits.
Often you get the occasional miss, you know, you'll see
some footage of a player and think, well, he looks
like he's got a bit about him, and they turn
(08:49):
up and then nothing like that at all. All five
of auckland f season ports have been terrific they've recruited well.
The rest of the team are mainly Key Weeks and
I think that's helped in gaining a connection with the
fan base. So on the field, I think they're just
a very very good squad. But the way that they
have engaged the Auckland football community and made an Auckland
Left Sea game the place to be. We talked before
(09:11):
about the atmosphere at a ground. So many anecdotal examples
of people going to an Auckland Left Sea game for
the first time, going to a football game and go, man,
when's the next game? When can I come again? This
is amazing and so different from rugby. You know, the
Warriors have got their own atmosphere at a rugby league game.
They've really got something special going there. But for Auckland
(09:32):
Left Ce so early in their life to have already
just mobilized this incredible act of support is awesome. And yeah,
look they could make history. They could win the A
League in their very first season. No one's ever done
that apart from the first season of its existence, So yeah,
they're on track for something pretty special.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
How does that compare to the Wellington Phoenix. I'm not
here to pick a fight with you about your favorite
team Piney, but historically they haven't been perhaps well, they've
been a bit underwhelming compared to the Australian teams.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
I mean they've been there for eighteen years and never
won it, you know, and so you think to yourself, well,
what is it about this team that is that is
stopping them from you know, from finding success. And there
are a number of things which you know, we probably
don't have time to go into. Look I I yes,
I'm from Wellington, have watched the Phoenix since they came
into being in two thousand and seven. But I think
from a distance you can, you know, you can only
(10:21):
admire what Auckland f C have done and I think
what that'll do is make Wellington Phoenix lift their game.
They shouldn't need a local rival to do that. They should,
as you say, you know, be competing with the Australian
sides every year and they have you know, been in
the playoffs more often than not in the last five
or six years, but they've just been unable to take
that final step to a Grand Final and to winning
(10:42):
the things. So what it also does having Auckland f
C here is create a good environment for the players. Previously,
you know, a New Zealand player if the Wellington you know,
Welllington Phois was really their only destination if they wanted
to play professional football here. Now they've got two and
they can you know, push for perhaps better deal, better pay,
that sort of thing. So yeah, what I hope is
that Auckland FC will lift Wellington Phoenix as well. That
(11:04):
hasn't happened this year, but I think as the rivalry
goes on and intense effice, I hope anyway that Wellington
Phoenix will respond.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
We saw football gain popularity, especially during the Women's World Cup.
I remember going back home to Adelaide and the Matilda's
were absolutely everywhere. Do you think we've kept up that momentum.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
I'm not sure. I think you're right about the Matilda's
hottest ticket in Australia, you know, far more popular than
the soccer us, sold out stadiums wherever they go, and
what a case study in how to connect with a
fan base. Matilda's amazing football Ferns haven't had quite the
visibility here. In fact, they I think one of the
(11:56):
secrets of the Matilda's is they played at home a lot.
You know, they made an effort to bring those players back,
who are you know, playing in Europe and up in
the United States. But they said, no, we want to
keep this momentum going. We're going to bring players back regularly,
so they play at home half a dozen to ten
times a year. In the time since the twenty twenty
three World Cup, it's hard to, you know, to get
excited about any team, but the Football Ferns next game
(12:18):
is in Costa Rica. It's you know, it's it's you
can't meet the players, you can't get the selfies, you
can't get the autographs, you can't you see your your
heroes or your heroines. In this case, I think there
needs to be a greater focus pot on on getting
the Football Ferns back here because we've seen the last
week the all whites being here, big crowd in Wellington,
big crowd in Auckland's, lots of kids. Auckland FC. Look
(12:41):
that that place is full of kids on match day,
getting autographs, getting selfies, calling out to the players. They
know them by name, they're connecting to these players so
they see on TV and in person. I think if
the Football Ferns want to capitalize on yes, they didn't
have the tournament that Australia to do. But if they
want to capitalize on on women's football, they need to
have those players back here more often.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Football is obviously one of the world's biggest sports, but
a twenty twenty three national survey by A School, Sport
and Z found that football is the fifth biggest sport
with kids here, still a few thousand behind the likes
of netball, basketball, volleyball and rugby. Is it gaming popularity
do you think or do we need to do more
to get the kids playing the game.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
I think it's still quite popular with say kids, I
think under twelves, let's say, before we reached the teenage years.
I think junior football is very big, you know. I
think it's a it's often sent as a safe option
for you know, you hear a lot about soccer mum's
you know, they don't want they don't want their kids
to be necessarily, you know, run over by much bigger
kids in a game of rugby. And I know there
(13:42):
are different levels of contact and that sort of thing.
I think football does okay at the junior level. It's
retaining those players at secondary school, I think, which is
a big one. We know that we know first fifteens
at secondary school are are a big thing. Our first
eleven's the same. Not sure what are they some of
the other sports you mentioned, you know, basketball is just
(14:04):
really taking off. I know my son's school. You know,
there are seven senior basketball teams and only two senior
football teams. I know there are fewer players, so you've
got to take that with a grain of salt. But
basketball is being picked up by more and more kids. Football,
on any sport, we're they're all in a battle for
relevance and for at the elite level, for cutting through
(14:26):
what is a very crowded marketplace. But at the junior
level and through teenage years, kids have got a lot
of options, and not just sport, you know, so you've
got to make it attractive as attractive as you can.
It's a work in progress. You just got to what
you think you've done it, you haven't. You got to
keep on doing it.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
It was amazing, you know, it's not every day you
get to come back here and play in front of
this on team. I think how many people was it?
Five year? Twenty five thousand people turned out to watch
us play, and that's pretty special. You know, at home,
as well. Doesn't get bigger than.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
That as looked like for your tailand with all the
expectation or what it's being expected to win tonight expected
to win quite comfortably. That it's quite a tribute scenario.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Yeah. I think that's football right. Every team's favored to
winning at one stage and some teams are the underdogs.
And today we went underdogs and we had to deal
with that pressure. Another day we might be the underdogs.
It's just dealing with that in the moment and then
coming through.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Do you think having more professional club teams like Auckland
f C and the Phoenix is going to help encourage
more teams? Could we be seeing I don't know, like
a Dunedin Dynamo's or something, or I don't know Hamilton
Panthers or I don't know, Well I'm not going to
name them.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
No, no, no, no, well, thank goodness for that.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
No.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
There has been talk of a third A League team
from New Zealand, potentially in christ Church. I think that
would be it as far as the A League is concerned.
They are league are keen to expand. There are thirteen
teams at the moment. They're on record as saying they
want to get to sixteen or eighteen, you know, to
really flesh out their season, make it more attractive for broadcasters,
that sort of thing. And if you look at untapped markets,
(16:01):
there are a few in Australia. It's no team in Canberra,
for example, not a men's team anyway, there's a women's team,
no men's team in Canberra. That seems like an obvious
place some of the bigger places. Adelaide's a good example,
just the one team in Adelaide. There are two AFL
teams in Adelaide, So why shouldn't there be two football
teams in Adelaide. Christ Church I think would be a
welcome addition to the A League. I think Auckland, what
(16:22):
Auckland FC have done has proven that any doubt about
another New Zealand team was completely unfounded. In fact that
in many ways Auckland f C are the success story
on and off the pitch of the A League at
the moment. So I think, you know, if there was
to be a christ Church team coming or a team
based further south in Dunedin, you know christ Church appeals
because new stadium coming a bit more central as far
(16:45):
as the South Island is concerned, a bigger population, but yeah,
I would love to see it, and who knows. It
seemed fanciful a few years ago when they were trying
to kick Wellington Phoenix out. They didn't want any New
Zealand teams to now be talking about the possibility of three.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I think so far we've come now, Piney, I don't
want to rain on the All Whites parade, but New
Caledonia was ranked one hundred and fifty second in the world,
so it's perhaps not a huge surprise that the All
Whites won. Have they just cruised through the Oceania round
of the playoffs or do they actually stand a chance
of making it through.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
First things first is New Zealan can only play what's
in front of them. They don't decide the drawer. They
don't say, okay, we're only going to play in Oceannia.
That was that with an expanded World Cup of forty
eight teams. That was the format that was set up.
If you win Oceania, you go to the World Cup.
So that's nothing to do with them. They just play
what's in front of them. Absolutely, they will need to
lift their level at the World Cup next year. I mean,
(17:41):
for an hour last night, New Caledonia really tested them.
So you know, once we get to some actual footballing
superpowers who are up in the you know, the higher
echelons of the FIFA rankings, then absolutely they'll have to
lift their game. What they definitely need between now and
the World Cup next year is good games against good opposition.
New Zealan can only play games internetal windows, and there
are five of them left before the World Cup next year,
(18:04):
and you can play two games in each window, So
that's ten opportunities for New Zealand to play quality opposition,
spend time together as a team and get themselves ready
for the World Cup next year. Those ten matches have
to be well. First of all, they have to happen,
and I know there's planning going on behind the scenes.
There's already three games confirmed for this year in two
of the windows. But they simply have to have time
(18:25):
together against quality opposition because once they get to the
World Cup, Yeah, that is what they'll be there for.
They'll be there to not just make up the numbers,
not just be our Oceanny is representative here, a bit
of a token inclusion and an expanded World Cup, but
a team that actually can trouble, more credential footballing nations
and surprise a few people.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
Thanks for joining us plony.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Great Chelse, thank you.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
That's it for this episode of the Front Page. You
can read more about today's stories and extensive news comdge
at enzdherld dot co dot nz. The Front Page is
produced by Ethan Sills and Richard Martin, who is also
a sound engineer.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
I'm Chelsea Daniels.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Subscribe to the Front Page on iHeartRadio or wherever you
get your podcasts, and tune in tomorrow for another look
behind the headlines.
Yoda.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, a
daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald since nineteen thirty,
across twenty two editions of the FIFA Men's World Cup,
only two New Zealand teams have featured on the biggest
football stage, in nineteen eighty two and twenty ten. Now
(00:30):
there will be three four board and.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Chol's teammatee Head North America. Save it again and again
and savor every word. New Zealand are going to the
Football World Cup.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
The All Whites have qualified for the twenty twenty six
FIFA World Cup after a three nail win over New
Caledonia in front of a home crowd at Eden Park.
After a successful job co hosting the women's tournament in
twenty twenty three and a strong run from new team
Auckland DEFC in the A League. What does the future
of football look like in New Zealand Today? On the
(01:11):
Front Page, News Talks That'd be host and keen football
fan Jason Pine is with us to talk about football
on and off the pitch. Piney, you got to commentate
this game. You were there at Eden Park for this
big moment. What was the atmosphere there like and what
(01:32):
was that moment like for you?
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Atmosphere was great. It was for a Monday night in Auckland.
I thought the crowd was terrific, twenty five thousand turning
up there. Yes, it's a pretty special occasion when New
Zealand can, at the end of the game qualify for
a Football World Cup. That doesn't come along very often.
I have to say the atmosphere of the game changed
markedly during the first half and then I think a
lot of people were turning up to watch a comfortable
(01:56):
New Zealand victory. We got to halftime, it was still
mill all. After an hour, Chris Wood, our main man,
comes off injured, it's still nil all and the atmosphere
in the ground just started to ever so slightly changed.
But when the goal with the first goal went in,
just the relief in the elation mixed together was palpable.
Second goal goes in and then at the end when
they've qualified, it was really cool. So yeah, a great
(02:17):
occasion to be a part of.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
I've heard actually from people and mates who have been
to the Auckland f C games in particular, but the
atmosphere is quite different to a rugby match. Is that right?
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Absolutely? Yeah, it could not be could not be more
different really, I think you know, a lot of us
have been to rugby games. You know, we know we
are a big rugby country. We pride ourselves on that.
But often apart from a little bit of all blacks clap, clap, clap,
that's pretty much all there is at a football game.
There is NonStop chanting and singing and just they call
it active support, and that's really what it is. You
(02:50):
don't just sit there. You become part of the atmosphere.
Auckland FC have definitely got it. The all Whites had
it last night. They call themselves white noise when it
comes to the all whites, So yeah, that just adds
the atmosphere. And I think when people are there who
aren't part of that active support, they feel fine about
also becoming a little bit more involved rather than just
sort of sitting there waiting for a try to happen
so they can cheer.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
You know.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
Yeah, and that's something that struck me as well.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Obviously, being in an Aussie and a South Aussie at that
I hadn't been too many rugby games, but I've been
to a lot of what we call footy matches, so
the AFL, and when I've gone to rugby matches here,
I was like, why is everyone quiet? When my dad
goes to a footy match, he comes home with no voice.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Yeah, it's quite different here. Maybe we're a bit more reserved.
I think, you know, we look, we get excited. It's
about rugby games. I've been at rugby games as I'm
sure you have, where you know there is high excitement.
I think the thing with football is that in rugby
tries are quite frequent. You know, you might have ten
or twelve in a game. Often in football there's only
one or two goals, and it's the explosion of joy
(03:48):
that accompanies those goals. I just love the roar of
the crowd. There's that little, almost split second of silence
as everybody holds their breath as a SHOT's being taken
or a ball is being played in, and then the
ball hits the back of the net and then there's
this spontaneous, simultaneous raw and I just love that sound.
It's one of the things I love most about football
(04:09):
is the reaction from the crowd when a goal is scored.
So yes, perhaps it's a rarity of goals compared to rugby,
where there are a lot of tries. But yeah, I
think it's also cultural. We like to be a bit
more understated here in New Zealand.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
I have to tell my dad then, well, if Chris.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Ud congratulations have qualified for the World Cup.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
I know there's some personal pain, but I imagine that pales
into significance to how.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
You're feeling rain.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Yeah, definitely, it's fantastic.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
This is what the country has been weighing for for
the last twelve years. I've heartbreaken things like that since
we've gone through Mexico.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Crew and our costra Ethia.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
So it's come out on top this time around. It's fantastic.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
So what does this mean for the all Whites to
qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Well, I think every young boy or girl who grows
up playing sport wants to play at its pinnacle events
and for football as that is the World Cup. So
first things first, they will get the opportunity, this group
of young men and slightly older men to go to
the World Cup next year. They've earned automatic qualification. The
World Cup is widely regarded as the pinnacle certainly of football,
(05:17):
but also it's one of the big sporting events full
stop in the world. It creates profile, it puts the
game front and center of the consciousness of the not
just the sporting public, but the general public here and
as far as New Zealand football is concerned. It's a
financial windfall also because teams that make the World Cup
get quite a substantial payout from FIFA, which they can
then reinvest into the game at all levels, not just
(05:40):
into the elite sides. A lot of that money can
go to administering and managing the game at grassroots and
amateur levels, so and junior level of course as well.
So by two or three metrics, it's quite significant what's.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Happened in football in this country over the past fifteen
years to get us back to this moment.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
I think the advent of a profession club and now
clubs plural has certainly helped the Wellington Phoenix, you know,
coming into existence in two thousand and seven, led I
think anyway directly to Kwards qualification in twenty ten. Yes,
it's been a little bit of time between drinks since then,
but if you look at the current squad, I think
this is as good a roster as we've ever had
players playing in good leagues around the world. Chris Wood
(06:20):
is playing in the Premier League, Libby CACACI in the
top flight in Italy, others playing in the United States
and other parts of Europe, up in Asia. Here in
New Zealand as well with Auckland ft C or Wellington Phoenix.
So the standard of our players has lifted immeasurably due
to more and more of them playing professionally. You know,
when they come together in the national side now they're
also not just there to make up the numbers anymore.
(06:41):
When they get to the World Cup next year, it
won't just be ohh wow, We're at the World Cup.
Isn't this great? It's like, no, we're here now. Our
job is to win football matches. So we're going to
try and win some games at the World Cup, not
just be at the World Cup.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Who are some of the star players that have contributed
to this. I mean Chris Wood that you mentioned is
obviously our big football star at the moment with his
record breaking success with Nottingham Forest Day.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Yep, he's the man and what a season he's having
in the Premier League. He's New Zealand's main man all
time leading goalscorer, closing in on all time leading appearance maker,
and just the leader of the side in more ways
than one. Yes, he wears the captain's armband, leads the
site out all of that, but just the way he
is around camp has to be so influential to some
of the younger players. They look at him, the way
(07:22):
he looks after himself, nutrition, exercise, recovery, and even the
way he deals with the media and with the fans.
And I think every other player says, well, okay, well,
if Chris Wood can sign autographs for an hour, then
I'm going to do that as well. He's the obvious one.
I mentioned Libby Cacaci, but of the younger cohort Marco
Staminich is a player I think who will go on
to be a terrific player for us. And there's a
(07:42):
young kid, youngest in the squad. Actually it's a name
to remember. His name is Tyler Binden. He started in
central defense last night and he, for me, is one
of the best talents I've seen for quite some time.
So there are a lot of them, and more to Carmen,
you know a lot of those players in the lead
up to last night, talked about how they'd been in
the crowd watching the all whites qualifying in two thousand
(08:02):
and nine. I'm sure that there are young boys and
girls in that crowd at Eden Park last night who
will be sparked towards perhaps being one of the next
ones ten or fifteen years down the track.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
Now it's not just the national level.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Hey, Auckland DEFC joined the current A League season last
year and they have just been killing it. They've won
twelve games out of twenty so far, the most of
any team in the league.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
How have they pulled that off? Do you reckon?
Speaker 1 (08:28):
What a great question. Yeah, I've been trying to work
that out all season myself. Actually, accommodation of things, good
recruitment is one. They've recruited some very good players. You're
about five overseas players in the A League, and all
five of their overseas players have, you know, have been hits.
Often you get the occasional miss, you know, you'll see
some footage of a player and think, well, he looks
like he's got a bit about him, and they turn
(08:49):
up and then nothing like that at all. All five
of auckland f season ports have been terrific they've recruited well.
The rest of the team are mainly Key Weeks and
I think that's helped in gaining a connection with the
fan base. So on the field, I think they're just
a very very good squad. But the way that they
have engaged the Auckland football community and made an Auckland
Left Sea game the place to be. We talked before
(09:11):
about the atmosphere at a ground. So many anecdotal examples
of people going to an Auckland Left Sea game for
the first time, going to a football game and go, man,
when's the next game? When can I come again? This
is amazing and so different from rugby. You know, the
Warriors have got their own atmosphere at a rugby league game.
They've really got something special going there. But for Auckland
(09:32):
Left Ce so early in their life to have already
just mobilized this incredible act of support is awesome. And yeah,
look they could make history. They could win the A
League in their very first season. No one's ever done
that apart from the first season of its existence, So yeah,
they're on track for something pretty special.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
How does that compare to the Wellington Phoenix. I'm not
here to pick a fight with you about your favorite
team Piney, but historically they haven't been perhaps well, they've
been a bit underwhelming compared to the Australian teams.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
I mean they've been there for eighteen years and never
won it, you know, and so you think to yourself, well,
what is it about this team that is that is
stopping them from you know, from finding success. And there
are a number of things which you know, we probably
don't have time to go into. Look I I yes,
I'm from Wellington, have watched the Phoenix since they came
into being in two thousand and seven. But I think
from a distance you can, you know, you can only
(10:21):
admire what Auckland f C have done and I think
what that'll do is make Wellington Phoenix lift their game.
They shouldn't need a local rival to do that. They should,
as you say, you know, be competing with the Australian
sides every year and they have you know, been in
the playoffs more often than not in the last five
or six years, but they've just been unable to take
that final step to a Grand Final and to winning
(10:42):
the things. So what it also does having Auckland f
C here is create a good environment for the players. Previously,
you know, a New Zealand player if the Wellington you know,
Welllington Phois was really their only destination if they wanted
to play professional football here. Now they've got two and
they can you know, push for perhaps better deal, better pay,
that sort of thing. So yeah, what I hope is
that Auckland FC will lift Wellington Phoenix as well. That
(11:04):
hasn't happened this year, but I think as the rivalry
goes on and intense effice, I hope anyway that Wellington
Phoenix will respond.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
We saw football gain popularity, especially during the Women's World Cup.
I remember going back home to Adelaide and the Matilda's
were absolutely everywhere. Do you think we've kept up that momentum.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
I'm not sure. I think you're right about the Matilda's
hottest ticket in Australia, you know, far more popular than
the soccer us, sold out stadiums wherever they go, and
what a case study in how to connect with a
fan base. Matilda's amazing football Ferns haven't had quite the
visibility here. In fact, they I think one of the
(11:56):
secrets of the Matilda's is they played at home a lot.
You know, they made an effort to bring those players back,
who are you know, playing in Europe and up in
the United States. But they said, no, we want to
keep this momentum going. We're going to bring players back regularly,
so they play at home half a dozen to ten
times a year. In the time since the twenty twenty
three World Cup, it's hard to, you know, to get
excited about any team, but the Football Ferns next game
(12:18):
is in Costa Rica. It's you know, it's it's you
can't meet the players, you can't get the selfies, you
can't get the autographs, you can't you see your your
heroes or your heroines. In this case, I think there
needs to be a greater focus pot on on getting
the Football Ferns back here because we've seen the last
week the all whites being here, big crowd in Wellington,
big crowd in Auckland's, lots of kids. Auckland FC. Look
(12:41):
that that place is full of kids on match day,
getting autographs, getting selfies, calling out to the players. They
know them by name, they're connecting to these players so
they see on TV and in person. I think if
the Football Ferns want to capitalize on yes, they didn't
have the tournament that Australia to do. But if they
want to capitalize on on women's football, they need to
have those players back here more often.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Football is obviously one of the world's biggest sports, but
a twenty twenty three national survey by A School, Sport
and Z found that football is the fifth biggest sport
with kids here, still a few thousand behind the likes
of netball, basketball, volleyball and rugby. Is it gaming popularity
do you think or do we need to do more
to get the kids playing the game.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
I think it's still quite popular with say kids, I
think under twelves, let's say, before we reached the teenage years.
I think junior football is very big, you know. I
think it's a it's often sent as a safe option
for you know, you hear a lot about soccer mum's
you know, they don't want they don't want their kids
to be necessarily, you know, run over by much bigger
kids in a game of rugby. And I know there
(13:42):
are different levels of contact and that sort of thing.
I think football does okay at the junior level. It's
retaining those players at secondary school, I think, which is
a big one. We know that we know first fifteens
at secondary school are are a big thing. Our first
eleven's the same. Not sure what are they some of
the other sports you mentioned, you know, basketball is just
(14:04):
really taking off. I know my son's school. You know,
there are seven senior basketball teams and only two senior
football teams. I know there are fewer players, so you've
got to take that with a grain of salt. But
basketball is being picked up by more and more kids. Football,
on any sport, we're they're all in a battle for
relevance and for at the elite level, for cutting through
(14:26):
what is a very crowded marketplace. But at the junior
level and through teenage years, kids have got a lot
of options, and not just sport, you know, so you've
got to make it attractive as attractive as you can.
It's a work in progress. You just got to what
you think you've done it, you haven't. You got to
keep on doing it.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
It was amazing, you know, it's not every day you
get to come back here and play in front of
this on team. I think how many people was it?
Five year? Twenty five thousand people turned out to watch
us play, and that's pretty special. You know, at home,
as well. Doesn't get bigger than.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
That as looked like for your tailand with all the
expectation or what it's being expected to win tonight expected
to win quite comfortably. That it's quite a tribute scenario.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Yeah. I think that's football right. Every team's favored to
winning at one stage and some teams are the underdogs.
And today we went underdogs and we had to deal
with that pressure. Another day we might be the underdogs.
It's just dealing with that in the moment and then
coming through.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Do you think having more professional club teams like Auckland
f C and the Phoenix is going to help encourage
more teams? Could we be seeing I don't know, like
a Dunedin Dynamo's or something, or I don't know Hamilton
Panthers or I don't know, Well I'm not going to
name them.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
No, no, no, no, well, thank goodness for that.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
No.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
There has been talk of a third A League team
from New Zealand, potentially in christ Church. I think that
would be it as far as the A League is concerned.
They are league are keen to expand. There are thirteen
teams at the moment. They're on record as saying they
want to get to sixteen or eighteen, you know, to
really flesh out their season, make it more attractive for broadcasters,
that sort of thing. And if you look at untapped markets,
(16:01):
there are a few in Australia. It's no team in Canberra,
for example, not a men's team anyway, there's a women's team,
no men's team in Canberra. That seems like an obvious
place some of the bigger places. Adelaide's a good example,
just the one team in Adelaide. There are two AFL
teams in Adelaide, So why shouldn't there be two football
teams in Adelaide. Christ Church I think would be a
welcome addition to the A League. I think Auckland, what
(16:22):
Auckland FC have done has proven that any doubt about
another New Zealand team was completely unfounded. In fact that
in many ways Auckland f C are the success story
on and off the pitch of the A League at
the moment. So I think, you know, if there was
to be a christ Church team coming or a team
based further south in Dunedin, you know christ Church appeals
because new stadium coming a bit more central as far
(16:45):
as the South Island is concerned, a bigger population, but yeah,
I would love to see it, and who knows. It
seemed fanciful a few years ago when they were trying
to kick Wellington Phoenix out. They didn't want any New
Zealand teams to now be talking about the possibility of three.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I think so far we've come now, Piney, I don't
want to rain on the All Whites parade, but New
Caledonia was ranked one hundred and fifty second in the world,
so it's perhaps not a huge surprise that the All
Whites won. Have they just cruised through the Oceania round
of the playoffs or do they actually stand a chance
of making it through.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
First things first is New Zealan can only play what's
in front of them. They don't decide the drawer. They
don't say, okay, we're only going to play in Oceannia.
That was that with an expanded World Cup of forty
eight teams. That was the format that was set up.
If you win Oceania, you go to the World Cup.
So that's nothing to do with them. They just play
what's in front of them. Absolutely, they will need to
lift their level at the World Cup next year. I mean,
(17:41):
for an hour last night, New Caledonia really tested them.
So you know, once we get to some actual footballing
superpowers who are up in the you know, the higher
echelons of the FIFA rankings, then absolutely they'll have to
lift their game. What they definitely need between now and
the World Cup next year is good games against good opposition.
New Zealan can only play games internetal windows, and there
are five of them left before the World Cup next year,
(18:04):
and you can play two games in each window, So
that's ten opportunities for New Zealand to play quality opposition,
spend time together as a team and get themselves ready
for the World Cup next year. Those ten matches have
to be well. First of all, they have to happen,
and I know there's planning going on behind the scenes.
There's already three games confirmed for this year in two
of the windows. But they simply have to have time
(18:25):
together against quality opposition because once they get to the
World Cup, Yeah, that is what they'll be there for.
They'll be there to not just make up the numbers,
not just be our Oceanny is representative here, a bit
of a token inclusion and an expanded World Cup, but
a team that actually can trouble, more credential footballing nations
and surprise a few people.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
Thanks for joining us plony.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Great Chelse, thank you.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
That's it for this episode of the Front Page. You
can read more about today's stories and extensive news comdge
at enzdherld dot co dot nz. The Front Page is
produced by Ethan Sills and Richard Martin, who is also
a sound engineer.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
I'm Chelsea Daniels.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Subscribe to the Front Page on iHeartRadio or wherever you
get your podcasts, and tune in tomorrow for another look
behind the headlines.
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