To see the Kiwi's World Cup parade...


Blanco flew back into Sydney today after helping the All-Whites create history to qualify for the 2010 World Cup by beating Bahrain 1-0 on Saturday.

Blanco was employed by the NZ FA to provide technical assistance to All-Whites coach Ricki Herbert and his coaching team over the ten weeks encompassing the two legged continental play-off against Bahrain.

After a 0-0 draw in Manama in October, the emotional 1-0 win at Westpac stadium on Saturday night has made history for New Zealand qualifying them for the first time since 1982.

And it sets up an even more intriguing scenario. Blanco, currently coach of NSW Super League club Macarthur Rams, may be invited back to work with the All-Whites at the World Cup.

 If so, what if they faced the Socceroos? Or even the country of his heritage, Argentina?

Blanco, who was overlooked by the FFA in favour of using Graham Arnold as the home-based assistant, says he's been rejuvenated by the experience of helping another nation qualify for a World Cup and tipped Ricki Herbert to go on to bigger and better things in his coaching career. 

Blanco, a former Olyroo coach, spoke to au.fourfourtwo.com moments after stepping off a plane from Wellington this afternoon...

Raul, congratulations. Will you be going to the World Cup with New Zealand?

I don't know. My contract was for around ten weeks so that is now up. What is going to happen now, I don't know. It's up to the New Zealand federation. It would be unfair of me to make a comment but what I must do now is allow them time to enjoy their celebrations and Ricki has no time. It's not the time to talk about this, let them enjoy their victory first.

Surely though you'd love to go to a World Cup with the possibility of playing Australia or Argentina?

To go to a World Cup is everyone's dream - and I'm no different and even though I'm older and wiser, I haven't lost my dream. I'm excited and hopeful that maybe there is a chance... but if it happens you have to work as hard as possible for your employer and put that out of your mind.

How would you describe the last seven days?

You're just thinking about getting the job done, getting the preparation right and everyone knows their job so everything is in place. But I knew we could qualify. It's a great responsibility on the coaching staff's shoulders but I was always confident.

Your thoughts on Ricki particularly in comparison with Terry Venables, who you worked with for the Socceroos in 1997?

He's still a young man, but very, very talented. It's unfair to make comparisons but El Tel was older and in coaching the older you get the better you become because you learn to live with the ups and downs. Terry was, and still is, in his coaching prime and for me it was an exceptional experience. But Ricki has a lot of very, very good points. He's very intelligent, he's a good thinker and absolutely level-headed. He puts the team first. I'm not saying that because he offered me a job. The humility and humbleness he's shown... He went for it in the games and I think that was fantastic.

So how good can Ricki be and can he one day reach that sort of El Tel standard?

Why not? The opportunity is there but it's something we can't predict. He's very good now; he can go to a higher level. The challenge has to be for him to do it. You know when a good player's a good player and you know when a good coach is a good coach. He can be as good as he wants to be and he's one of the few in the world who's going to a World Cup as a player and as a coach.

You weren't ever worried about an "Iran" type scenario with Bahrain nicking a result at the end?

To be honest, it never crossed my mind. I never had doubt in my mind. Well, not entirely. I remember it was seven minutes left on the clock and I remember thinking, 'bloody hell, what injustice it would be if something went wrong. Just hurry up'. I can't deny it crossed my mind briefly...

Talk us through the conversations you were having with Ricki in those final, fraught few minutes?

I was saying to Ricki many times to be as cool, calm and collected as you can be. You have to think what we need to do clearly. The most important thing was to remain focused and not to allow the emotions to take over. It wasn't easy because all around him the emotions were taking over and that can influence your thinking. Our job was to retain our emotions and give Ricki our thoughts but he was very good even though he was under pressure.

Okay, talk us through this 3-4-3 formation. It worked very well particularly with the defensive pressure put on by the strikers...

I went to see Bahrain versus Saudi Arabia in the AFC third placed play-off and I reported to Ricki what I thought. He and I both came to the conclusion that was the best way to play. I was all the way with him on the 3-4-3. And if I wasn't I would've told him, but in the end he's the boss and he has the final word. Yes, we took a bit of a risk as we'd been playing a 4-4-2 for quite a while but he changed direction and we thought it was the best way to play against Bahrain. After the first leg we felt nothing should change in a big way. Knowing it was a home game we knew we had to be more aggressive and go for it and that's what we did. He went for it and he should be applauded.

And how significant to the All-Whites success was the late drafting in of Rory Fallon and Mike McGlinchey?

Very important. No disrespect to those who were in their positions before, but McGlinchey is playing at a very good standard in the A-League and Fallon is in the English league and scoring goals. Those two were very important. It was a fantastic thing that they brought more experience and quality in important positions.

At the final whistle, what was your reaction?

Well, everybody ran and I was left behind! I'm getting older you see and everyone took off. So I thought, 'geez, who can I embrace?' So I walked quickly and got close to everyone. It was an incredible emotion and I learnt to understand what it meant for them who worked so hard for so long. They got so emotional, it was hard not to get emotional yourself.

It sounds like you're reinvigorated...

Suddenly, this opportunity arose from nowhere from another country and rivals for such a long time. And yes, I feel reinvigorated so I have to say thank you to them. I'm obviously working with a club here in the second division but this opportunity changed many things. I'm so grateful to Ricki Herbert for making the offer. Good luck to them and Ricki.

To see the Kiwi's World Cup parade...