8/14/2019 Profile Shane Smeltz

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OW big a Socceroos an was

Shane Smeltz as a child? Consider

this: In 1991 he went out and

bought that revolting jersey, the

one which has been compared to

vomit or blurred TV reception, the absolute ugliest,

daylight second, playing strip the Australian national

team has ever donned. And he wore it with pride.

The Socceroos moved on, matured, and Smeltz

grew up to play in the cool white o New Zealand

instead o the gold o his early dreams. This year, the

A-Leagues premier striker will lead the line or New

Zealand in South Arica.

Smeltz is used to making adjustments. Born in

Germany to a United States serviceman ather and

an English mother, he returned as a one-year-old

to live in Auckland beore his parents moved to

Australia when he was six. By that count there are

fve national teams he might have represented.

My old man was in the American army and he

was shipped to Germany and at a base there, says

Smeltz. My mother was a pilot and was with my old

man there and thats how I came about. Although

they were born in the US and England they were both

raised in New Zealand.When I let Germany, just beore I turned one, I

was on my mothers passport and she had a Kiwi

passport. When I moved to Australia at the age o six

I was still on that and never changed it.

His parents, Edward and Helen, moved frst to

Cairns, where they live today, and then south to

Brisbane and on to the Gold Coast.

Smeltz grew as a player in Australia, and made

several Queensland rep teams, but the seed was

planted on New Zealand soil.

My mums ather was involved in ootball in

England, but my dad didnt play - he was a rugby

union man when he was a junior so I had no real

bloodlines or the game, Smeltz says. The reason

they put me in to ootball, instead o something

else, was when I was at home beore I was fve I

was kicking plenty o things around the house, so

they thought its be a good i dea to fnd me a ootball

team. Its been a drug since then.

At school he tried other sports, like tennis and

cricket, but nothing else held him its thrall like ootball.

It was crazy. Im still as passionate about the

game but its dierent when you are young. Ater

school, i I couldnt have mates around to play I was

out on my own in the backyard, using pot plants as

teammates, bouncing the ball o the walls, coming

up with my own sort o games. I was always outside,

and always with the ball.A keen an (o Arsenal) as well as a p layer, Smeltz

watched as much as he could, devoured ootball

mags and stuck posters on his walls. His frst

memory o the World Cup was Italia 90.

I can still remember perectly that eeling o

excitement I had, Smeltz says. Waking up with my

dad in the early hours o the morning, going back to

bed or a while, but just looking orward to getting up

again and into the back yard with the ball. I knew I

wanted to play at a World Cup then and when youre

nine years old you dont think there are any barriers

to getting there. You dont think o the pathways you

have to take. You think i youre good enough and

play good ootball youll make it.

When he pictured himsel then it was in gold,

although the Socceroos hadnt been to the fnals

since 1974. To be honest, being in Australia rom the

age o six, playing most o my junior ootball there,

I just saw what was in ront o me and naturally that

was the Socceroos. I hardly saw anything o the All

Whites, and why would I have? I remember going

to buy the shirt rom the shop, the Socceroos shirt

that looked like it had been painted on. I supported

them until I got older and realised my roots and the

opportunity came up to p lay or NZ.

The call came when Smeltz was breaking into the

National Soccer League at Brisbane Strikers. An

uncle alerted Kiwi ofcials to his heritage and they

approached him to play in the under 20s.

At that stage I was just trying to get mysel out

there and make a name or mysel, Smeltz says. I

was 18 and not really thinking too much about playing

internationals. Then the opportunity came and it was

surprise but it didnt take me long to make a decision

and Im obviously pleased with how its turned out.

Smeltz has played in two Conederation Cups.

In 2003, his highlight was swapping shirts with

Frenchman Thierry Henry, then establishing his

legend as Arsenals record goal scorer.

At last years tournament, he came up against the

current star o his avourite team, Cesc Fabregas,

who netted in Spains emphatic 5-0 victory. He

believes lessons will be learned rom that game, and

a 2-0 deeat against South Arica.

Having been there recently is going to help us

settle quickly. Knowing the ood, the climate, the

people, its going to eel more comortable than it

would have, says Smeltz.

As a team well be better o or that Spain

game. We started o a bit a shaky and managed to

recover and i we can apply ourselves to the way wechanged, hopeully well do alright at the World Cup.

Just as Australia did our years earlier, the All

Whites broke a long absence rom the tournament

with an emotional qualifcation playo.

When we talk, Smeltz is still high on the experience

o conquering Bahrain. Having drawn 0-0 away, the All

Whites went ahead through Rory Fallon but a penalty

in the second hal threatened to take the World Cup

place rom them on the away goals rule.

Smeltz and Fallon, standing together on halway,

were convinced Bahrain would score and were plotting

their next move to get back into the tie. As Sayed

Mohamed Adnan ran in, Smeltzs view was blocked.

I was waiting or the net to move but there was

Mark Paston laying on the ball. I looked at a Bahrain

player and the exchange o glances made me eel

this was going to be our night, he says.

Nothing has come close to that in my career.

It was an amazing thing to be part o. Weve never

had support like that in New Zealand a ull stadium,

all dressed in white, making that noise. It was very

emotional walking out there. Getting the goal, seeing

the penalty save and hearing that fnal whistle, it hits

you straight away that youve achieved something

youve always wanted to, since you were a kid.

That youre there. wor

profle Shane Smeltz

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