Bookies back All Whites to lose all games

BY DUNCAN JOHNSTONE

The New Zealand TAB doesn't give the All Whites a chance at next year’s World Cup – ranking them at the longest odds of the 32 teams and believing they will lose all three of their pool games.

Not surprisingly the All Whites are rank outsiders to win the tournament. But the nature of their odds is staggering compared to some of their rivals.

The TAB has them at $1000 to win the tournament. The next worst teams are Honduras and Algeria at $300.

Even North Korea ($250) and hosts South Africa ($100), who are both below New Zealand on the Fifa rankings, are rated better chances.

But in reality these minnows are no chance to lift the cup. But just who might remains something of a mystery in the eyes of the odds-makers.

Six months out from the tournament the TAB can't separate five times winner Brazil and Spain as tournament favourites, both placed at $5.50.

But the bookies have been ruthless with their early odds over how New Zealand might fare in their group despite their three opponents only being revealed at the end of next week when the official draw is made in Cape Town.

With one point awarded for a draw and three points for a win during group play, the TAB can't see the All Whites making any headway.

Their favoured option is for New Zealand to lose all three games, paying just $1.67.

Meanwhile Ricki Herbert has started the ball rolling with the All Whites' World Cup planning and is confident they will be able to maximise their preparation opportunities once the draw is made next week.

Herbert, members of All Whites management and New Zealand Football officials met in Wellington yesterday to discuss plans for New Zealand's second appearance at a Fifa World Cup.

Herbert won't be at the draw (6am December 5, NZ time), an event that will be hugely influential to New Zealand’s buildup plans before the tournament as they seek a training base and warmup opposition.

But he's happy to see his assistant coach Brian Turner given the opportunity to attend along with NZF Chairman Frank van Hattum and High Performance Manager Alex Chiet.

They will be busy networking and sorting out New Zealand's logistics, a task that will be ramped up once the All Whites know the three opponents in their group and their match venues.

''It's great to get the planning ball rolling and I think we’re in a good place to be able to move swiftly whatever the draw throws at us,'' Herbert said.

''There are ten venues and 31 other teams so the permutations are huge. But we’ve got guidelines and priorities in place to make sure we get what we need.''

Herbert travelled with his Wellington Phoenix side to Brisbane today to settle in for Sunday’s A-League match against the Roar where they are looking to consolidate their top six position.

Fifa rankings and TAB odds to win the World Cup

1 Spain - $5.50, 2 Brazil - $5.50, 3 Holland - $13, 4 Italy - $15, 5 Portugal - $18, 7 France - $18, 8 Argentina - $10, 9 England - $7, 11 Cameroon - $60, 12 Greece - $100, 14 United States - $80, 15 Mexico - $60, 16 Ivory Coast - $28, 17 Chile - $60, 18 Switzerland - $125, 19 Uruguay - $100, 20 Serbia - $60, 21 Australia - $80, 22 Nigeria - $80, 26 Denmark - $80, 28 Algeria - $300, 30 Paraguay - $50, 33 Slovenia - $250, 34 Slovakia - $150, 37 Ghana - $50, 38 Honduras - $300, 43 Japan - $125, 52 South Korea - $150, 77 New Zealand - $1000, 84 North Korea - $250, 86 South Africa - $100.

All Whites points from pool play:

0 points - $1.67

1 point - $3

2 points - $8

3 points - $7.50

4 points - $20

5 points - $200

6 points - $60

7 points - $300

9 points - $750

- © Fairfax NZ News