Auckland's World Cup fans get down to business

Brazilian fans at the Brooklyn Bar cheer on their team against Japan. Picture / Kenny Rodger

As experts around the world speculate on who will win the soccer World Cup, the Herald samples the views of a few Auckland supporters with teams still in the contest and tells you where in the city to find them.

ENGLAND

LOCAL FANS: More than 300 are filling the Paddington, in Parnell, on match nights.
NEXT HURDLE: England v Ecuador, this morning, 3am.
THEME SONG: Football's Coming Home.
WATERING HOLE: The Paddington, Parnell.

By now, England supporter Neville Poole will be comparing his team's overnight victory against Ecuador to other historical British victories, or he'll be weeping into his pint.

But for Mr Poole, 30, The Paddington is a little bit too busy for serious football-watching - particularly when it is an event such as the World Cup.

"I reckon I have only got about 10 World Cups left in my life - I don't want to miss anything, which has led to a weird, nocturnal existence."

He went to The Paddington once, but it was busy.

As the competition progresses, Mr Poole reckons he will be watching from a bar more conducive to carrying out post-match analyses.

"You need to be close to the screen."

His head thinks Brazil or Argentina will go home with the cup, but his heart prays England can repeat former glories.

"My heart tells me it's 1966 all over again."

GHANA

LOCAL FANS: "Probably fewer than 1000 [in Auckland]," says Auckland barrister John Dorbu.
NEXT HURDLE: Brazil, Wednesday, 3am.
THEME SONG: The Ghanaian national anthem, God Bless Our Homeland, Ghana.

John Dorbu is too busy working to watch many of this year's games but he is still passionate about football and the fortunes of his team.

"I would like to watch it, I am addicted to football, but for time ...

"I have talked to a few people. We engage in hearty discussion about the progress of our boys there.

"We are proud of the boys, actually."

The well-turned-out Ghanaian team are of particular pride to Mr Dorbu.

Auckland's Ghanaian community doesn't appear to have a favourite watering hole for watching matches, but that doesn't stop them talking about the competition.

FRANCE

LOCAL FANS: Between 3500 and 4000.
NEXT HURDLE: France vs Spain, Wednesday.
THEME SONG: Allez les Bleus (Go the Blues).
WATERING HOLE: Bouchon (means "cork") in Kingsland.

"The most excellent and genuine French restaurant in Auckland," says wine merchant Jean-Christophe Poizhe.

He is adamant France is hanging on to the glory days of its triumphant 1998 campaign and needs new and younger blood in the team.

"They are playing extremely badly right now. We have got some great young players but the coach and selection panel should seriously be kicked out," says Mr Poizhe.

France play best when their "back is against the wall".

Can France win the cup? "The way they are playing I would have to say definitely not and that's hard for me to say so".

SPAIN

LOCAL FANS: Numbers unknown.
NEXT HURDLE: France, Wednesday.
THEME SONG: Unknown.
WATERING HOLE: Spanish supporters are a secretive bunch. It could be at Bonita on Ponsonby Rd, although games are not shown on television there, which would seem to defeat the purpose.

The red-hot Spaniards, who play in red, are one of the form teams at the World Cup and are certainly on fire this time around after disappointing at every previous World Cup.

"They're playing fantastic football and they are definitely going to win the World Cup," says Manuel of Bonita.

Definitely?

"Definitely, man. It's all that chorizo they eat and sangria they drink. It's going back to Spain this year."

BRAZIL

LOCAL FANS: 350 (registered with Brazilian embassy).
NEXT HURDLE: Brazil v Ghana, Wednesday 3am.
THEME SONG: Garota de Ipanema (The Girl from Ipanema).
WATERING HOLE: Brooklyn Bar, Safari Lounge, Santos Cafe.

Time with a bar full of Brazilians as their side beat Japan on Friday morning provided an insight into what makes these fans tick.

Brooklyn Bar on Queen St was packed to the gills. They even had their own drummers to add a bit of noise. There was standing room only in the lounge section.

People had come in from the freezing rain, rugged up in thick jackets and blankets to watch the game from as early as 5am.

Bar manager Hemi Whyte thought more than 200 fans were present.

"A lot of them live in Auckland. Brazilians like living near the city," he says.

One Brazilian fan in camouflage pants kept up a cry of "Brazil's gonna win, Brazil's gonna win".

When an amused onlooker challenged him, he demanded: "Who won the last World Cup? Who?"

He became distracted by loud booing and switched his attention to the TV. "Puta!" he shouted.

"I don't think Brazil will win, I know!" said Leonardo Vaz, another fan.

Joseane Fabian and her friend Luis Gustavo were more generous.

"I think Brazil will win but Japan is playing well too," she said.

Mr Gustavo agreed. "Brazil's a good team but not playing so good. But I think they will still win."

GERMANY

LOCAL FANS: 8700*
NEXT HURDLE: Germany v Argentina, Saturday.
THEME SONG: Dem Deustchen Fussball (German Football).

Alles Gut for the Germans so far, though things will likely get a bit tougher from Saturday when they play Argentina.

But spare a thought for the forgotten victims of this match, the British tabloid editors, who will find their headline options halved when one of these two is eliminated and the other eventually meets England.

German fan Thomas Hesse is disappointed with coverage of the games in New Zealand, especially as he does not have Sky.

"In Germany, the games would all be on public TV and it would be on in the evening. The time zone is really different."

Mr Hesse says it is hard to tell at this point if Germany will win, but he holds some hope that they will.

They have been playing better this season than ever before, he says, and with the home turf advantage there is a real shot of the team winning.

ARGENTINA

LOCAL FANS: Figures not available.
NEXT HURDLE: Argentina v Germany, Saturday.
THEME SONG: Marcha de la Patria (March of the Fatherland).

Argentinian fans will be feeling as nervous as their German counterparts.

Argentinian-born Gabriela Calvete has been getting homesick watching the World Cup games.

"Everybody becomes a little patriotic at something like this," she says.

"In Argentina, the whole country stops when the World Cup is on. It's socially acceptable!"

Ms Calvete says she has found that New Zealanders are not as excited over soccer as they are over rugby and she misses the atmosphere.

"It's not the same situation in New Zealand. It's understandable because soccer is not that big here."

NETHERLANDS

LOCAL FANS: 27,396*
NEXT HURDLE: Netherlands v Portugal, today, 7am.
THEME SONG: Wilhelmus van Nassouwe (The Wilhelmus).
WATERING HOLE: Holland House.

Rita Van Pelt will by now be very happy, or very sad.

Ms Van Pelt, of Auckland's Dutch Club, says Dutch fans plan to start gathering at Holland House in Penrose to watch games starting from Thursday.

"We've had Sky at home since 1986," says Ms Van Pelt. They subscribed so they could follow overseas soccer matches, she said.

She thinks that the coverage of soccer on free-to-air channels in New Zealand is poor.

"They show some of the highlights and things but at very strange times."

ITALY

LOCAL FANS: There were about 2900 in 2001.
NEXT HURDLE: Italy v Australia, tomorrow 3am.
THEME SONG: Cuore Azzurro (Blue Heart).

The honorary consul for Italy, Mario Magaraggia, says the Italian community in Auckland is very small, "not like the English", and so does not have clubs or places where expats can "meet for these occasions".

Says Mr Magaraggia: "I must be sincere, I prefer soccer to rugby."

The World Cup is an opportunity for him to experience a little piece of Italy far away from home.

And, of course, the consul is backing an Italian win all the way.

* Statistics are taken from 2001 Census.