Smeltz: We won't be daunted
(FIFA.com) Thursday 22 April 2010
Getty Images
Key New Zealand striker Shane Smeltz harbours ambitions of qualifying for the knockout stage at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ despite the Kiwis being considered underdogs in the eyes of many. If the All Whites are to make history, it is likely that in-form goal-getter Smeltz will play a pivotal role.
After a slow start to his career Smeltz has hit rare form in recent years, with a brace against Wales in a 2007 international friendly seemingly the watershed for both his club and national team career. There followed three prolific seasons in which the forward was top scorer for his club in each campaign, picking up the golden boot in the Australian A-League on two of those occasions.
The productive form continued unabated with the All Whites, as Smeltz collected successive Oceania Player of the Year titles over the last two years, as well as being named New Zealand Footballer of the Year. He scored an impressive eight goals in five South Africa 2010 qualifiers in Oceania, which helped equal a 30-year-old national team record of scoring in six internationals in a row.
Grand plansHaving ended a 28-year wait to reach the world’s greatest football stage, Smeltz - born in Germany to an American father and British mother - and his colleagues are eager to make the most of the opportunity, refusing to be daunted by the rarefied atmosphere that will be South Africa 2010. The New Zealanders have been drawn into Group F alongside world champions Italy, hard-nosed South American qualifiers Paraguay and European hopefuls Slovakia.
“We certainly could have drawn a harder group, but of course there are no easy games in the World Cup,” Smeltz told FIFA.com. “Everyone will be fighting to get into the second round and we have the same ambition even though we will probably be written off by many before we get there. It will be three massive games for us and everyone is really looking forward to it.”
(FIFA.com) Thursday 22 April 2010
Getty Images
Key New Zealand striker Shane Smeltz harbours ambitions of qualifying for the knockout stage at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ despite the Kiwis being considered underdogs in the eyes of many. If the All Whites are to make history, it is likely that in-form goal-getter Smeltz will play a pivotal role.
After a slow start to his career Smeltz has hit rare form in recent years, with a brace against Wales in a 2007 international friendly seemingly the watershed for both his club and national team career. There followed three prolific seasons in which the forward was top scorer for his club in each campaign, picking up the golden boot in the Australian A-League on two of those occasions.
The productive form continued unabated with the All Whites, as Smeltz collected successive Oceania Player of the Year titles over the last two years, as well as being named New Zealand Footballer of the Year. He scored an impressive eight goals in five South Africa 2010 qualifiers in Oceania, which helped equal a 30-year-old national team record of scoring in six internationals in a row.
Grand plansHaving ended a 28-year wait to reach the world’s greatest football stage, Smeltz - born in Germany to an American father and British mother - and his colleagues are eager to make the most of the opportunity, refusing to be daunted by the rarefied atmosphere that will be South Africa 2010. The New Zealanders have been drawn into Group F alongside world champions Italy, hard-nosed South American qualifiers Paraguay and European hopefuls Slovakia.
“We certainly could have drawn a harder group, but of course there are no easy games in the World Cup,” Smeltz told FIFA.com. “Everyone will be fighting to get into the second round and we have the same ambition even though we will probably be written off by many before we get there. It will be three massive games for us and everyone is really looking forward to it.”
No comments:
Post a Comment