By TIM BROWN at the World Cup - Stuff
OPINION: Almost a year ago to the day, on the same ground as the game against Slovakia, we were given a footballing lesson and a 5-0 hiding by Spain in the Confederation's Cup.
It is not so much the score in that game that sticks out in my mind – Spain have beaten far better teams than ours by more – it was the lack of belief we had in our ability to take them on.
Fast-forward 12 months and this is a team that has come to know that it belongs on the world stage. For me, if nothing else, the comeback result at the death against Slovakia proves that.
So where does this belief come from? I think it comes from the results the team has earned against top-quality opposition in the last year: beating Bahrain, beating Serbia, taking it to Mexico with an understrength side, and out-footballing Australia.
This is a side that has been put under immense pressure and responded with some good results. Those challenges have taught us what sort of team we are, what we do well, and the areas in which we struggle. The result is a group of 24 guys that know that on our day we can compete with the best teams in world football.
But it is also an individual thing. Each player in the squad has had his own journey to get to South Africa, in which belief in their own ability has been tested time and time again. Siggy (Ben Sigmund) was playing club rugby a few years ago and had to fight to get his break in the professional game with the Phoenix.
Smeltzey (Shane Smeltz) and Leo (Bertos) were battling away in the lower leagues in the UK before they came back Down Under to light up the A-League.
Killey (Chris Killen) left Wellington at 17 to go on trial at Man City and has gone on to play for Celtic, one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
You could go on: Rory (Fallon), Ive (Ivan Vicelich), Jezza (Jeremy Christie), Woodsy (Chris Wood), Mulli (David Mulligan) and myself. We have all been on trial, playing for Unattached FC, or not playing regularly, and we have faced these challenges in our respective careers to now find ourselves playing in a World Cup.
By far the biggest source of belief in the team comes from Si (Simon Elliott) and Nelly (Ryan Nelsen). These Kiwi lads have played in the best league in the world. I watched Si play for Fulham against Manchester United at Old Trafford a few years ago. Against Ronaldo and company he was the equal of anyone on the pitch that night.
Nelly has become a star at Blackburn and played hundreds of games in the Premiership. However, few people remember that when he first came to Britain, on trial from his American club, he was initially passed over by Charlton.
It is to me a remarkable feat of self-belief that he hopped on a train and shot up to Blackburn to give it another go. Both of these guys are examples of what can happen when you back yourself.
Looming large on the horizon is a match against the defending world champions, Italy, that will test all of our resolve and belief, both as individuals and as a group. On paper it is not even a contest, and even if we have our absolutely best day it might not be enough.
But, if nothing else, we believe we are a chance and that is half the battle.
From stuff.co.nz published on 19/06/2010
