Inside Sport

Herbert must build skill on All Whites' heroism


https://forum.insidesport.com.au/Topic778255.aspx

By Joffa - 15 Jul 2010 5:13 PM

Quote:
Herbert must build skill on All Whites' heroism
By Chris Rattue
4:00 AM Wednesday Jul 14, 2010

Accolades continue to rain down on the All Whites and justifiably so.

The only complaint I have about ESPN's World Cup All Star team, which included Ryan Nelsen, is that All Whites goalkeeper Mark Paston wasn't included.

Paston - the man who got us to South Africa in the first place - was that good.

Ricki Herbert and his squad of about a dozen players he trusted to send into battle performed an absolute miracle. Herbert and the All Whites have set a foundation, but it shouldn't be regarded as a blueprint.

The New Zealand game needs more artistry, and what happened in South Africa served as a reminder of that.

The All Whites' archaic way of playing the game - heavily structured with a lack of fluidity on the ground - needs to be consigned to the archives.

It won't attract and encourage a new and wider generation of players, or serve the national side well again.

The All Whites managed just three shots on goal throughout the tournament - even North Korea created about four times that.

The All Whites were among the worst offenders when it came to fouls. Nearly half were committed by strikers Rory Fallon and Chris Killen, men in positions that are supposed to excite the crowds.

The team's heroics against Italy will live on in legend, but the All Whites are unlikely to escape unscathed from such battles unless they find a new way to play.

Against the deposed world champions, New Zealand managed three shots against 23, and one shot on goal against seven. They conceded 15 corners and had none themselves.

They scrapped their way to a brilliant draw, committing an enormous 25 fouls against 11.

A unique bunch rode their luck and courage - and a smattering of world-class skill - in this tournament, but this is not the clever way ahead.

New Zealand soccer needs to breed skilful players, in the mould of Simon Elliott and Leo Bertos, and get them into the world's best leagues.

We need players who can retain possession longer, and also strikers with a nose for goal because chances were squandered.

The men who find a way of doing this will be the ones who secure the game's future in this country.

As for this week's celebrations after the All Whites were left as the only undefeated team in the tournament, there is another side to that story.

One of the reasons for this "success", of course, is that they didn't make it into the knockout round, which in itself is a part failure.

Surely it goes without saying, but under the current structure all the best teams, bar possibly one, are assured of at least one defeat.

Players such as Nelsen, Elliott and Fallon were bitterly disappointed New Zealand's strong start did not see them progress to the knockout stage.

A lack of attacking ambition in the latter stages of the match against Paraguay, when they knew a goal was needed to get into the round of 16, may have also helped preserve the unbeaten record.

Maybe the All Whites didn't have the necessary personnel, but some observers justifiably felt they needed to be more daring at Polokwane, to risk defeat in pursuit of what should have been the ultimate aim.

Simply trumpeting an unbeaten record as an unqualified success is the sort of analysis that will return New Zealand soccer to paralysis.


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/soccer-football/news/article.cfm?c_id=86&objectid=10658581
By Diegos Son - 24 Jul 2010 5:31 PM

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/3953618/How-much-did-Herbert-do-for-All-Whites

How much did Herbert do for All Whites?
By TONY SMITH - The Press
Last updated 05:00 24/07/2010

OPINION: The New Zealand Football hierarchy needs to hold a searching and thorough review of the entire World Cup campaign before making any hasty decisions on the future direction of the All Whites.

Coach Ricki Herbert has committed himself to staying in New Zealand where he has an extended contract with the Wellington Phoenix. He is also understandably keen to continue at the All Whites' helm.

Herbert, who has a "gentleman's agreement" with NZF chairman Frank van Hattum, is clearly the red-hot favourite to extend his six-year All Whites' tenure. But there should be no haste in reappointing him.

NZF first should sit down and conduct a wide-ranging debrief. Herbert should be congratulated on the team's achievement at becoming the only undefeated team at the 2010 World Cup finals.

But NZF must be absolutely convinced he is the best person to take the All Whites forward to Brazil 2014.

Some frank questions must be posed.

Was Herbert the chief architect of the All Whites' success? Or were captain Ryan Nelsen and senior pro Simon Elliott the main driving forces? Would the team have done as well without Nelsen's leadership, on and off the pitch?

Nelsen, Elliott and other senior All Whites, such as Tim Brown and Ivan Vicelich, should be involved in any debrief. Ed - That's dangerous

The NZF board should seriously analyse whether the All Whites over-achieved in attaining three draws. Or did they blow a rare opportunity to reach the second stage through overly conservative tactics against Paraguay in their final game?

Why were the All Whites seemingly content to sit on their scoreless draw against the South Americans and not push more players forward to press for a late winner?

The All Whites brought on Chris Wood in a straight swap with Rory Fallon up front. Herbert later chose to replace striker Chris Killen with young forward Jeremy Brockie. Yet, instead of being urged to push forward, Brockie seemed to slip into a more defensive-minded role. Was he instructed to do so from the bench?

Herbert might say that he couldn't afford to play his final card (a third sub) because an ill Nelsen might not have lasted the game. But there was no way, as ill as he was, Nelsen would ever have left the pitch.

Why didn't Herbert go for broke and inject another attacking player in the form of Michael McGlinchey or Aaron Clapham? Especially as McGlinchey had proved himself as an impact player in previous internationals.

Was Nelsen in charge in South Africa? I was there, but no outsider can ever really tell. He certainly had a major influence and was decisive in everything he did. When the All Whites were dithering in Daveyton over whether to train in the smoky air, Nelsen came out to assess the situation and suddenly practice was on. He also brought on board Blackburn Rovers official Matt Hockin to bolster the backroom staff. hmmmmm
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Some in the squad would probably attest that Nelsen was captain, coach and manager all rolled into one.

Or was it simply smart coaching on Herbert's part to bow to the experience of a man who captains his club in England's premier league?

Will the All Whites still have Nelsen, as a player in 2014 when he'll be 36? Do NZF need to talk to Nelsen and Elliott, 36, about future coaching or management roles? Elliott could be pitched straight in as an assistant for national age-group teams (up to and including the Olympic Games squad) and assisting him to attain international coaching qualifications.

Can Herbert – the most successful coach in All Whites' history – now take this team to even greater heights?

I'm not saying he can't – he's just had the best year of his career with the national team and the Wellington Phoenix.

But the All Whites' international credibility is at an all-time high. So are public expectations after the 1-1 draw with world champions Italy.

Is Herbert as hungry as he was? Is he still committed to self-improvement? If he is, why didn't he take up one of the offers he said he had to coach a club at a higher level overseas?

But NZF needs to ask whether it might now need a fulltime national coach to take charge of the All Whites but also oversee the entire international programme, including male and female age group teams.

NZF would be well within their rights during any campaign review to ask Herbert how he can continue to use his club role to best serve the nation's interests. Is he committed to having New Zealanders fill the three age-group player slots required under A-League rules? Is he prepared to take a punt, perhaps with NZF financial assistance, on young All Whites such as Aaron Clapham or Cole Peverley?

I'm not a qualified coach, I don't have the credentials to answer these questions – nor I suspect do most of the NZF board. They should bring in outside expertise, including respected Kiwi identities and some international football consultants.

But the debate must be had before anyone reaches for the rubber stamp pad.