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4-2-2010 HALBERG
JUDGES FAIL TO RECOGNISE Courtesy of
Terry Maddaford Watch my lips. There is
only one World Cup and it is not played
with an oval ball, a white cricket ball
or any other ball. It is time that those
charged with casting their votes for the
Halberg Awards understood that.
The All Whites are
NEVER going to win the World Cup. On
that we can all agree.
But just qualifying
for THE World Cup deserves recognition.
In 2002 the Tall
Blacks reached the semifinals of the
world basketball championships after a
two-point win over Puerto Rico in the
quarter-finals. They went on to win not
only the team of the year but the
overall award as well.
Basketball is a big
sport – perhaps the second-greatest
participant sport in the world -- but it
is not football.
So, how come those
charged with casting their votes this
year failed to recognise just what Ricki
Herbert and his All Whites had done in
joining 31 other countries at this
year’s World Cup?
A few years ago the
votes were cast, almost exclusively, by
the sporting media who at least took a
wide overview in making their decisions.
These days it seems the people at the
top feel “bigger is better” and have cut
back on the number of media involved and
invited a wide variety of sporting
people who often, by their own
admission, know little about sports
outside their own.
You tell me which, if
any, sporting event in New Zealand, or
elsewhere, engendered a greater feeling
of patriotism than that heart-stopping
1-0 win by the All Whites over Bahrain
at Westpac Stadium which booked their
place in South Africa?
Like me, you will
struggle.
I’m not knocking those
who were handed the gongs at the flash
show on Thursday night but this was one
time the world game could have been
justly recognised.
But, should we be
surprised? Afterall, John Adshead’s 1982
All Whites were similarly shunned –
again bowing to the rowers.
And, remember, the
rowers have their chance to shine at
their world championships every year –
apart from Olympic years – and press
their claims. The footballers have their
World Cup only once in four years.
But Herbert at least
made it to the final four in the
coaching category. Adshead didn’t have
that chance as the coaching category was
not introduced until 1987.
Again, Herbert, like
his team, did not make the grade. No-one
is denying Richard Tonks is a great
coach but, surely, his time will come
again – probably this year. There is no
guarantee Herbert will be around in four
years.
He and the All Whites
have been sold short.
Click here to view
here pictures from the NZ v Bahrain
World Cup Qualifier |
