This will always be remembered as the finest week ever for football in New Zealand and one of the best weeks for New Zealand sport. I've been able to catch glimpses of the All White fervour that has gripped the nation but have to say I'm so glad I was able to be here in South Africa to experience this first hand. I owe a big thank you to my incredible wife for volunteering to stay at home and look after our two young kids. I think a not inconsiderably sized present or two is probably in order.
The Italy game in Nelspruit was just surreal. The early Shane Smeltz goal was so unexpected that I spent the next twenty in a heightened state of disbelief. Did we really score against the World champs? Hell yes!
The Italian reply was predictable, given the way they played at this tournament - cheating, diving, er, buggers. Their goal, the refereeing and our desperate, yet increasingly world class defending, meant the emotions were all over the place for the final hour of the match. I'm sure the details have been well reported back home so I won't go in to that. For me the best part of the day was the aftermath. There were thousands of kiwis in the crowd and we were all wandering around afterwards barely able to believe what had happened.
Hugging and high-fiving strangers, our small group made its way to the far side of the stadium with all the other fans just to soak it all up. We didn't get back to our bus, which was parked nearby, until two hours after the final whistle. And apparently I made it on to the TV a couple of times too. I got emails from India, the USA and Australia, as well as home saying me and my piano tie had our fifteen minutes of fame.
A few days later we were in Polokwane for the Paraguay game with a chance of qualifying for the next round. Who would ever have thought that would be the case? There will be another time to discuss the game and the way we played. For me this game was, once again, all about the fans. I don't think I've ever been photographed as much in my life. It's amazing what can happen when you put on a white wig and carry an All Whites scarf.
Now all I want to do is get home, but her are some other thoughts before I do. Most of the stadiums here are amazing. Soccer City has to be one of the top ten football venues in the world. Truly awesome. The grounds at Nelspruit and Polokwane are both supreme mid-sized football venues. Auckland would do worse that getting the blue-prints from either of these venues and building a copy on the water front. The only let-down was Loftus Versfeld here in Pretoria. What a crumbling, decrepit, old hulk that is.
I also have to make mention of the diving from some of the teams. It's the biggest blight on the game and FIFA needs to sort this out once and for all because the players and coaches won't. One of the best things I've seen is a video montage of a sniper in full camo gear getting ready for and then taking a shot. The movie cuts to an Italian footballer going down as if he's been drilled through the heart, with not a defender in sight. Sums it up really.
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