How to Get the All Whites Playing More Often

It's been 18 months since the All Whites grabbed the imagination and attention of 4 million usually rugby mad Kiwis. The All Whites have played friendlies against Honduras, Paraguay, China, Mexico and Australia.

However, with the 2014 World Cup now in sight, the All Whites will need to start playing more games to prepare for the OFC qualifying series which begins with the OFC Nations Cup next year in Samoa.

There's also the issue that the All Whites still don't quite play enough in their home New Zealand base - made difficult by the fact that most All Whites have to travel to and from Europe 48 hours in a week to play a friendly in their homeland.

The All Whites really should try to play in every international window possible as not only will they get match practice and blood players but also earn much needed revenue for New Zealand Football as well as ensure the All Whites don't disappear from the NZ sporting scene as quickly as they did post-1982.

Loftus Road - "home" away from home for the All Whites?

One solution is to take advantage of the massive Kiwi expatriate population in London. This will make it easier for those based in Europe and the USA to play for the All Whites.

Perhaps, the All Whites should consider making the likes of Loftus Road or Craven Cottage in West London a 'home' away from home. They are quite close to Shepherds Bush where most Kiwis reside when they are on their OE in London.

Samoa - hosts of the 2012 OFC Nations Cup

2012 and 2013 should see the All Whites play plenty of competitive and friendly games combined, i.e.  3 + 2 competitive matches in the 2012 OFC Nations Cup and then, 6 games of OFC qualifiers starting in September 2012 and ending in March 2013 and that 2-legged World Cup playoff game versus the 3rd-placed CONCACAF side starting in October 2013.

This means there should be at least 8 competitive fixtures in 2012 and 4 in 2013.

All Whites need to play more to get more scenes like this

The All Whites are set to play Australia's Socceroos in a friendly at a currently unnamed venue on Waitangi Day in 2013 but they are quite likely to play more games that year in preparation for that important play-off.

The trouble is fixtures are still too far and few for the All Whites to really make as big an impact on NZ sports fans as the All Blacks, Silver Ferns and Black Caps do.


If it were up to me, this would be the All Whites' schedule for the next 2 years, i.e. playing in every international window possible and known to me..

Singapore national football team

2012
Mar -
Singapore, Singapore
Indonesia, Jakarta

April -
Australia, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin (post A-League Final)

June -
2012 OFC Nations Cup, Samoa (3 round robin games + semis + final)

Aug -
Ghana, Loftus Road, London

Socceroos - could be the All Whites' most frequent friendly rivals

Sep -
OFC World Cup 3rd Round qualification starts (at least 3 games)

2013
Feb -
Australia, Eden Park, Auckland (Waitangi Day)

Mar -
OFC World Cup 3rd Round qualification finishes (at least 3 games)

Early June -
Australia, Loftus Road
Costa Rica, San Jose
Venezuela, Caracas

15- 30 June -
Confederations Cup, Brazil (at least 3 games)

Sep -
Jamaica, Loftus Road, London

Oct/Nov -
OFC/CONCACAF Playoff (2 games)

So that's 12 games a year for the next 2 years with a few in the NZ region which would ensure the All Whites remain firmly in the attention of NZ sports fans.



 




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