Shane Smeltz: A Kiwi forward
Shane Smeltz is a classy forward who represents New Zealand and is a key member of the All Whites squad at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He almost single-handedly took New Zealand to South Africa scoring 8 goals in the Qualifiers!
New Zealand are drawn in Group F along with the World champions Italy, strong and resilient Paraguay and Slovakia. The presence of these teams in the same group certainly makes it difficult for New Zealand to make it to the next round. But Shane Smeltz gives New Zealand an outside chance of making it to the Round of 16 and he proved it by scoring an important goal against Italy to grab a point for the All Whites.
He is known for his pace and is just superb in the air! He can also curl the ball giving the goalkeepers a nightmare. Smeltz has scored on 13 occasions in 23 appearances for his national side.
He spent a few years in the lower leagues England but failed to make a mark. However Kiwi Coach, Ricki Herbert took a chance giving him a place in the starting 11 against Wales. He didn’t let Ricki down and scored both the goals of the match which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Ricki Herbert then signed him for Wellington Phoenix. This saw a sudden change in his career and came to be known as one of the best! Since then he went on achieving honours at club as well as the international level. He scored 9 goals for Phoenix in the 2008 season and finished second in the A-league’s top scorers sheet of the season.
In the next season he went one step ahead winning the A-League's ‘Golden Boot’, leading the scoring sheet with 12 goals! He became the first New Zealander to achieve such an award in the Australian league.
He moved to Gold Coast United after the 2009 season and continued his great form. He clinched the ‘Golden Boot’ scoring an astonishing 19 goals and topping the charts, improving on 12 that he scored the season before. He was the first player ever to earn the distinction of being the top scorer in consecutive seasons of the Australian League.
He has won the Oceania Player of the Year consecutively in the last two years and also the New Zealand Footballer of the Year!
He is already under the radar of Asian and Middle East clubs ready to pour in relatively large sum for the player. Smeltz is surely a goal scorer of top class and a few goals at the World Cup might as well open the door of some of the European clubs for him. This World Cup could be a second turn around in his career.
Smeltz forms a crucial and deadly partnership with for the Kiwis along with fellow striker Chris Killen who plays for Middlesbrough in England. These two when playing together can trouble the defense of some of the best teams in the world. This was evident in the 4-3 loss to reigning champions Italy in a friendly where Smeltz scored the opener and again when Smeltz scored against Italy in the second round match of Group F at the FIFA World Cup last week.
He has been in the form of his life in the recent years and if at all he manages to continue his dream run then New Zealand can continue their impressive run and reach the first knockout stage of the World Cup.
Shane Smeltz is the man to watch out for New Zealand!
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