-
Source: Photosport -
Related
Almost a week has passed since a World Cup qualifying match was played in Wellington, New Zealand between the fifth ranked side in Asia and the top team of the Oceania confederation.
As the All Whites gained a dramatic victory over Bahrain, the reaction of spectators before, during and after the match was rare, perhaps unprecedented in New Zealand sport.
The record crowd rode every tackle, cheered every moment and celebrated in a way that Kiwis usually only see on television screens - watching news footage of 'crazy foreigners' in some far-off land.
We are a stoic, serious, self conscious bunch that take a measured approach to just about everything, find it hard to express or show emotions (sans alcohol) and as one writer claimed last week "are generally suspicious of singing at sports events."
Hard as it may be to accept but even the Germans, derided worldwide for being fanatically serious and boring, engender better atmosphere and celebrate with more passion and spirit at sporting events than the folk of Aotearoa.
Because of this sports commentators the length of the land have marvelled at the atmosphere last Saturday and most - including those with decades of covering top level sport in this country - have genuinely struggled to recall an event that has matched it.
There are just a handful of occasions that have come close in terms of crowd fervour, involvement and passion.
One could look at the two home playoff matches the Warriors have had (versus Canberra in 2002 and more especially against Roosters six years later), the opening game of the 1992 Cricket World Cup versus Australia, Carlaw Park packed to the rafters as the Kiwis beat Australia 18-0 in 1985 and various moments in New Zealand test cricket in the early to mid 1980s at Eden Park where the Had-lee, Had-lee chant was heard all around the ground.
So what made November 14 2009 so special?
Firstly, it is due to the very nature of football. The major sports that most New Zealanders generally follow - Rugby, League, Cricket and Netball - can be tense, tight and dramatic, especially in the final stages of the contest.
But no sport can match football in the way that the utter complexion of the game can change completely in a single moment.
Football fans may know this well from watching World Cups, European Championships and Champions League games but the average Kiwi punter was less aware - until last Saturday.
As the match progressed every single person in the ground - and hundreds of thousands watching on television - gained an understanding of just how critical a Bahrain goal would be. They score, we are probably gone.
That is why the match was full of so many heart in the mouth moments and also explained the unrestrained jubilation from all inside Wellington Stadium at the final whistle.
The scenes after the final whistle - as players completed two victory laps - was unprecedented for New Zealand - we are after all the "passionless people".
Even later as the crowd filed out of the stadium and in towards Wellington city there was a huge cacophony of noise. The singing and chanting just wouldn't stop and random strangers were hugging in celebration
There was also real emotional investment in this one. We had been told for a few weeks before just how important this match was which no doubt attracted a few floating sports punters. As the match progressed, everyone was lured in by the drama.
Isn't it great when you have your own team to support? In workplaces up and down the country there are fans of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Livepool et al - indeed it is de rigeur for any New Zealand football fan to adopt a British team to support (and even a Spanish or Italian side). You buy the shirt, watch the matches, take in the banter at the water cooler and even feel gutted when your team loses a crucial match..
Last Saturday night it meant so much more as this was 'our team'. While there is a reasonable argument that before Saturday night the average fan could most probably (actually definitely) name more members of the England or Manchester United or Liverpool squads than they could identify players in the All Whites that didn't matter.
Something magical took place when the anthem was played and the flags unfurled. Patriotic fever kicked in and it came from the heart. This wasn't some PR campaign, telling us we are all fans, selling posters infused with blood, vials of dirt or some other nonsense - this was real unfettered national pride.
So November 14 will always be enshrined. Not just as the day when the New Zealand football side returned to the World Cup after a 27 absence, but also the night when Kiwis found passion in their souls and showed it to the world.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentThemadprof said on 2011-06-24 @ 13:02 NZDT: Report abusive post
Maybe the atmosphere might just have had to do with the fact that many of the supporters were English?