What a glorious night for New Zealand sport, and more particular football, last Saturday at the ‘Cake Tin' in Wellington.

While we are spoiled rotten with the best sport in the world courtesy of Sky Television, there was a huge amount of nervousness for the people watching at the game, and also the hundreds of thousands that tuned in to Sky Sport One.
While we can watch Tiger Woods waltz his way to victory over the weekend without any real sense of belonging – the moment a kiwi team walks onto the international sporting stage real nervousness kicks in for the supporters.
National pride is something that we are born with. It was outstanding to see the support rallied behind 'our team” as they battled Bahrain to earn a berth at the World Cup in South Africa. No matter what sporting background, the sports followers of New Zealand rallied behind the All Whites to a man.
What a game – I nearly chewed my fingernails to the bone. The visitors certainly came to play, roaring out of the blocks at the start of both halves, putting real pressure on the New Zealand unit.
However, the Kiwis steadied the ship and then started to control the game. While I don't pretend to know much about the round ball game – any team that plays in the opposition half has a real show of victory.
Who will forget the cross and the Rory Fallon header to score 'our” goal? However, the real hero for me has to be All Whites goalkeeper Mark Paston. While he said on television on Monday night that he had saved a few penalty shots before – how many goalies have saved a penalty attempt in a World Cup qualifier.
While this is the second time we are headed for the World Cup, there have been many changes in the world (and New Zealand) since the last time in 1982. The biggest change in New Zealand football, in my mind, is the cosmopolitan nature of the game today rather than the huge Pommie influence of three decades ago.
The real challenge facing football in New Zealand, after the glamour and hysteria of the biggest sporting event in the world is over, will be to sustain the likely huge growth in the game.
Numbers of junior football players in the Western Bay of Plenty are large with a great support system in place. The success of the junior game locally is due to the countless volunteers who put in place the competitions and manage and officiate at the Western Bay clubs.
I was really impressed recently when my grandson brought around his league winner medal from the2009 season. No piece of plastic, but a solid gold coloured engraved medal with the logo of Western BOP Junior Football on the other side.
However, in my humble opinion, local football misses out because of a lack of recognisable pathways for local youngsters. Ask a local junior football player who their local heroes are, and you will get a blank look. Repeat the question to a junior rugby youngster and you are likely to get the entire Steamers side named.

Go the All Whites.