Michael Brown: A bright future is on the horizon

All Whites Tommy Smith and Winston Reid in action during the match against Slovakia. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Suddenly I feel a lot better about life. Not in a touchy-feely kind of way, but because of the state of football in New Zealand.

It hasn't always been like that. There are more glamorous assignments than a Chatham Cup quarter-final at Madill's Farm - and more enjoyable jobs than tapping something out on the Kingz and Knights.

When people asked what you did, you tended to rush through the bit about covering football. How 'bout those Highlanders?

Even as recently as three years ago, the game seemed on the brink of dropping into an abyss. The national body took the begging bowl to Sparc; the country looked like it might lose the only professional club in the land; and the All Whites were ranked in the 150s in the world.

How times have changed. Tomorrow morning the All Whites take on Italy at the World Cup and, incredibly, many people actually think New Zealand have a chance of getting a result. Logic tells you it won't happen, but logic doesn't always apply in football.

While it is brilliant for us to be in South Africa, what is also encouraging is that New Zealand Football seems to have a plan. Too often the national body either lived beyond their means or could barely look beyond the next year.

Former chief executive Graham Seatter tried, but came along too soon. He was too ambitious and it left the game in a parlous financial state. Now they have money in the bank and a groundswell of interest.

People talk about a lost opportunity in 1982 and lay the blame at the feet of the old New Zealand Football Association. They were culpable, but it's too simplistic to hold them entirely responsible.

In the late 1970s, the national body didn't want to commit to playing in World Cup qualifiers because of the cost. Charlie Dempsey wouldn't have it. He was chairman of both Auckland and New Zealand and said Auckland, which was in much better shape, would pick up most of the expenses.

That meant they also received most of the profit from playing in Spain. The NZFA couldn't take advantage of World Cup qualifying because they couldn't do anything. They still didn't have any money. The current mob does.

A cheque in the vicinity of $10 million will be wired through to NZF soon. Forty per cent will go to the players but it's a healthy position. Development programmes become more real with cash in the bank.

NZF also seem to have come to reason about scheduling games later this year to keep the All Whites in the spotlight. Momentum is a powerful thing.