Ricki Herbert: Former All Whites Coach on New Zealand being two games away from qualifying for the World Cup

The All Whites are just two games away from securing a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

Tonight they take on Fiji as part of the second semi-final. 

If they win they'll head back to Auckland on Monday, giving one last fight for a place in the world's biggest sporting event. 

Former All Whites Coach Ricki Herbert talks to Ryan Bridge. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The All Whites are just two games away from securing
a spot at the fee for World Cup. This is
twenty twenty six. They take on Fiji tonight in the
Capitol as part of the second semi final. All things
going well, they'll head back to Auckland on Monday for
the final and a place at the world's biggest sporting event.
Ricky Herbert is the former All Whites coaches with me now, Hi, Ricky, Hi?

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Ryan? Thanks?

Speaker 1 (00:21):
Yeah, good, thank you. The All Whites are They're a
shoeing here, aren't they.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Look you'd like to think so, but you know, let's
pay respect. This is going to be a wonderful opportunity
for Fiji to showcase themselves as well, given the direct entry.
So I'm sure there'll be massive motivation coming from the
opposition camp as well. But one would like to think
we should be good enough to win tonight.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Yeah, there'll be some fingers crossed, but I'm sure not
too hard. Is the qualifying A lot of talk this
week about the qualifying process for the World Cup? Is
it too easy now that they've removed that into a
continental playoff?

Speaker 2 (01:01):
Oh? Look, I think it changes the landscape, doesn't it
quite quite simply who you have to play. I mean,
ironically we've got two home games, send me final the
final on our own back door stap hopefully, so you
know that bodes well for us. We're not traveling to
different parts of the world to play in a way fixture,
et cetera, et cetera. So yeah, the end of the day, though, Ryan,
we've still got to step up tonight. We've got to

(01:22):
get the job done. That's the main concentration. This is
the one that can take us through to our final,
to give us that shot to be back in twenty
twenty six and appear and you know our field will
cut which would be outstanding. So look, why can't our
confederation have the right to be there? You know, and
I think you know, talking about it the other day,

(01:43):
it's it's getting through this and like I say, fingers crossed,
we get through it. But then it's making a statement
at the World Cup as well. And you know, can
we add on from twenty ten and win some fixtures,
we'll get out of the group and really make a
statement again worldwide. So that's the It's the big outcome
for me is let's go and deliver at a World

(02:03):
Cup in twenty twenty six, and you know, make people
stand up and go, Yes, we certainly deserve to be there.

Speaker 1 (02:10):
Well, let's hope it happened, Ricky, thank you very much
for being with me. Ricky Herbert for more, All Whites Coach.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive.

Speaker 1 (02:17):
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