Credit to NZ, an outstanding WC for them. To all you Kiwis out there, be proud of your team. To not lose in the WC is a great feat by your team especially considering the teams in your group. Again, be proud of your team.


What do you think about the FourFourTwo article Proud Kiwis Go Out Undefeated?
BRAVE New Zealand exited the World Cup undefeated after a 0-0 with Paraguay proved just not quite good enough to keep them in the competition.

Have your say.

yep. agreed.
3 draws.
top bloody effort.
better than italy, the shit****s.

Weird to say I'm dissapointed that we didn't win but the boys did the country proud. Undefeated at the world cup and finishing above the World Champions.Who would be stupid enough to say that we didn't deserve to be there now.

Perhaps now Australia will play us more often.

Well done boys and also a good effort from the
Socceroos.

Respect Teza.
Respect.
:)

I always stood up for the kiwis when mymates or family insulted them. And I was right. They are by far not the worst team in the world cup. Now that they have done this people will show more respect. Well done kiwis hold your heads high! Also if Herbert doesn't sign vicelich and Elliot the wphx he is mad!

going undefeated, and seeing italy sent packing feels strange. As a supporter, I would liken it to meeting ryan nelsen, for him to promptly kick you in the head.

painful, but somewhat enjoyable and fulfilling too.

They didnt play the best game tonight.. should have gone forward a little earlier.. created a few good chances when they all pushed up near the end.

But what an amazing world cup.. dont think a single person would have picked new zealand to come throu undefeated at the start.

If someone had told me 2 weeks ago I would be slightly dissapointed at missing out on the next round I would have laughed, but for about 30 seconds I had a slightly empty feeling.

So proud of the team, never stopped working for each other and the country. Unbeaten and in front of Italy at the WC.

Good stuff by the Kiwi's, wish they had of been more attacking tonight and got the result they needed. Now the tough part, slumming around in Oceania for the next few years waiting for the playoff again.

I think nz were a little unlucky at the end not to get a penalty. From way I saw one of the paraguayans jumped on the kiwis back in the box and didn't get the ball. Can anybody correct me on this?

Good job from NZ, and I do hope we can get annual game against you guys. Home and away with a cup would be nice.

That's the only unfortunate bit. Need to follow Australia's lead and join Asia.

Bloody amazing to get through three games undefeated.

An incredible feat - utterly brilliant performances, everyone willing to die for every other guy out there. A true team in every sense of the word, getting the results a team deserves.

Hope everyone in NZ is watching and goes to see their heroes at the Nix week in and week out now. Let's build the momentum and make it back to back Cups, eh, Kiwis?

Have to at least try, playing games for points is the only way of ensuring games are competitive all the time. We used to have friendlies and teams would send out out half arsed teams that would make it difficult to measure where you are at. Oceania teams are going nowhere and even the small island nations would be better off playing in Asia against the smaller countries. Not everyone will ever make a World Cup but not to say they cant contribute to it in a meaningful way.

Great stuff NZ.

Well done NZ.

Now both of my teams are out of the world cup. Do I have to resort to supporting England or USA now?

Bittersweet victory to Australia yesterday, I was the only person in the office cheering you on.

For some reason, I feel a little sad that we didn't go through - but what an amazing ride. Very proud Kiwi. Hopefully Paston isn't poached from the nix. And Ricki Herbert isn't poached.

I for one thought NZ would be easybeats and ship a fair few goals during the cup, but what an amazing show of guts & determination. Hopefully there is a big flow on effect of these performances and football in NZ continues to grow.

Top effort by our Kiwi brothers. Nothing but respect from my way for the way you played and the heart you showed. Good luck for qualification for 2014. I hope to see you there.

Nice bit of coach driving from Herbert... he parked the bus beautifully all tournament. The development of the All Whites between the Confeds Cup and the World Cup has been astounding. They have changed from being as leaky as a sieve to being competent defensively and this has allowed them to move the ball forward with much more confidence. Hopefully the fantastic effort they have put in will drive football in New Zealand further into mainstream.

NZ has exceeded all expectations, undefeated in the WC is a great effort. I never would of imagined they would draw with italy, Kiwi football is on the rise.

Im expecting WPFC to have massive crowds like Victory and Sydney FC from here on in. NZ football needs support if they are to come back to the WC and do one better. WPFC is there only 'profesional' team and they will need to support it to continue to punch well above there weight.

Im expecting Winston Reid to get signed by by a big club he is a massive talent. I wouldbt be suprised to see Preston, Smeltz and Bertos get signed over seas as well.

Well done Kiwis you should be proud!

Edited by Davstar: 25/6/2010 10:25:11 AM

What a massive 24hrs for football in this part of the world!
Congratulations NZ for a terrific World Cup - to go undefeated against quality opposition is something to be proud of.

That's gold.

Well done kiwis.

Agree with everyone here.

Let's be frank, Italy were woeful against everyone.

For goodness sake you are one giant misery, living with you must be like living with an Emo whos dog just died.

Give the other teams that played Italy a little credit, we defended well, Slovakia had a great game against them.

You have to realise that with the globalisation of players & coaches a lot more nations are getting both the experience & opportunities they need to foot it with the big boys. The big countries no longer have everything their own way and it's good to see that at this World Cup a fair few of the smaller footballing nations emerging to give the big boys a fright.

I think the face of football has changed over the last 6 or 7 years & this World Cup is evidence of that.

I still don't get the excitement about this fixture, either country can play anyone in the world in soccer, why bother with it?

Aus vs NZ happens regularly in the rugbys and so on, I don't get the fuss of 'an annual Trans-Tasman clash' in soccer, it doesn't excite me.

PS - Even your chairman doesn't rate it, look,

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/world-cup-2010/kiwis-kill-off-big-brother-complex/story-fn4l4sfy-1225883448897

Kiwis kill off big brother complex

NEW Zealand soccer chiefs used to doff their caps to the big brother across the Tasman - not any more.
Inspired by the All Whites' feats at the World Cup, where they stand on the threshold of qualifying for the second phase, New Zealand Football boss Frank van Hattum no longer deems the Socceroos serious rivals.

After the 1-1 draws with Slovakia and defending world champion Italy, he's perusing a far more expansive canvas than mere local hostilities between neighbours vying for bragging rights.

Pacific plankton one moment, everybody's favourite second team in South Africa the next, the Kiwis are the feel-good story of the World Cup so far.

They have moved beyond the shadow of the Socceroos with van Hattum saying after the shackling of the Azzurri: "It's not Australia we gauge ourselves against. We don't obsess about beating Australia, we obsess about bettering ourselves.

"We don't see Australia as rivals. These days we worry about ourselves first and right now we're doing pretty well."

So well that despite talk the Socceroos could conceivably poach coach Ricki Herbert, who currently earns a $50,000 pittance as the All Whites part-time boss in his job-sharing role with the Wellington Phoenix, van Hattum is confident he will stay.

"We know that money aside he'd rather lead New Zealand than Australia because he's a proud New Zealander," he said.

Australia's 2-1 win over the Kiwis on the eve of both nations' departure for the World Cup now looks exactly what it was - very fortuitous.

The 2000-1 outsiders are out to add to their tale of the unexpected by beating Paraguay tonight in Polokwane to set up a likely round of 16 match against The Netherlands in Durban.

The supposed World Cup whipping boys have whipped up unprecedented interest in themselves as they sit level with Italy on two points, one ahead of Slovakia and two behind Paraguay.

Van Hattum doesn't take any satisfaction at Australia's first-up 4-0 loss to three-time champion Germany.

"It was always going to be a case of trying to build something from the first game," he said. "We managed to do that and Australia didn't. But we are behind them doing well at big tournaments because if they are strong it's good for the region overall.

"But the truth is we haven't focused on what Australia have been doing. We're just enjoying our own ride.

"We've shown we belong on the world stage and have built some credibility. We came through a difficult qualifying process and we are a team that nobody rated.

"We've made a few of them sit up and take notice now."

Van Hattum added: "We feel there is more to come. The team isn't overwhelmed at facing anybody.

"People said surviving against Italy would be a bridge too far. So we'll take that same attitude in against Paraguay."

Edited by diego's son: 25/6/2010 01:18:04 PM

No one said an annual fixture.

The Main reason is because you are just across the road so to speak & the two FAs have a very good relationship so matches will not be to hard to arrange. It could also be age group level as well not just the Senior teams.

Another reason is because your match fee will be less for NZ and us for you. Much cheaper than someone like Argentina (who as it happens did want to play the All Whites in Wellington before the World Cup but cost a bit to much).

If NZ is to go into Asia then Australia is one of the benchmark teams so we need to test ourselves against you as often as possible along with teams like Japan, South Korea etc.

I would also like us to take more advantage of the relationship we have with Chile and arrange annual games with them, not just at Senior level but age group as well. Imagine an U17 or U20 tournement between NZ, AUS & Chile, it could only be good for all concerned.

New Zealand efforts in the WC reflects coaching that focussed on the teams strengths not there weaknesses. Most WC teams wouls have found them hard to break down. Pim should have taken a leaf out of Herberts book and played to our strenths which is always going forward!!

Aotearoa

interesting side note - NZ will have been unbeaten at World Cup level for 32 years going into Brazil 2014... how many of the top countries can claim that?