SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - New Zealand prepare for their first World Cup game for 28 years

Record ID: 455713

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - New Zealand prepare for their first World Cup game for 28 years
  • Date: 15th June 2010
  • Summary: ARUSTENBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 14, 2010) (REUTERS) NEWS CONFERENCE COMMENCING (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND COACH RICKI HERBERT, SAYING: "It's been a long time, isn't it? 28 years, you get a chance to try and change something. But look, it's good to be back. I mean it's quite a distant memory, but a very fond memory and I think that the current group of players worked extremely hard to bring the nation back to the World Cup. And I'm sure they're looking forward to tomorrow as much as everybody back home is. So it's a special time for New Zealand." NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND CAPTAIN RYAN NELSEN, SAYING: "We know after playing Serbia and Slovenia, I think they'll be fairly similar, very strong, very disciplined, very organised. Gotta a lot of respect for what they did for the qualifying and their team all around is very solid. They're one of those teams that I think are going to be very awkward to play. Kinda like ourselves. So we've got the outmost respect for them. For all what they've done. We're really looking forward to the game." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND CAPTAIN RYAN NELSEN, SAYING: "I've got a lot of friends in the Australian team, so it kind of hurts, but the Kiwi always comes out of you, so I've shed some crocodile tears I think." NEWS CONFERENCE ENDS
  • Embargoed: 30th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAD64OIQAMJRB5CTL17FGHC9LS4
  • Story Text: New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert leads his team into their opening Group F match against Slovakia on Tuesday (June 15), 28 years after New Zealand's only previous appearance in the World Cup finals.
    As a 21-year-old defender in 1982, he was part of the squad that was heavily beaten in all their three matches and is now hoping to fare better this time in South Africa.
    "It's been a long time, isn't it? 28 years, you get a chance to try and change something," he said. "But look, it's good to be back. I mean it's quite a distant memory, but a very fond memory and I think that the current group of players worked extremely hard to bring the nation back to the World Cup. And I'm sure they're looking forward to tomorrow as much as everybody back home is. So it's a special time for New Zealand."
    Their mixed form in warm-up games -- beating Serbia and then losing to Slovenia -- has given little indication of what to expect against an equally unsung Slovakia, making their first appearance in the finals as an independent nation.
    Captain Ryan Nelsen said that he expected Slovakia to be similar strength opposition to Serbia and Slovenia.
    "We know after playing Serbia and Slovenia, I think they'll be fairly similar, very strong, very disciplined, very organised, he said. "Got a lot of respect for what they did for the qualifying and their team all around is very solid. They're one of those teams that I think are going to be very awkward to play. Kinda like ourselves. So we've got the outmost respect for them. For all what they've done. We're really looking forward to the game."
    Nelsen was also asked whether he had any sympathy for his Australian neighbours who were thrashed 4-0 by Germany in their opening match on Sunday (June 13).
    "I've got a lot of friends in the Australian team, so it kind of hurts, but the Kiwi always comes out of you, so I've shed some crocodile tears I think," he said.
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