I am going to blow a vuvuzela...

...just very briefly now that the World Cup is close to reaching its very expensive conclusion.

First, New Zealand deserved to be there. Not because we drew 1-1 with Italy, or ended with three draws in the elimination series. NZ deserved to be there simply to show the true spirit of the game, and the dedication of (comparative) amateurism. Our top players earn less than 20% of most of the players in the last 16. Our coach earns about 1/3 of his potential worth as assistant coach to a top league club.

There was a notable - a "players representative" I think - interviewed on tv who opined that the All Whites showed most of the senior teams the level of dedication and purpose expected of teams that qualify for the World Cup. There were many - England, France and Italy come to mind - who looked as though they were following strategies of complacency and "God-given rights". There were "easy-beats" in each Group. NZ dealt to Italy in their Group and only a penalty given as an Oscar award saved Italy from an ignominious defeat which would have seen NZ through to the round of 16.

Second, the later rounds of 16 and 8 showed the true nature of the sportsmanship that goes hand in hand with a competition of this nature. Leading the scoreboard for blatant and outrageously cynical sportsmanship must be Uruguay. God now has a new name; it is no longer Maradona, it has changed to Suarez. I hope that Suarez meets an appropriate "justice" in the next life for taking that name in vanity.


Third, the champs this time will be Germany. They have to be. And I hope I have not dealt them the kiss of death by backing their chances.