Being a football fan in New Zealand means committing blasphemy. Kneeling at the altar of Messi et al is tantamount to worshipping false idols and the worst sin that can be committed, punishable by expulsion from the country itself, is suggesting that the All Blacks are not at the very least semi- divine. In a land where names like Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo are seldom heard Daniel Carter and Piri Weepu rule the roost.
One example of the rugby dominance comes from my 6 year old cousin. Whereas most European children of his age will have seen the England shirt I was wearing and recognised the name Rooney on the back he asked me, “who’s Rodney?”, recalling a reverse of Del Boy’s bracelets in Only Fools and Horses. Show him a picture of Dan Carter, of which there are many in New Zealand, and he would have no trouble picking him out.
The Halberg Awards, the Kiwi version of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, provides little hope for fans of the spherical ball. The AB’s won every category apart from Disabled Sports Person of the Year, Sports Women of the Year and the Emerging Talent Award- all of which they would have a great difficulty in winning.
Even the marketing machine that is the Barclay’s Premier League has difficulty breaking the monopoly. The All Black’s fern appears on my deodorant, the Crusader’s sponsor beer in the pubs and Mr Weepu graces the television adverts trying to stop people smoking.
The reason I highlight the omnipresence of rugby, and in particular the All Blacks, is not for a chance to complain I do not get my daily fix of football nor to suggest that the sport needs funding from the national government or FIFA. The real reason is to say, “keep football out of New Zealand”.
This may seem bizarre coming from a dedicated football fan but there are strong and valid reasons behind it I promise you. It is particularly encouraging to visit a country where kids do not follow a team they will only see on a small coloured screen thousands of miles away from a place that they will probably never visit. Instead they wear the colours of their local heroes who play at the rugby pitch down the road.
Their athletes went to schools they themselves attended and grew up around the corner from them. They understand the clubs that they play for and more importantly the people who pay money to support them week in and week out.
I am of course not saying rugby is the perfect sport or that the people who play them are saints who only promote good, old-fashioned sportsmanship. Rugby has it’s failings like any other sport and humans will always make mistakes no matter what shaped ball they kick.
Football is still present to those who seek it however and successes are celebrated to a certain degree. Last year’s Halberg Awards saw the All Whites presented with the Supreme Award and Ricki Herbert, New Zealand’s head coach, provided with the Coach of the Year Award.
As always the Premier League can be found on the sports channels and every now and then a flash of United red or Chelsea blue can be seen within the mobs of people on the high street. Wellington Phoenix also gets their fair share of coverage.
There is no doubt however that it is rugby that dominates the news headlines, rugby posters that cover kid’s walls and rugby that provides the heroes for the New Zealand public and long may it continue.
Sam Murray
thefootballjourneyman 