Time to Stand Up for NZ Football

The next 10 days will without a doubt be the most important 10 days in the entire history of New Zealand Football.

And it starts tonight.

Wellington Phoenix vs Newcastle Jets – A-League
The Cake Tin, Tonight

Newcastle are rubbish, the deserve dead last. The Phoenix currently sit uncomfortably on the same points as them. A win would lift the Nix up to 6th spot, a loss and Terry Serepisos might get some early practice in his role as head of the NZ version of the apprentice. Will it be time to say those imortal words “You’re Fired” or will the Phoenix stand up and prove that they really are play-off contenders this year?

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Junior All Whites vs Nigeria – U-17 World Cup
Abuja National Stadium, Friday Morning

It is easy to think that our U-17 side has already done as much as they needed to in this tournament simply by getting past the first round, but the reality is that they have only just begun. This match against Nigeria could mark a turning point in NZ Football. Beat the host nation in front of 60,000 people in the final 16 of a FIFA world Cup and maybe New Zealand might start to believe that they really do deserve to win at football. Anything can happen, if the Kiwis can stand up in this match and steal a win, who knows where it could lead them.

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All Whites vs Bahrain – World Cup Qualifier 2nd Leg
The Cake Tin – Saturday 14th November

This match has been hailed as the one shot for glory for our national side. The equation is simple. Win = World Cup Spot, Anything else = Nothing. The country are ready for this, it has been too long since we were last allowed to play with the big boys at the world cup. The memories of 1982 are fading. The rise of the Australians has left an unpleasant feeling in the pit of the stomach of one-eyed NZ sports fans.

A win in this match could shape the future of NZ Footbal. As the song says:
“It’s time to stand up and be counted…”

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A win in all three of these games could catapult NZ Football to the forefront of NZ sporting interest. It’s not impossible to imagine the sports news on TVNZ leading with a story about the All Whites ahead of one about the All Blacks… one day.

Many thanks to the Feelers for setting the patriotic mood