Oceania President Reynald Temarii - New Zealand Should Stay In Oceania And Not Head To Asia

Oceania’s president Reynald Temarii has told New Zealand that they must remain in his confederation and not join the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Recently, New Zealand stars Ryan Nelsen and Shane Smeltz said that they were in favour of following in Australia’s footsteps though Japan Football Association vice-president Junji Ogura told Goal.com that he was not in favour.

Temarii agrees with his fellow FIFA Executive Committee member and believes that New Zealand can use Australia’s absence for their own benefit.

"When we agreed for Australia to leave our confederation I believed that New Zealand could replace them as the leading country," Temarii told New Zealand media in Auckland as the World Cup trophy visitied the city.

"When we looked at the results coming through the youth teams it seemed that New Zealand had the potential to definitively replace Australia in the international scenes," Temarii said.

The Tahitian was behind the deal that saw Oceania’s champion play Asia’s fifth-placed team for a place at the World Cup, one taken by New Zealand.

"It has helped New Zealand football to qualify. I'm quite sure that if New Zealand football made it to 2010 it can make again in the coming years," Temarii.