Chris Rattue: Country's big smoke blows for sport fans

Auckland City FC players celebrate after defeating ES Setif. Photo / AP

Auckland City's roll through Morocco is uplifting on one hand, and a depressing reminder on the other.

Auckland City - a club-slash-franchise - has triumphed against predictions, which only further emphasises that Auckland City, the place, is a shocker for the football codes.

The excitement people are feeling about this unlikely Marrakesh express is in stark contrast to what normally happens out of loserville. Sport should be central to this city and energise it, but has become a sideshow.

None of the major football codes succeed anywhere near their potential in New Zealand's largest city. The big smoke is a puff of hot air compared to what places with far fewer resources achieve.

The New Zealand Rugby Union's failure to build a decent Blues team and capture the most important commercial market is a world class disaster, one in which the central contracting system confuses where to place the blame. The appointment of the high profile Sir John Kirwan as coach was just another in a long line of Hail Mary passes doomed to crash land.

The national body is ably assisted by an inept local administration whose lack of independent thinking and vision was encapsulated by the recent show of support for Eden Park, the stadium which is heavily responsible for Auckland's sporting demise. Auckland can't even do a decent job in the NPC, and North Harbour are an embarrassment.

The NRL Warriors represent two decades of erratic methods and administration that have produced zilch compared to what should have been. They regularly fail to make the top eight playoffs in a 16-team competition and the crowds dwindle accordingly. Auckland can't even hold its head above water as a test venue, ceding this year to Whangarei and Dunedin.

On to football, the world's biggest game and one which is popular at junior and lower levels around Auckland. But the region made a hash of two A-league clubs, and is left with a ghetto where national league sides Auckland City and Waitakere play out a tired rivalry that no one outside of the game notices.

Most sports fans don't even know how the club/franchise system works, and care even less. South Auckland has been ignored. Auckland has lost its place as a bona fide international venue for the All Whites.

A lot of people have jumped on the football bandwagon and with good reason as Auckland City surprised the pundits - those who knew they were on the way to Morocco - in Fifa's rather bizarre world club tournament of eclectic combatants.

Just about all those people will have jumped off by the time the team gets home, because this wagon has no place to go.

As for netball - is anything happening? It almost goes without saying that the Northern Mystics have never won the transtasman title, and rarely get close.

Risk-taking promoters - led by Dean Lonergan and David Higgins at Duco Events - prop Auckland's reputation up, but the people who should be in real control wouldn't have a clue. The result is no razzmatazz, no buzz, few outright stars, no heaving stadiums, no titles. And things are only getting worse.

Basketball is the only professional team sport that can be proud of its achievements in Auckland. The Breakers are a powerhouse in the NBL and their band of supporters love the live experience, even though they are light years away from televised NBA standards.

Full marks to Auckland City chairman Ivan Vuksich and everyone else at the Kiwitea St-based football club. But this magical week is an exception to the Auckland rule.

Looking back on 2014, there are next to no great memories for Auckland sports fans, once again. Side issues - yes. Cut throat playoffs - no. Sadder still, when it comes to the key business - building a world class stadium - the city has given up and rugby union has taken to openly advocating against it.