The sports mad nation of New Zealand is bracing for the FIFA World Cup 2010, as they look to support the All Whites, as they take the world cup field for the first time in 28 years.
Their last appearance at a World Cup was in 1982, won by Italy, yet the rugby mad nation has an alternate to the All Blacks, or the cricketers known as Black Caps as the All Whites become the latest stars.
The "All Whites" are busy training in Auckland before their team coach Ricki Herbert's reveals his 23 man squad for the tournament.
New Zealand qualified for South Africa after defeating Bahrain in a two legged playoff last November.
The Kiwis have been placed in a very tough pool in the tournament, group F alongside holders Italy, Paraguay and Slovakia and Herbert is optimistic about their chances.
The coach Ricki Herbert thinks that the team’s opening match would be extremely crucial for building tournament “The first up game against Slovakia will be extremely important for us,"
New Zealand will play Australia, Serbia and Slovenia in warm up games and Herbert believes those matches will provide an ideal base from which to hit the tournament running.
"We've got a good build up against some powerful teams all participating in the World Cup," he added."So hopefully when that opening game comes for us we are ready."
Central defender Ben Sigmund an integral part of the squad, who plays for the Wellington Phoenix club, was also part of the All Whites that defeated Bahrain to qualify for the World Cup and admitted the team is desperate for June to come around.
"I am a real proud New Zealand boy....and played most of my football in New Zealand and it's a real pride to put on that jersey and I just can't wait to get out there and play that first game," he said.
"There's been such a big build up and a big hype and I just want to get started now."
Meanwhile New Zealand remains huge underdogs to win a game at the tournament and that is reflected in the odds released by the country's main bookmaker.
Mark Stafford, who runs a betting house in the country, added that bets are being placed at the outcome of All Whites matches. "They (the fans) are betting in their droves," he said. "I just think the fact that New Zealand are in it has raised the whole profile of the event. There has just been fever for ages in the country and people wanting to be on it. “So New Zealand to win the World Cup is a thousand to one, which is about as lofty a price as you’ll get for anything with us”
"Some people have said that maybe that is a bit stingy, but we have sold a thousand dollars worth so we are up for a million already and we are still a we while to go till it kicks off so it will be like the second coming of Jesus for a lot of the people if they were to win, but it will be a terrible day for us," Stafford said.
While the odds are stacked against them, Sigmund encouraged the fans to get involved.
"It's a pretty good bet really isn't it? You put five dollars down you could be a rich man," he said.
"We've always been the underdog and we like that."All I want to do at the World Cup is make sure all us Kiwi boys go out there and give it one hundred percent and play for each other and make sure we come off that pitch knowing the other team had a good battle."
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