Where to for NZ from here??

[shiznit]

Was talking about this with a group of mates....

the consensus at the moment is for NZ to truly capitalise on this interest in football they need to follow Australia and move into Asia.

But is it the best thing?? it was great move for Australia... but thats not necessarily the case for NZ.

When Australia left for Asia they were in a position where they had 1 play off game against the 5th south american side which was almost impossible to win.

now in NZ's case... at the moment we play the 5th best Asian team... but at the next Fifa executive meeting it looks like NZ will join the Asian Qualification competition in the 2nd round instead of the playoff.

so there going to get a tough qualification period with both home and away games.

the nix can play in the A-League... and while there not allowed to go into the Asian CL it looks like there going to get into the O-League which means almost automatic qualification to the world club championships every year.

the only big negative i can see is theres no Asian Cup.

but even then... we almost get a cake walk into the confederations cup which some would say is even better and more valuable for world cup preparations than playing in the Asian Cup.

as far as i can see were getting such a wicked free ride at the moment i dont know why we would want to go to Asia.

If Australia were in a similar position would you guys still be keen to make that jump??

 

[Twizzle]

A League

 

[Timbo]

If our playoff had been against Bahrain or Qatar instead of bloody Uraguay than I doubt we'd have been as keen.

But...

Playing against consistantly better opposition regularly has to be better for you than kicking the sh*t out of Tonga and Samoa and then sliding through, surely?

 

[shiznit]

If our playoff had been against Bahrain or Qatar instead of bloody Uraguay than I doubt we'd have been as keen.

But...

Playing against consistantly better opposition regularly has to be better for you than kicking the sh*t out of Tonga and Samoa and then sliding through, surely?

yeah for sure...

but if were going to be thrown into the final phase of qualifying in Asia we get that anyway dont we??

the only thing i see we miss out on is Asian CL qualification. but we do get almost automatic qualification to the confed cup.

 

[Jimbo]

Oceania should merge with the AFC, whic should get five spots at the World Cup

 

[Azkatro]

New Zealand have embarrassed us in the past when playing us in qualifiers, so I'm sure they wouldn't be necessarily much worse in the AFC than we have been. Perhaps it will be viewed as Australia, Japan and South Korea on the top tier, and they will be seen as a notch below that. Gives them plenty of opportunity still.

 

[nibbs]

I've been saying this for a few years now. We need regular meaningful internationals. We'll never get this from the OFC, so a move to the AFC is surely our best option. Although having said that I wouldn't rule out a move to CONMEBOL at this stage.

If it does stay the same, which I'd imagine it will, we've got another 8 (provided we win Oceania) meaningful matches to play over the next 4 years. And for what its worth, I'd hardly consider the first 6 games meaningful.