The All Whites scooped the Team of the Year prize and the Supreme Halberg award while Ricki Herbert collected the Coach of the Year gong and Winston Reid’s dramatic injury-time equaliser against Slovakia was chosen as New Zealand’s Favourite Sporting Moment of 2010 via a public vote.
Vice-captain Tim Brown said the unprecedented four-award haul was a tribute to those who believed in the team.
“These awards are for everyone who backed us,” Brown said.
“From everyone who dressed up in white and went along to that last qualifier against Bahrain in Wellington or who stayed up late and watched us on the telly, to the crazy crew of fans who travelled all the way to Africa and watched every kick of the ball. It is as much their reward as it for anyone in the team.
“To be in such illustrious company and walk away with the awards that we’ve won is a memorable end to a wonderful year.”
Brown also paid special tribute to captain Ryan Nelsen – pipped by his All Blacks counterpart Richie McCaw for Sportsperson of the Year – as the team’s talisman and inspiration behind what proved to be an unbeaten FIFA World Cup campaign.
“I simply don’t think getting to the World Cup and what we did at the World Cup could’ve happened without Ryan Nelsen. He was magnificent and carried us all on his shoulders.”
Nelsen joined the celebration via Skype from his Blackburn base and expressed his thanks to a host of people behind the scenes while FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter sent a video message congratulating Herbert and the team on their awards and a “strong, solid and consistent” string of performances in South Africa.
The FIFA boss also said that even in a country where it competes against many other codes, “football in New Zealand is more than just a game, it brings people of all cultures together.”
Herbert, whose guidance of the Wellington Phoenix to the preliminary finals of the A-League was also part of his victory, acknowledged the calibre of the other nominees in a very tough coaching category and hailed his squad of players in the All Whites for what they achieved.
“I think the last 12 months or so have been pretty exciting for people either at a game or sitting in front of their TV watching a team that were not meant to do much defy expectations and do a lot. The team is very dear to my heart and I’m just so proud.”
The All Whites next matches are on March 25 and 29 against China and Asian champions Japan respectively while qualifying for the next FIFA World Cup in Brazil in 2014 is scheduled to start later in the year.
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
For more on New Zealand football go to www.nzfootball.co.nz